I’m planning to activate one or two G summits in region SP, on the weekend of 18/19 June. Date not firm yet. I see there is a 6m event on 17/18 June.
I was thinking of the obvious summits like SP-013, SP-015 but I am attracted to SP-001 too. I plan to use the ft817 on HF and 6m/2m. Antenna will be a linked dipole for HF. I don’t require a drive-up summit, I’m quite happy with something up to about 4km walk each way. SP-001 seems to be slightly more than 4km but apart from boggy conditions encountered by past activators, quite feasible.
It would be great if I could make a contact back to VK. What time would I need to be on summit to do that on 20m, either ssb or CW? (Guessing 0700 UTC latest)
I’d welcome any guidance or recommendations on whether there are summits I should not consider due to access or other issues. I should have enough time to activate two summits in one day so if possible that’s what I’d like to do.
Hi Andrew,
I know Mike 2E0YYY has had a lot of success with UK-VK contacts from Gun G/SP-015 and by what I have heard in the last couple of days 06:00 to 07:00 UTC appears to be the best time for long path on 20m at the moment.
Perhaps Mike or someone else can clarify the best approach for an early morning activation of Gun?
I agree with Richard G3CWI that G/SP-004, G/SP-013 and G/SP-015 can be done in one day which I would recommend and there are those of nice pubs in the area where you can have a drink in after. G/SP-001 is a good walk as well, but a lot longer. Please keep us up-to-date with your activation plans in G/SP, if it is a Saturday or Sunday that you activate these summits and weather is good, me and my dad Tom M1EYP might join you for these activations.
In December 2013 (mid winter) I did all four (001/004/013/015) in one day, BUT the last one (015 The Cloud) was done in the dark (and wind and rain!). On a dry summer day it’s not too bad to do the lot if you are moderately fit. 001 is the “big” walk, 004 is about 30/40 mins and the other two are pretty negligible walks. I did only use 2M FM though spending 20-30 mins on each one.
I’d suggest 001 on its own if it’s a lovely day and you want a good walk too. Otherwise 004/013/015 combined for an easier walking day but with more emphasis on radio.
There is a cafe/cake shop/tea room not far from the summit of SP-004. It has a large car park. If you visit the cafe and buy a cake/coffee and ask nicely, you can park there whilst you activate. Maybe they will let you park if you don’t buy anything if they are quiet. It would be considered very rude to park and not to ask if it’s OK.
The advantage is it is about 25mins to the summit from the car park and other parking places to add 10+ mins to the walk. The bigger advantage is the cake is really good! Cafe marked in red, pub (closed at present) marked in yellow.
I wonder if we should start grading food & beverage places near SOTA Summits?
I’ll start the list with Schlossbergalm Zell near DL/AL-171 Eisenberg with three goats (out of five) for reasonable food and beer but very friendly service.
Lord Stones Cafe near G/TW-002 Drake Howe - only two goats as the cafe has little atmosphere, very new tiled lines, food was average.
Andy MM0FMF is wrong. The easiest approach for SP-004 is from where the track leaves the road 200m NNW of the Cat & Fiddle pub. Parking here for about 4 cars, so usually get a spot. Parking at the tea rooms add s about 30m of extra ascent. The walk is slightly shorter in horizontal distance terms, but with the extra ascent and inferior underfoot terrain until you join the main path, it’s just not worth it. Add in the extra time for getting permission to park and it would have been quicker to park at the pub, never mind the start of the track!
Hopefully be able to join you for a day on SOTA’s favourite three summits!
But there’s cake. Wonderful cake. How can you not stop for cake?
The computer says the end of the lane path is 3mins longer than the cafe path including the 30m more ascent which makes the cafe the obvious choice!
ISTR when we (G4ZRP and me) visited the site there was some scabby old car parked at the end of the path that looked like it hadn’t had a wash since Noah led the animals 2x2 onto the Ark. We didn’t want to park next to it in case my nice shiny SUV caught a nasty dose of tin worm from it!
There is only one answer to that question, we need cake AND summits.
So in what order should these wonderful summits be tackled? Taking into account the need for coffee and cake between summits 1 and 2, then a possible snack after summit 2 and finally a good cold drink after number 3.
I will be driving over from somewhere near Stavely.
These 3 summits are best being done in either the order of G/SP-004 followed by G/SP-013 followed by G/SP-015 or G/SP-015 followed by G/SP-013 followed by G/SP-004.
Andrew, if you consider SP-001 Kinder Scout and want to have a good VHF activation, consider operating from the edge of the plateau that is in the AZ rather than the summit itself. The plateau is so large and flat that the effective HAAT is very low and you wont get the coverage the ASL height would suggest.
there was some scabby old car parked at the end of the path that looked like it hadn’t had a wash since Noah
Was that mine or Mickey’s?
So in what order should these wonderful summits be tackled?
Well as Jimmy M0HGY says, you’ll want Gun G/SP-013 as the middle summit. Sounds like you’re determined to visit the Peak View Tearooms during the morning, so that would suggest:
Shining Tor G/SP-004
Peak View Tearooms
Gun G/SP-013
The Cloud G/SP-015
Harrington Arms, Bosley
…depending on where you’re driving onto at the end of the day. You’re heading out from Stavely near Chesterfield initially? Of course the traditional end to this trio of summits is a meal in the Weston Balti Raj in Macclesfield …
For the avoidance of potential confusion it might be wise to give further information on which Harrington Arms. One could end up in the wrong one which would be sad.
If you inspect my post Richard you will see that I’ve specified the Bosley Harrington Arms. This isn’t as good as the Gawsworth Harrington Arms (but better than it used to be), but selected assuming that Andrew is heading back to Staveley.
