The last three weeks haven’t been too good for SOTA for me. Having read about John snapping his tendon on Kinder I was thankful that I seemed to be in good health and there wasn’t anything to stop me activating and then just as the good weather arrived my shoulder decided that it was time for a rest. The frustrating bit is that I can walk, but am struggling to drive to any of the starting points. They “good” news is that it is actually a back issue which should be easily resolved and that walking should improve things so once I can drive again I should be back on the hills…. The result of this was that I hadn’t done much SOTA and was sat down yesterday evening watching TV when by phone pinged with a HamAlert. HamAlert does push notifications and includes a complete option - which automatically updates comparing spots with your uncompleted but activated summits and this alert was for M0MTP on Kisdon (G/NP-026). TBH I almost gave up as the alert was on 20m and is is very much not LOS, (Nothing much is LOS from Kisdon…) but when listening Mat was coming through at 55 and I managed to work him. I have no idea how the signal crossed the 25km - ground wave seems the most likely.
After a bit of faffing around with the data on the Completes page of the Honour Rolls and looking at the list of current summits I was very pleasantly surprised to discover I had now completed every hill in the region … just the nine years…. Even more faffing around seemed to show that I only had. A few left of the G/LD hills too (Swinside being one of the awkward ones), but I’m also looking for Kirk Fell (as well as a couple I still need to activate). I also notice that although I’ve activated all of the G/SB hills I’m still missing a couple to complete so if anyone fancies doing Slightly Crag G/SB-005 it is probably as easy as it gets with the current weather!
Q). Is there an easy way of checking which hills I am missing for a complete region - or rather which chases I am missing other than using HamAlert.
Log onto the Summits site link, check you are logged on under your call and select the country and region. Scroll down to see which summits have either (or both) 0 activations or chases.
PIty you missed it earlier this year. It took me 17 years to get the Complete. Hopefully someone will be persuaded by the current dry conditions.
It will be my nearest hill next week whilst camping out. I’ll need to give more thought on whether there is any inducement that could get me up there again though……
Hi Paul,
My heel sends it’s very best to your shoulder for a ‘get well soon’ message. Hope it doesn’t hurt too much. I think you’ll likely win the race back to health.
Good luck with your NP/ LD completion. These two are the familiar go-to regions for both of us and we love them accordingly.
Here’s a poem that sums up SB5. I pulled it from the end of my activation report of 2004. What a day that was. I’ll never forget it for all the wrong reasons like dozens of hidden holes to fall down and the exhaust falling off my Ford Fiesta at the manifold on a rough track.
We guys who hills in Blighty bag, might shy away from Sighty Crag.
It surely is a mighty drag, enough to make the sprightly flag
When faced with forest, mire and hag, shrouded in a whity clag.
But conquer and you’ll rightly brag, ‘I found the top of Sighty
Crag!’
Descending is a further fag and goes to show we’re slightly mad.
John’s poem is obviously FAKE NEWS. Everyone knows that Slightly Crag is like the Matterhorn of the north with a motorway style path and outstanding views of the great white cliffs of Cumbria towering over the turquoise ocean. Walkers obviously have to be careful not to disturb the hoards of wilderbeast sweeping over the horizon with views of the Opera House in the distance …
I always thought that it was “herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically” with the “majestically” being important
After this dry spell I’m tempted to give it a bash but… I’m off up to the far Northern wastes next week and my bike is buried under tons of junk during the building works happening here. Both items making it unlikely. It is tempting though after Burnhope Seat was like the Gobi Desert when I did it a few weeks back.
sotl.as provides this feature. After login, select Summits, then the Association. Already on Association level you see the “Activated by me” count. Select a region within the Association, you can see Activated / Chased by me.
sotl.as is a really cool tool. Thanks to Manuel HB9DQM for creating and maintaining it.
The above statement contravenes the Trade Descriptions Act 1968.
Out of all the G & GW summits, this one is the worst by some margin. A view shared by others.
Not often I questioned myself why I made the journey, but with this one, I did several times.
After my leg disappeared into a hole on the way up, I was lucky not to damage knee ligaments with the forward motion.
I managed to get 4 contacts on 2m FM in 10 minutes what seemed like hours at the time.
The constant drizzle meant - despite wet weather clothing - I was soaked throughout when I arrived back at the car.
Did I mention it’s the worst summit I ever visited?
You forget the “added value” part of the experience. The fresh air!
t must say that I didn’t find Sighty Crag that bad. I’ve done many a longer harder slog across worse ground up in Galloway and beyond. There must be something about the summit that is attractive, after all Derek G1ZJQ and David G0EVV have both activated it several times.
… I don’t know if it was just the state of the ground on the day I did it but I found Mickle Fell (G/NP-002) to be worse. On the bright side for the next week it is probably going to be as good as it gets. That probably applies to the Galloway hills too…
More years ago than I care to remember, I made a foray into the area. That experience convinced me that the scenic returns were too sparce to justify the pains, and other than visiting a few gardens and historical sites I have never returned! The Galloway hills are definately not for the faint-hearted!
Well there are some good views to be had as the following views from the last 18 years show. Though you can tell when I had a hard time, there wont be anymore Galloway hills activated for a year or two !
And there’s not only the navigational tests or the fun game of “will this next step be when I break my leg” but watersports challenges as Gerald G4OIG demonstrates.
Finally there’s a chance to meet interesting people. Like this guy who was trying to get to Woodstock for the festival and took the wrong turning and ended up at Woodhead Hill.
Whilst walking the dogs this morning I thought that probably. It would be record breaking if a hill had two SOTA poems written about it…
Can’t quite get the last verse right…
Slightly Crag, what a hill
For SOTA activators quite a thrill
When you reach the summit and plant the mast (*)
You will have made memories that will really last
Wilderbeast, Oceans and Opera Houses there are none
But the injuries you endure will not be gone
And when you get back to the car and have a bite
You realise that actually it was pretty poor
(*) Providing you suffer the ankle injury on the way back down…
Activated it G/SB-005 in Feb 2023 and Feb 2025. Both times for the extra bonus winter points as its only 2 points, with M7LWO. We have a joke about how remote it is and the time portal you go through under the railway bridge arch! Plan to activate it for winter 2026 winter points again. The weather was awful both times and we did not see another soul on either day during the walk/activation.
2023 - misty, windy and struggled with UV5R + flowerpot
