I seem to have got onto a bit of a roll activating uniques. This came about because Alan MM0VPM fancied some 13cm fun from An Caisteal GM/SS-007. I have activated that on 13cm so the chance of 13cm complete loomed, the WX looked jolly decent too. Where to go? No easy looking paths for anywhere near so I looked for something to activate in the area and Fiarach offered itself up. Now it so happened Jim MM0GLM wanted in on the uWave fun from Ben Challum GM/CS-021 and Fiarach is LOS to both An Caisteal and Ben Challum. I wasn’t sure if I’d work Jack GM4COX as he was just popping up some local lump. But that was the plan.
Up nice and early for drugs and breakfast then a not too busy drive pre-rush-hour to Dalrigh car park. I was booted and on my way with a 3.5tonne rucksack (it felt heavy!) by 8.50am. About 2hr to the top, and then setup uWaves and HF so I should be QRV for 1000Z for Alan. Jim was due at 1030Z. I had a phone call from a club committee member about the club web site, 15mins lost here, then one from AirBnB Support, another 10mins lost. Grrr! But the first 3km of the walk is on easy LandRover tracks… well any car could drive it, reasonably smooth. I tried to make up some time here. But I was struck by how pretty it was in the valley behind Beinn Dubhcraig and Beinn Oss. Most people walk up Glen Cononish towards Beinn Lui, this was Glen Auchtreoch and wow was it pretty. Lots of old (thousands of years old) Caledonian Forest. Lovely.
Calendonian Forest ( Photos are all hazy 
but it was quite sunny at times )
Then you come to the deer gate. Turn left, go up, do not stop, do not pass Go, do not collect $200. Its about 800m distance and 160m ascent so about 1 in 4, noticeable but not that hard. I scared a young deer who was off to the deer fence and woods like a shot. Lots of buzzards shrieking too.
About 1/3rd of the ascent up the hill looking back. It’s very pretty. That’s Ben Lui GM/SS-003 on the left, then Beinn Chuirn GM/SS-021, Meal Odhar GM/SS-091 (lump with tress at the base) and Beinn Bhreac-liath GM/WS-169 behind it.
Looking up (but taken on the descent) You have to go to the top of the trees on the right then about half as much again to get to the end of the main climb.
After another 0.5km and 100m of climbing you get to see the lochan which is quite big.
And you realise another 3/4km and up and down of rubbish ground to the summit which is on the skyline.
All the way up from the gate there has been a deer fence, collapsed in places that is a perfect handrail to the summit top, great for bad visibility.
Finally the summit. Someone has worked hard to find these rocks for the cairn.
The views are awesome. This summit about 650m and most of the surrounding hills are 850-1100m so everywhere you look there are wonderful hills, a 360deg panorama of SOTA loveliness.
It was 0955Z and I called Alan on the 2m handy. We had a quick natter as he finished his cup of tea and that was the complete done. We described our setup plans for 13cm and whether we’d heard Jim or Jack yet. Onto 13cm with new commercial antenna and Alan worked on 13cm. At 7km range and I could see him almost waving he was unsurprisingly 59+++. First QSO on the 705 on 13cm 
We were chunnering when Alan heard Jack on 2m. They chatted away, QSY’d to 13 and worked each other. I heard nil on 2m or 13cm but with some coordination Jack did a long CQ to me. I saw him before I heard him. I could see a “disturbance in the force” on the spectrum display, a tweak of the antenna heading and VFO and there was Jack 51 over a 93km obstructed path. Maybe some diffraction over the big stuff in front of me. It wasn’t armchair strength copy but it was easy copy.
I left the 2 of them to chunner away and I set up HF. Then Alan started his 2m SOTA activation, I tried 20m. Conditions seem rough. I worked 3x EA and OH on 20m CW but it was not trivial. We had agreed to maintain a listening watch on 145.500 for Jim and he soon appeared moaning he’d take a poor route up Ben Challum and was 45min late. But he was trivial on 2m and 13cm being about 7km and again almost visible waving at the cairn. Soon worked by Alan but I missed whether Jack worked him. For me I worked W2WC and W4GO on 21m CW then a few more on 20m CW.
Alan was off to Beinn Chabhair GM/SS-014 but I was tired and whilst it was hot in the sun and warm when cloudy I just did have the energy to hang about on the summit for Alan to get to his next summit. We’d agreed it would be fine if I didn’t wait so I texted him to let him know I was bimbling back. It took a while to pack up a 705, SG Lab transverter, HF antenna, ATU, IF lead, PTT lead, 13cm antenna, 13cm feeder, handheld, camera, water bottle mast and guys. The bag seemed 3x heavier… I checked to see in case I’d brought too many anvils with me. No, it was this heavy Some more photos and back out the way I came. It didn’t seem to take that long because the views where good, no midges, just enough breeze and long periods of sun… a novelty in Scotland this summer!
The views are awesome, don’t come on a misty day.
Looking South, L-R Ben More GM/SS-001, Stob Binnien GM/SS-002, Cruarch Ardrain GM/SS-004, An Caisteal GM/SS-004 and Beinn Chabhair GM/SS-014 the other side of the big valley to An Caisteal. The fine looking lumpy stuff on the right are not SOTA summits
Looking North (oh my some SOTA summits here) L-R Beinn Dorain GM/CS-008, Beinn Odhar GM/CS-050, Beinn Achaladair GM/CS-018, Beinn a Caisteall GM/CS-054, Beinn Mhanach GM/CS-034, Beinn Chaorach GM/CS-071, Cam Chreag GM/CS-055, Ben Challum GM/CS-021, Meall Glas GM/CS-033, Sgiath Chuil GM/CS-042. Wow!
I was surprised at some of the sight lines considering how many summits there are. Here is Beinn a’Chrulaiste GM/WS-146 which is just across from Buachaille Etive Mor GM/WS-044 at the entrance to Glen Coe!
The ground looks like it will be horrible after a proper wet period if it looks like this now.
Here’s a zoom onto the very impressive Beinn Chuirn GM/SS-021.
And for Brian @G8ADD, here’s a view of the top of Ben Lui GM/SS-003. Sorry it’s hazy and Beinn Ducbchraig GM/SS-009 blocks most of the view.
Back to the car, boots off, bag off, Diet Redbull drunk. Then it was off to Tyndrum to The Real Food Cafe. I’ve not been since before COVID and it’s not as good as it was. They don’t do the bucket size cups of tea any more. The tea was good and so were the chips if pricey. Tyndrum was crawling with tourists and the roads was full motorhomes, caravans and bikers going camping. I had a leaisurely drive home in the traffic and savoured my day out.
Thanks to Jack, Alan, and Jim for playing uWaves and to the other chasers. Now I have to find another unique to do …
