Benbeoch GM/SS-186 - Fair game

Activation Reports
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Hello Folks,

Just a short report on my attempt at Benbeoch GM/SS-186 and it was a success - sort of.

For those that know of this summit it is surrounded by an opencast coal mine and has previously been difficult to gain access to the summit without having to use stealth tactics. I have read of people sneaking up at night, folk keeping to ditches, adventurous types going in full camouflage all to conquer this pimple of a Marylin.

As the Scottish Coal Board is no longer - the summit is now Fair Game to whoever wants to climb it. I spoke to a local guy who said that he has been going up since he was a youngster and never had any trouble or questions asked of him. I also met a family later on and they basically said the same thing.

So anyone thinking about trying this spot in the landscape feel free, there are a few parking places to start the walk from so parking isn’t really too much of a problem. I did notice though that there are fresh tracks of heavy machinery using the mine roads so they may well be in the process of re-instating the hill to its former glory.

I have written a piece in my blog here Benbeoch GM/SS-186 | 2M0NCM 'n' Cat's Oot n aboot if anyone is interested in having a read.

Best of luck and thanks to the few chasers that managed to catch me on the summit.

73 Neil

1 Like
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I’m annoyed to have missed this Neil though I think I may have already thrown in the towel by the time you were on air as the wind was just too much. I left my phone in my car when I did Windy Standard so I couldn’t check SOTAwatch. There was no coverage for a long stretch of the road from the reservoir back to New Cumnock too.

Jack GM4COX did a NCB health & safety course so he could do this one but didn’t do it until the mine had closed anyway. Not too many jobs in that part of the world so it is a shame the mines and now open-cast mines have closed. But the plus side is they wont take away the hill where Benbeoch stands, something which was possible before.

Glad to see your back is better so you can get out on the hills.

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HI Andy,

Yes it was a tad breezy I’d say!
I perhaps should have went a bit earlier but had to wait a wee bit to see how I was feeling. Not 100% yet and never will be but that won’t stop me, I will just have to work up to the bigger hills. :wink:

I remember Jack telling me about asking for permission and he was told he had to do a course of sorts but didn’t know he had done one. Something else for his CV.

I’m sure this summit will be on your hit list soon.