Myself MM7MOX and Chris MM0UHR, have done a couple of activations this week. Green Lowther GM/SS-056 last Saturday in the cloud and Ben Cleuch GM/SS-059 in the sunshine yesterday.
The train and bus journey to Alva was through a blanket of fog in the Forth valley but as we climbed up the switch backs at the start of the walk we were into warm sunshine. There was no wind on the ascent and only a light cool breeze at the summit. The fog lingered in the Forth valley most of the day but the views of the mountains to the North were glorious.
There’s a large activation zone on the top so we set up separately and got started. I had 3 quick qso’s on 2m with the hand held including Alan MM0VPM on Broad law for a complete then set up for HF. A broken link wire on the dipole for 40m caused a bit of confusion initially but once sorted I ended up with 40 qso’s on 2m, 40m, 15m and a late rush of 16 qso’s in 14 minutes on 20m.
Chris meanwhile got 27 qso’s including one out to Nebraska.
We started to get a bit chilled after a couple of hours so set off back down the hill for the bus and train home. The Autumn colours of the trees looked beautiful in the late afternoon sunshine. The fog was coming back whilst we waited for the train from Stirling but an excellent day out.
I used to live in Tullibody. We’d walk up the various glens and hills, often. My first ascent of Ben Cleuch was in the dark, which allowed my son (9 at the time) to “test” his Christmas present headtorch. Good times!
Did it for SOTA a couple of Decembers ago on the way back from a Christmas night out in Edinburgh. A red weather warning pinged on my phone as I was descending. I barely made it home in the ensuing blizzard. Not good times!
BTW that rucksack in the first photo looks Huge!
Lovely views Andy - that’s what it’s all about. 
It’s full of Helium to make it lighter 
I really admire you doing these summits using public transport. It takes extra planning to fit in with the timetables and limits which summits you can do. Well done indeed. Sorry to have missed you on the bands - family duties called.
I enjoyed Ben Cleuch when I activated it in August 2020, my first post-lockdown activation. Highlight of the day was meeting a couple of guys as I traversed to King’s Seat Hill to bag the HEMA summit (GM/HSS-184) for a bit of added value. I remember the ice-axe and flip-flops very well. 
73, Gerald
Are you suggesting that I leave the picnic hamper behind next time ?
I do have to review my load out for the hills, but the top of the rucksack was full of jacket and layers I took off on the way up.
I got chilled in the cloud on the previous outing so I had overcompensated a bit yesterday.
It would have been a good day for July, never mind mid-November.
Andy
MM7MOX
I had to work round public transport yesterday due to the weather and other claims on the house transport. It was too frosty to use the Triumph yesterday and the weather wasn’t good for Wednesday when I could use the car.
It did mean that I could enjoy a coffee and pastry on the train for part of the journey.
Chris MM0UHR has put together a HAM-HIKER website that has links for public transport to SOTA summits.
Andy
MM7MOX
Lovely colours.
In my situation it is the reverse. My XYL uses her bus pass to make the journeys she wants to while I get use of the motor for SOTA. We"re just hoping that bus passes aren’t stopped by the present Government which would make getting to the summits rather awkward. I might need to look at Chris’s website… err, but does it extend to Northumberland? I did look at train from Alnmouth to Dalwhinnie once. Might need to again. 
I’ve done a couple of sota summits by train “up the A9”.
GM/SS-221 above Dunkeld, where one guide tells you to park in the railway station car park and walk from there.
GM/CS-111 above Kingussie is only about a hours walk from the train station. There’s another hill behind it you want to go further but the one hill made a fine day trip from Edinburgh. VHF only worked for s2s from that summit or passing /M contacts from the A9.
I’m trying to get it to cover the whole world! (SFX: Villain Laughter)
That will link you directly to the G region and you can zoom in on Northumberland. Click on a summit to see the closest transit stops and click on the transit stop of choice to get a link to Google maps directions from where you are to where it is.
I’ve bookmarked the GM page. It looks very comprehensive and an excellent tool. Definite food for throught.