The big five go mad in GM planning meeting is in full swing and the itinerary is as follows:-
GW7AAU & GW7AAV August 2007 SOTA summits week one (The build up) based at
Wanlockhead (Highest village in Scotland)– Lanarkshire NS871129
Sunday 19th 11:00 GM/SS-131 Hods Hill - 569m, 2 points
May have company here.
Tuesday 21st 11:00 GM/SS-056 Green Lowther - 732m, 4 points
We will try to be as early as possible on this summit so as to leave time for the second. No need to worry about parking we will be able to see these two from the cottage.
Tuesday 21st 14:00 GM/SS-123 Green Hill - 588m, 2 points
Bonus hill - We may well be late or postpone.
Thursday 23rd 12:00 GM/SS-064 Tinto - 711m, 4 points
Friday 24th 12:00 GM/SS-049 Coulter Fell - 748m, 4 points
Week two (The big push) based at Dunkeld – Perthshire NO025429
Sunday 26th 12:00 GM/CS-080 Meall Tairneachan – 787m, 4 points
Tuesday 28th 13:00 GM/CS-005 Schiehallion - 1083m, 8 points
This summit will most likely be a test of our limitations but you don’t know until you try. We may well be late.
Thursday 30th 13:00 GM/CS-029 Carn Liath - 975m, 6 points
If we manage the 8 pointer then we should be okay here, but another one where we may well be late.
Friday 31st 12:00 GM/CS-065 Ben Vrackie - 841m, 4 points
Due to our relative inexperience our estimated times may be wildly out but will hopefully improve as the holiday goes on. I intend to try and get as much information about any changes to stations who can update the alerts page and where possible to self spot by mobile phone, coverage may be a problem.
Intended operating frequencies 3.666 / 5.3985 / 7.060 / 7.118 / 14.285 / 28.490 SSB 145.375 / 433.450 FM all plus or minus QRM. Two metres SSB may also be available.
Any GM activators wishing to join us on these activations or meet up with us for a drink are welcome to do so. Please email me. My email is correct on QRZ.com.
Tuesday 21st 11:00 GM/SS-123 Green Hill - 588m, 2 points &
14:00 GM/SS-056 Green Lowther - 732m, 4 points
Just a thought but how about doing Green Lowther first. I say this because there is a fully tarmaced road to the absolute summit. Or you can follow the Southern Upland Way. Whilst the route up the tarmaced road is boring by foot it’s easy and you can get yourselves 4 points simply. Having descended, either straight down or by the road/way you can have some lunch and then hit Green Hill. Depending on your overall fitness, you may be too tired/not in the mood for Green Hill which has less easy to walk paths. By doing Green Hill first, you may not be quite upto Green Lowther for later on or find it a strain/slog. Doing it Green Lowther first means you’re more likely to get 4 points on the day instead of 2 and a part climb. Or 6 if you’re all firing on all cylinders!
Just a suggestion as I know you have some youngsters in your group. There again, they may have the fitness and energy of youth that puts me to shame!
Andy are you listing in to the conversation we were just having? Plans subject to change - Okay first change - editing to change those two summits about. We can always leave the kids at the cottage while Helen and I do the 2nd one.
I wonder if you still fancy meeting up for Hods Hill?
Where would you recommend as a start point/car park for Green Lowther
I parked at NS876128 by the cemetary. There’s space for about 8 cars there on the track that runs up to the Public House at NS876127. Except it’s not a pub anymore, last Feb it was being converted into flats. I followed the Southern Upland Way till it crosses the road the last time and then followed the road to Lowther and onto Green Lowther. Rather than walk back along the road I came straight down to NS888123(ish) and then upto the road at NS884123, left along the road and back down the SUW to the car. Had my butties at the car and walked through the village to the fairly obvious track up to the col between Black Hill/Green Hill (Stood Hill). Up there to the col, turned right, followed some kind of path to the plateau where I found a big iron stake in the ground in the vicinity of NS860126(ish) at which point I declared myself at the summit and used the stake to support the mast!
The 1:25000 map shows a line of Grouse Butts near the path on Green Hill but I don’t recall seeing them. Steve, you might want to check if there is any shooting scheduled as the season starts this Monday.
