I’m on a family trip staying for a week at Romalskirk on the edge of North Pennine.
Any suggestions for a SOTA peak that has great views and ideally a path/track to its summit?
Distance and elevation gain are a secondary criteria.
Paul M/W6PNG
Hi, Paul.
I eventually found Romaldkirk; is that the place?
You do set a challenge with this one.
Cross Fell, NP-001, using the access road to the radar and then along the top.
Burnhope Seat, NP-003, easiest access by road and short walk - very wet top.
Rogan’s Seat, NP-014, covered in driveable tracks but long and tedious?
Good luck.
73,
Rod
Nine Standards Rigg has an interesting summit area. Walk Report - Nine Standards Rigg • Walkhighlands
Thanks Rod and that is the place despite my typo.
I’ll look at each and maybe Cross Fell is the most viable.
Paul M/W6PNG
Hope you get a good walk.
I missed Nine Standards, NP-018, and would go for Richard’s suggestion.
73,
Rod
I followed his link and the pictures certainly make for an appealing hike.
Paul
Hi Paul
G/NP-027 Dufton Pike is a 1 point summit easy to combine with the other choices suggested.
Its a bit of a leg burner for a small summit, well worth it for evening sunsets over the Lake District. (Managed to log 9 QSO on SSB back in 2013)
Another summit is G/NP-024 The Hoove, the only hard part about activating this summit is keeping your feet dry and not stepping into a bog. Also worth checking the open access land registers Click
73
Graeme
I will be walking through Romaldkirk tomorrow, it is about 4 miles away from the home QTH!
Quick summary with drive and walk times. Expect low visibility and paths that may or may not be visible not easily followed waymarked trails
Hoove (NP-024) 30 min drive - then about 30 min walk. Rather boggy and in my opinion uninspiring summit
Burnhope Seat (NP-003)- 40 min drive and 30 min walk. A bit better view but very boggy.
Nine Standards Rig (NP-018) - 45 min drive and 60 min walk. Much more interesting with good views and an interesting feel around the standards. Can be boggy.
Wild Boar Fell (NP-007)- 50 min drive and 60 min walk. Clearly defined path from Hazelgill south of Kirkby Stephen) My favourite - and call into Pendragon Castle Pendragon Castle - Wikipedia (Free) on the way back for a really unspoilt castle!
You are only about 70 mins drive from the Lake District - High Street (LD-011) from the end of Haweswater (Probably a good couple of hours walk) is a really nice atmospheric walk and better defined paths.
Helvellyn is also quite accessible with only about an 80min drive. Some of my old friends used to climb in the lakes in the summer after work midweek!
The nearest fell is Mickle Fell (NP-002), but this is on Army land and requires a special permit.
Cross Fell(NP-001) is more of a haul - It is probably about an hours drive and then a good couple of hours to the top. If clear good views from the top, but the walk up isn’t really inspiring (in my opinion).
Have a great time and hope to chase you - but I’ll probably be stuck at work!
73
Paul
Paul
Thanks for all the excellent information. Both drive times and hike times help a lot in planning as does the info on “boggy”. Postholing once was enough to put boggy into a new light for me!
Paul M/W6PNG
For me it was Black Hill (Aged about 17) now G/SP-002. At the time miles of waist deep soup! (Off Topic - There are guides that will take you round the Leadmines in Garrigill about 45 mins from Romaldkirk- these are not muddy but very interesting and at times it seems that you are stepping back in time. The museum at Killhope offers a more sanitsed version of life here 150 years ago - but that has a short mine trip too!) /Off Topic
… and not one of you mentioned Kisdon NP-026. 
Paul,
My only UK activation during my 2016 visit was NP028. From the parking area it was a moderate walk up a flagged path to the trig. It must be moderate because apparently the parking area is within the AZ. The distance from car to trig seemed to be about 500m. But I had sore feet and it might be much less when measured by a normally fit person. 
Hth
Andrew VK1DA/VK2UH
Hello again
Not been up Kisdon in years - but it is in a nice area. I usually have limited time for activations so try to limit the drive time, and although Kisdon is close as the crow flies the crow may well fly faster than you can drive down the roads - but they are nice roads! Expect about an hours drive from Romaldkirk. NP-028 would be (not by Australian standards) a much longer drive, probably 90 mins - which would also get you into the middle of the lake district with loads of hills.
All the best - Paul ( And lets hope band conditions are better for your holiday )
Thanks for all the suggestions gents.
If the terrestrial wheather holds up on Tuesday I’ll attempt one of these;
- Wild Boar Fell (NP-007)
- Nine Standards Rig (NP-018)
It will be VHF FM (5w) and HF 10 watts so hopefully I can nab atleast the minimum requisite contacts.
Paul M/W6PNG
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