Our last day on holiday today in Barbon near Kirkby Lonsdale. We had the dogs with us as we always do and although one is 15 years old he’s quite good for his age we didn’t want to push it. We did manage some SOTA activations though.
G/NP-017 Fountains Fell
One of my favourite Summits though HF was poor. We were in cloud most of the day and only saw the top of neighbouring G/NP-010 Pen-y-Ghent at the end of our activation. Amongst other QSO’s there were S2S contacts with CT2HOV/P on CT/TM-009 Serra de Santa Comba on 20m SSB, and on 2m FM 2E0SAE/P on G/SP-010 Winter Hill, 2E0CSS/P on G/SP-011 Freeholds Top and M7DTE/P on G/SP-001 Kinder Scout.
The nearest Summit to where we were staying and I wanted to activate this for a Complete. When we got to the end of the woods we went through the gate at the end of the wall making our ascent waist deep in heather. We found the correct route on our descent though. Reports say this is not a great summit for VHF though arriving at the summit the take off looked good and I couldn’t understand why anyone would struggle. On 2m FM we had S2S contacts with G7SKE/P on G/LD-020 Dale Head, MW1HAX/P on GW/NW-002 Carnedd Llewelyn, GW6WBS/P on GW/NW-006 Tryfan and GW4TQE/P on GW/NW-043 Cyrn-y-Brain all strong signals.
This is an easy summit with fantastic views for little effort. There was very little wind at the summit and several of the Hardy Luing cattle were happily grazing in the sunshine. Easily qualified on 2m FM including a S2S with G8CPZ/P on G/LD-007 Fairfield. My XYL has been licensed about a year now and after hearing the voice of Sue G1OHH on several of my activations my XYL Natalie M7NTD enjoyed having a QSO with Sue who is a regular Chaser. After this activation we enjoyed lunch at the Kirkstone Pass Inn sat outside on the benches taking in the nice views.
Another of my favourites with excellent views of the surrounding summits. HF was better for this activation though I missed a QSO with Guru EA2IF as an Italian station appeared on my frequency that I had been working on. It’s a shame as Guru was a strong signal with me. I put it down to the joys of propagation changing as the frequency was clear when I checked at the start of this activation. Then Natalie activated on 2m FM and we logged S2S contacts with GW4TQE/P on GW/NW-042 Moel-y-Gamelin and M0JKS/P on G/LD-001 Scafell Pike who had worked plenty of stations.
All in all an enjoyable well earned break with nice weather all week. A total of 10 Activator points gained as well as 68 Chaser points.
Thanks to all for the QSO’s especially the S2S contacts.
Excellent Chris, glad you didn’t forget to pack the Yorkshire flat cap which won’t be so familiar to our continental friends. It really suits you.
Did you stay at the Barbon Inn? Its crossed my mind that XYL Judy and I may stay there when we resume Wainwrights Limestone Trail from Kirby Stephen. We started doing it two years ago before Covid stopped us down the hill from The Calf at Cautley.
Thanks Tom, we have booked staycations like this for a few years as we can take the dogs. It’s been a good week and the weather has been very kind to us.
Hello Phil and thanks for working Natalie yesterday. We had a bite to eat at the Kirkstone Inn after doing Gummers How and I explained that I was on Red Screes and you were my neighbour on Stony Cove Pike for the LD SOTA weekend.
I always have a flat cap with me. I own four of them at the moment.
We’re staying in Barbon at a place called ‘The Wash House’. It’s a lovely one bedroom cottage all on one level and has an enclosed garden so the dogs can wander around while we sit out on an evening. There is a pub just down the road called ‘The Pheasant’.
As you probably know Barbon is lovely and quiet and we plan to return again next year. Of course there will be more summits involved.
Sadly the wearing of the traditional woollen flat cap seems to be in decline, mainly confined round here to a few old farmers of my generation (and me!). It’s not just a northern working class thing, they were worn down south where I grew up. Most young men nowadays, if they wear any headwear at all, it’s a (over the ears) woolly hat or American baseball cap.
I have two: a woollen one for winter activations and a lighter waxed cotton one for summer rain.
Sadly, the flat cap doesn’t go with a pony tail. I’ve not cut my hair since February 2020 and whilst there’s not much on the top, there’s a small pony tail at the back.
I enjoy hearing your accent on the videos and love the caps. I’ll wear mine on Lochnagar tomorrow. It’s Harris tweed and a Failsworth, made in Lancs, so wrong side on the Pennines. Sorry.
Not sure I’ll have it on for long though, as it’s supposed to be roasting hot tomorrow!
It’s not just me that wears a flat cap then. Thanks for the S2S and for working us both Andy. It was hot on Gummers How. After our activation we sat overlooking Lake Windermere having a brew and it was so quiet. Apart from the insects that decided to feast on me!
Hello Fraser, to be honest I prefer activating when it’s not so hot out there.
My accent gets mentioned quite often though of course I don’t think that it is that strong. I didn’t take any equipment to make videos as we just wanted a chill week. Missed opportunities though as we had some great days.
Definitely count me out… I only wear a hat when activating in Scotland in horizontal driving sleet. What’s that Fraser - you can arrange that, even in July?
