A brisk walk in LD land

Activation Reports
1

Just a quick report - yesterday (14/12/2024) I ascended Red Screes G/LD-017 from Kirkstone Pass, did a 2m and HF activation, and then walked to the Fairfield Horseshoe via the Scandale valley. This was a first for me, but something I’ve always wanted to do. All my previous activations of Red Screes have been up and down from Kirkstone Pass.

Catching Reg @2E0LDF and Alan @MM0VPM who were on Low Fell G/LD-042 really proved the worth of taking the flowerpot antenna mounted on the rucksack and connected to the FT1XD with a tricky contact with lots of rocks in the way.

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Is this why it is called Red Screes?

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TIME CALLSIGN BAND MODE RST RSR OPERATOR SIG REF
09:41 G6AEK/M 2m FM 58 59 David
09:42 G0TDM 2m FM 59 59 John
09:42 GM6LJE 2m FM 59 59 (Rob)
09:43 M0MZB/P 2m FM 59 59 Matthew SOTA G/LD-025
09:49 ON3WAB 20m SSB 59 59 Kristof
09:50 SQ9JYK 20m SSB 59 59 Piotr
09:50 SQ9CWO 20m SSB 59 59 Jan
09:51 IK8YTA 20m SSB 59 53 MAURIZIO
09:52 EA2CKX 20m SSB 59 52 PEDRO
09:52 OE5WHR 20m SSB 59 44 Helmut
09:52 F5PYI 20m SSB 59 59 Laurent
09:52 DG1NPM 20m SSB 59 57 Norbert
09:53 EA3EVL 20m SSB 55 57 PABLO
09:53 S53XX 20m SSB 59 57 Slavko
09:53 EA2DT 20m SSB 44 44 Manuel
09:54 DL2DXA 20m SSB 59 58 Bernd
09:55 IX2UME/P 20m SSB 59 59
09:56 SP9TKW 20m SSB 55 59 Marek
09:57 SM5LNE 20m SSB 59 59 Jan
09:57 DL8MF 20m SSB 59 59 Immo
10:00 2E0YVB 40m SSB 57 57 Sam BOTA
10:04 MW7MWZ 40m SSB 59 57 Mike
10:04 DG1NPM 40m SSB 59 56 Norbert
10:04 ON7ZM 40m SSB 59 56 JEAN
10:05 2E0FEH 40m SSB 59 57 Karl
10:05 GM4WHA/M 40m SSB 59 59 GEOFF
10:06 G4OBK 40m SSB 59 57 Philip
10:07 2E0NAQ 40m SSB 59 59 Nick
10:07 M1AOB 40m SSB 59 59 RICHARD
10:08 GI0AZA 40m SSB 59 59 Esther
10:09 M0MDA 40m SSB 59 59 Michael
10:09 OZ1RD 40m SSB 59 55 Rene
10:09 M6NSV 40m SSB 59 58 Neil
10:10 2E0DIJ 40m SSB 55 47 Duane
10:12 EA2CE 40m SSB 59 44 Jose
10:12 DL3SKY 40m SSB 59 57 Juergen
10:13 DD7UW 40m SSB 59 44 Horst
10:35 2E0LDF/P 2m FM 55 44 SOTA G/LD-042
10:36 M0VPM/P 2m FM 55 44 Alan SOTA G/LD-042

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Red Screes Contacts

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Scandale valley

Conditions on Fairfield G/LD-007 were very cold and windy with a descending cloudbase. I setup in one of the cairnstone horseshoes and used the rucksack mounted flowerpot, still on my back, in a seated position. Nice S2S with @MW0WML Gerald who was just setting up. Once again, zero setup time of the flowerpot proved its’ worth.

I could tell that my clothing and gloves were not providing me with adequate protection, and despite me looking longingly towards St Sunday Crag I made the wise choice of descending immediately from Fairfield towards Grisedale Tarn and then via the valley route back to Grasmere. My jelly legs towards the end of the walk indicated I’d done enough, and slippy icy rocks on Cofa Pike would definitely have been a bad idea.

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Fairfield Summit

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St Sunday Crag

TIME CALLSIGN BAND MODE RST RSR OPERATOR SIG REF
12:44 G6AEK 2m FM 59 59 David
12:45 GW4ZPL 2m FM 59 53 Colin
12:45 G0TDM 2m FM 59 59 John
12:46 2E0MIX 2m FM 59 59 Derek
12:47 2W0SEY 2m FM 59 59 Jake
12:48 G0MHF 2m FM 59 59 John
12:49 MW0WML/P 2m FM 59 59 Gerald SOTA GW/NW-044

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Fairfield Contacts

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Grisedale Tarn

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Valley Route to Grasmere

The end of the path to Grasmere happens to coincide almost perfectly with the Travellers Rest pub. A pint and some peanuts filled the time waiting for a bus. With the bus stop another 200 steps away it all turned out very nicely.

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Traveller’s Rest

I was amazed at the leather seats and tables on the top of the bus, the £2 fare felt like a complete bargain. No bus to the top of Kirkstone Pass this time of year so Alex gave me a lift later to retrieve the car.

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Posh Stagecoach Bus - everyone seemed knackered

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Route (right to left) and Profile

15 Likes
2

Looks like an awesome adventure. I would like to go to the LD one of these days - looks fanstastic! Also, that QSO 3D profile view map is very cool. How did you make that?

2 Likes
3

…thanks Mark for your detailed report and great photos; well done for your activation :clap:

Geoff vk3sq

1 Like
4

Well done Mark. Always nice covering new ground up and down; whether on a linear walk or a circular route. So often I end up retracing my steps back to the car.

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5

That was a good walk! Thanks for the qso, contact was via Reg’s antenna at height too, so the setups work well. As you said, a lot of rock in the way. Nice pics from the top of Red Screes :+1:

Alan

1 Like
6

What a great day out Mark. I love the idea of combining SOTA with public transport, especially when the bus has leather seats.

2 Likes
7

Hi Gus

I use my ADIF Processor which can convert an ADIF file into a KML file that can be loaded into, and explored with, Google Earth.

4 Likes
8

that web-based processor is legendary! I just bookmarked it and will be using that in the future :rofl:

1 Like
9

Great to get you… wet and windy for me too.

1 Like