I just had a look at the Geograph website and there wasn’t a picture of the summit of Green Hill. Well now there is and I’ve got 1 geograph point, something new to collect.
You’ll like it Steve, you can see Tinto Hill!
Sunday sounds good provisionally. Will confirm when I’m sure.
In reply to GW0DSP:
Even worse Mike - they have a place called Glasgow - which has to be circumnavigated for week 2.
At 70 mph the GPS can’t keep up so you go round in circles. But don’t tell 'AAV.
Glasgow should be no problem, Roger, we have been lost there before we had satnav so we should be okay. Ditto Edinburgh where we found our way straight to where we were going and couldn’t get out again afterwards. Darn one way systems :o(
Edinburgh must be the best city in the UK for pre-summit training. One of these days we will get there for the Fringe.
Well if it all comes off the way I hope or somewhere near then maybe I can think of myself as an activator and not feel I am just playing at it. Anyway the activations are planned but we still have our days in between to sort out. Helen has a few places in mind but any more suggestions as to what to do while in the Wanlockhead and Dunkeld areas would be welcome. Richard G3CWI has suggested the Lead Museum in Wanlockhead is worth a visit and as we are only a few hundred yards walk away I think we might just visit that and we want to see the biggest tree in Britain, a Douglas Fir which is near Dunkeld. So any more ideas?
In Dunkeld is the Cathedral - worth a visit. Just up the road is Pitlochry and very nice town. A little further north is Blair Athol Castle - lovely building a beautiful grounds (including the biggest Douglas Fir). To the south of Dunkeld is Perth well worth a visit. Failing that there is just miles of beautiful country to walk or drive through.
Will hunt out some TI leaflets for you Steve and Helen.
In reply to GM4CFS:
Yes, Steve and Helen, Blair Atholl is a FB place to go and very much recommended - the grounds are great and the inside is very interesting. Killiecrankie is another FB spot where there is a very old railway viaduct in a beautiful valley.
73 de Cris
GM4FAM
In reply to GW7AAV:
Beatrix Potter Gardens Mon-Sat 10.00-16.00 ~ Sun 14.00-16.00
Birnam Institute
Birnam
Perthshire
The Birnam Institute houses a wonderful Exhibition. The adjoining Beatrix Potter Gardens magically recreates the lovely countryside which so inspired the young Beatrix. Footpaths lead past Mr Tod and Mrs Tiggy-winkle’s house, along the stream to where Mr Jeremy Fisher lives and to Peter Rabbit’s Burrow.
HERES A FREEBIE
Edradour Distillery
By Moulin
Pitlochry
Perthshire
The smallest distillery in Scotland. FREE guided tour and tasting, audio-visual presentation, exhibition, shop.
Open March-Oct, Mon-sat: 0930-1700. Sun:1200-1700
As others have said there is lots to see and do up here and if we can help in any way please let us know as iam sure if we came to your area you would do the same.
Hope this helps Steve
All the best and look forward to working you.
Gordon MM3XGP (Glenrothes,Fife)
You Scots are made of stern stuff! We found a nice unheated outdoor swimming pool to avoid near Dunkeld and for some reason Helen doesn’t seem too keen on driving me back from a distillery with arms full of bottles of single malt and a stupid grin on my face either.
I think the last time was in Pitlochery I was on my way to play golf at St.Andrews amongst others but no room for golf clubs this trip and I cannot remember anything about the place, maybe we visited the distillery then which could be why I don’t remember ;o)
There do not seen to be very many Geocaches in the area of our first weeks holiday so maybe we need to persuade the locals to take that up as well as amateur radio.
If all goes well with this trip, in particular the eight pointer GM/CS-005 Schiehallion, I think we will be planning next years trip to include Ben Nevis as part of a plan to do the highest summits in England, Wales and Scotland.
If all goes well with this trip, in particular the eight pointer
GM/CS-005 Schiehallion, I think we will be planning next years trip to
include Ben Nevis as part of a plan to do the highest summits in
England, Wales and Scotland.
Five minute warning - Packing the Discovery now and should be on the road by 10:00(local) listening 80m ssb, 2m & 70cms FM enroute. Feel free to call us mobile or text me the spots.
