For some reason, Dale Head and Robinson have eluded me for ages. They are often done as a pair although the SOTA database shows that Dale Head has had more activations than Robinson so some must just do the one hill.
It was off from the Youth Hostel with a fairly clear sky and a heavy frost. Honister car park at 08:55 and the usual £5. Booted up and off by 09:10. We were soon at the summit of Dale Head where I applied some psychology. As we stood admiring the view I pointed out Robinson and said that was also a SOTA summit. ML took the bait “looks nice daddy” she said, followed by the magic words “I would like to do that one”. So without leaving time for changing of minds, we set off for Robinson. An easy walk soon found us on the summit.
Activating was rather a problem as there was a contest in full flow and it was hard to gain a toe hold on the band. I sort of elbowed a small space and called CQ. It took a while before a chaser found me but eventually the contacts came in. I had a few interested visitors “are you fishing?” Zzzz. Just 13 contacts.
Next we reversed our route. ML deciding she wanted to explore a slightly different path to me, we shook hands theatrically at a crossing where she went her way and I went mine. She beat me to the top again despite me having loaded her rucksack with all the food, the flask and two litres of water. One of the “fishing” parties was on Dale Head as we passed and were impressed by contacts with far flung parts of Europe.
On Dale Head we used an old iron fence post to support the pole. The contest was still on and so we had to settle for 18 contacts.
We were down at the car by 15:10 having watched a party of children arrive by helicopter to do the mine tour. Now that’s stylish.
A trouble-free drive home saw us back in time to pick Lewis up from the football (3-1 win for Macc). Another nice easy day. 5.9 miles 823m ascent. No children seen on the hills all day again, where were they all?
“No children seen all day again, where were they all?”
Probably in front of their PS3’s! Hey, that’s an idea for a great game - virtual SOTA!
Those NT car park fees are scandalous, I was charged a similar price last year for a NT carpark near Blea Tarn, and it (the car park!) wasn’t even surfaced, one woman actually ran aground there and had to be pushed off so no wonder people squeeze onto the side of the road!
In reply to G3CWI:
Now come on Richard make your mind up here.
We were down at the car by 15:10 having watched a party of children arrive by ==================================
helicopter to do the mine tour. Now that’s stylish.
A trouble-free drive home saw us back in time to pick Lewis up from the football (3-1 win for Macc). Another nice easy day. 5.9 miles 823m ascent.
No children seen all day again, where were they all?
Thought you said underlined no children, Yes your right Richard no matter how many times you walk up a hill/mountains, With a sota pole in your rucksack some one is going to ask are you going fishing, I remember doing Skiddaw with Bobbie one winter, and a lady asked me the same, My response was that the tarn at the top was frozen so sorry no !, You should have seen her face when Bobbie said sometimes they are this big Ha Ha,
Will have to go back to the lakes and do some more walking,
Thanks for the two nice write ups Richard.
Steve m0sgb
Ho ho. Good point Steve. You have obviously missed out on a career as a lawyer! Of course what I meant was no children were seen on the hills. We saw plenty elsewhere.
I stopped going to Chester and Ellesmere Port for shopping because they charge for parking. If these ridiculous £5 charges becomes the norm it might stop me going anywhere. What cheeses me off most about this is the fact that I am already a member of the National Trust and they want to charge you for what? Having your car broken into while you are walking? Ruining your suspension on their potholes?
Hey, that’s an idea for a great game - virtual SOTA!
We could play that on Echo Link. The activators could give clues to their virtual location and we have to guess where they are. Points for getting it right. Maybe not!
The National Trust for Scotland allows members to park free in their car parks; we have a car sticker to prove membership. If this is the same with the NT then joining would soon pay for parking at £5 a poke!
Mind you, I learnt the hard way about car parking fees in Puerto Banus - 16 Euros an hour - guess who will not park there again?
In reply to G3CWI:
Nice pair of hills these and Honister is the place. It’s better than a Buttermere start back via adding LD12. Won’t do that again!
That horrific £5 parking fee again.
There’s always a bit of resentment when faced with reascent on the way back. I’m the same with buying things, preferring to pay upfront.
These have lots of nice grass on them, unlike some of the ones around.
You are right, ‘Fishing’ is their favourite or do they now mean Phishing? In my experience, second favourite has been, ‘Are you measuring the weather?’
On a sad note. I think it was Brian who mentioned it. The kids are mostly gawping at screens.
Thanks for the griff on the antenna emergency config. From what you say it should work worse in theory. Once again, in practice you can’t really tell the difference. I think much of the theory is undermined when we put our aerials so close to the ground in terms of lambda.
Have a great New Year let-in and may it continue throughout 09,
In reply to GW7AAV:
quote from gw7aav === Having your car broken into while you are walking?
Steve can you enlighten us where the car or cars where broken in to,
As for Parking your car anywhere outside the urban locations i can really say, it’s safe from point of view, I once made the mistake of parking my car at Horton in Ribbledale behind (pen-y-ghent cafe) in the April of 2006 (i think, When i did the tree peaks challenge). The car was left in the National car park £5-00 paid, which is very close to Pen-y-ghent cafe and the train station, The car was left for 11 hours OPEN, and never broken into, When i say this i might mean from other walkers aswell, but i have never seen a car broken in to, or even seen the remains of glass from a smashed window. anywhere be it in The Dales, The Lakes, The Pennines, The Peak Disrict or even into Wales, I have seen a stranded car with lights on and a other car waiting to make sure that the driver can start his car before departing, But NEVER anything like you say Steve.
Steve m0sgb
(who would love to live in the countryside more than the Urban area,) its safer and quiter,
Wont be on radio or here later so heres wishing you all a happy new year for 2009.
I’ve never had anything stolen, but the cars parked adjacent to the more popular climbing crags, such as the Roaches, do get targeted from time to time. So do rucksacs left at the foot of climbing crags such as Tremadoc, Shepherds, etc, so it pays to be wary.
On a lighter note, last time I did Dale Head and Robinson I started from Cat Bells, but of course in those days I would not have expected to spend an hour on each summit! It is still a very fine circuit.
The same is true of many popular caving spots in the dales.
Alum Pot road, Kingsdale, Leck Fell lane & Ireby Fell lane being the worst.
With the serious decline in caver numbers over the last few years, this may not be as big a problem as it was…but 10/15 years ago we used to have a ‘designated driver’ who would sit with the cars while the others had fun.
NT(Scotland) membership gains entrance to NT(England) properties.
Does anyone know if the same applies to car parking??
Dick, M0EIQ
In England…but an NTS member.
I’m the same as you, Dick, an NTS member for 30+ years living in England. I’ve never had a problem claiming the free parking in England. I think NTS membership is a little cheaper than NT membership too.
That seems like a useful tip thanks. I may well investigate! However, given that the NT is responsible for protecting vast tracts of land and many of the summits that we ascend, I don’t begrudge them my parking fees. As a charity they are not lining their own pockets as some seem to imply.
Joining NTS or NT seems like a good deal given the number of parking sites that they provide in useful places for SOTA, especially in the Lake District.
I agree Richard on joining NT. My wife and I are members courtesy of a joint father’s day / mother’s day present from our daughter and son in law on an annual basis - £77 I believe at the current rate. We often visit properties on a Sunday afternoon and keep a total of what the value of our visits are. We always at least double the value of the membership (and that’s without trying) and a walk around beautiful gardens keeps the aches and pains of the previous day’s activation away. The zero parking fee is an added bonus for SOTA and considerably far better value than the £4 paid yesterday at the car park for Cadair Idiris with its dirty smelly toilet facilities.