I’ll look out for you, however I’m working all weekend and most of next week, then off to Dunoon Friday & Saturday for the Argyll Rally. That just leaves me the Sunday to get on a summit.
Hmm, that’s the same route as Paul and I took. We stayed at Killbeg Cottage (2016 when there was only the one) so didn’t have the 2km estate road trudge. Maybe that made all the difference or maybe we are just more tolerant of certain ground conditions. I didn’t note any issues in my report, other than we went to the highest point by the forest, then up the spine of the hill to the trig on Beinn nan Lus as Paul wanted to offer the trig to any WAB callers. 2.85km from the cottage. We descended on a more direct route of 2.2km.
Sorry to hear that it was not pleasant for you, especially as you persevered to get to trig. Hopefully next week will be much much better.
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(M6BWA) We can now see how beautiful Mull looks in the sunshine - as we finish packing for the early ferry tomorrow! After a drenching in the morning, the rain tap finally turned off about 1430 as we wandered along the delightful multicoloured seafront at Tobermory (sadly there were no signs of any Wombles). We have a tip for anyone who gets our sort of weather while staying on Mull - go and visit the waterfall in the Aros Park just S of Tobermory which was stunning and very loud as it the water came down from the hills and into the Sound of Mull. Not to be missed when the river is in spate.
Our journey to Pitlochry tomorrow passes a number of summits but Drumcroy Hill GM/CS-107 W of Pitlochry seems the most likely with time very uncertain- mid-afternoon?? We have a shortlist of possible summits for the next week but none of them are likely to be as rarely visited as those on Mull (and we now know why!!)
73 Viki
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It’s a delight.
We failed again - 7 foot deer fences are outwith our competence these days.
73.
Rod
I didn’t recall any when I was there but it was 8 years ago. I had a look and there has been much harvesting and work taking place.
My route in 2014
©Crown copyright 2022 Ordnance Survey. Media 041/22
It looks like there is lots of planting by the fence I stayed near to from the aerial views. Other reports mention the fence and a gate and a kind of ladder style. After seeing so much harvesting now in Scotland I should get with the changes and check all targets in case they have changed since previous visits or my maps were published.
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Thanks for the follow-up Andy. Much of the area South of the fence has been felled. The whole area North of the fence has been planted but is readily passable with access through a moveable fence section by the road, However there is a new high deer fence beside the road and the whole way up the newly planted area from the road and then North towards Errochty Water. There is a locked gate through this fence at the end of the track shown through the newly planted area. There are wooden sections beside this which might be climbed safely. Continuing through the original planting towards the summit might be interesting as there is extensive wind damage.
73,
Rod
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A good day today apart from the wind which made it much less enjoyable.
We started with ES-028 on the basis of reported good parking - now closed - and a good track the whole way up the sheltered side of the hill. Sheltered was a relative term here but certainly better than nothing as we discovered later. Limited radio success but at least we reach the summit this time and made more than one shared contact. The flowers were good too.
As we reached the possible parking for ES-035 I was persuaded that we had time and ought to be able to find the energy to do that as well. (And it had a path shown all the way to the summit!) A brisk ascent up the track to the trig and mast got us there much earlier than expected but I was still late for my alert as the mast collapsed in the wind while stringing out the dipole and the guys, mast and aerial changed relative positions so re-erection was not possible. Sorting out the topology probably took longer than starting again from scratch - but it did work. The next collapse after making a few contacts was easier to sort out and I even managed a s2s with Allt-y-main.
MM6BWA had success too, but I will leave reporting that to her.
Thanks for all the contacts today.
73,
Rod
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I saw the spots yesterday but I was at work. I took the car rather than the Landie yesterday, which backfired on me…
- I hit a deer and damaged the car.
- No radio in the car so I couldn’t even look for you guys from the high spots of the road in the way home from work.
Tuesday morning I expect to be on Brimmond Hill GM/ES-086 at around 1000z. I’ll have an hour there before I need to get to work. I’ll take hf and vhf if I can fit it all on my bike.
73, Fraser
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Slow day today so even an easy hill (are there any?) will be well after 1000z - hope we might do better on Tuesday and seek s2s. Will look up ES-086 before we choose one.
Hope you have a good one anyway.
73,
Rod
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Today went OK so we hope to be on GM/CS-030 with a pretty good path to ES-086 on 2m FM. I hope to have HF but but might wimp out.
73,
Rod
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I hope to do my first ever GM activation also tomorrow morning on Hill of Fare GM/ES-070 around 1030 GMT on 2fm. Here’s hoping for a S2S with you & Fraser! 73 John signing as GM0MHF/P.
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Sounds good John. A GM/ES S2S party beckons! I wonder if we can get a fourth one up? @MM7MWL @GM4JXP
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Much gnashing of teeth in frustration - having been working away from my home QTH across the UK for much of the past month I’m currently in Fife with only a wee handie available. Asking a lot for it to reach Hill of Fare but hope you have a successful activation nonetheless John. Good luck. Vy 73. Mike
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That’s a shame Mike. However, East and West Lomond are line of sight to GM/ES-030 
Hope you’re not working too hard.
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Yep, West Lomond and Bishop Hill are directly above me at the moment less than 1k away. Unfortunately, I am on the “wrong” side of them for seeing the north-east - and my first online meeting of the day begins at 08.00. Must get my work/life/radio balance adjusted…
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Good stuff, Fraser!
@M6BWA Viki - great effort by you from GM/ES-030 this morning. Good to work you on both 2m and 70cms, especially as I was running /P during a work break, hidden behind a hill, with just my wee 5w FT4x handie and a small Diamond SRJ77CA whip. For reference, my locator here was IO86HF, just under 50 miles away. Hope the ankle survived the Glenshee trip OK and the midges weren’t biting too vigorously. Enjoy the rest of your holiday. 73. Mike
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