(NB This has been transferred from the thread that I started titled GM-ES Land 2m/70cm May Statistics and photos which is now being closed as all further updates will be added here. If you read it before then just skip to the end where I hope some more photos will soon appear!)
Part 2 The summits from Edzell (and a few diversions!)
The first summit on the way from Glasgow to Edzell was GM/SS-044 Cat Law with the parking on the lodge gates (don’t go through them that path is now blocked!)
GM/SS-044 Cat Law parking at the entrance to Balintore Castle
The first trig pt and M0JLA searching for the ‘true’ summit (3 stones)
The (bent) dipole and the only shelter I could find from the cool wind
The first shower started as we descended but we decided to stick to the plan and cross over the road and ascend to Mile Hill GM/ES-076 – after getting some more water and checking the waterproofs. The track led past marshes with lapwings (a rare sight now) and up beside the trees, across the burn and a steep pull to the summit.
View from Mile Hill GM/ES-076 – which soon disappeared!
Rain stopped play so we soon descended by separate routes as I found a more gentle (and less slippery) descent and we arrived back at the car dripping. The next day looked better and we easily got permission to park for Turin Hill GM/CS-076 and walked warily beside the cattle up to the grassy hillfort where
M0JLA hunkered down while I, once more, was seeking shelter behind a small cairn and catching MM0GLM Jim on GM/SS-271 100km on both bands.
We then diverted to, one of the highlights of the trip – stones with Pictish symbols at Aberlemno (and many other places later on our tour - including one summit!) and the Brown and White Caterthuns.
Aberlemno churchyard. There are also a selection of stones by the roadside nearby.
We had hope hoped to include visit the two Caterthun hill forts (NOT SOTA summits) on the way to the Hill of Wirren GM/ES-045 on our tour but MM0EFI warned us that the road was still closed (probably fallen trees) so we explored them on our way back to Edzell. With a parking place between the two hills and display board
Sketch of the two Caterthun iron age hill forts
White Caterthun on the horizon from the way up its smaller ‘brother’
White Caterthurn with its impressive bank of stones
Our shortest activation was GM/ES-085 Hill of Garvoch where the notice, on the gate we had to climb, warned of cattle and a bull. As we walked up the grassy field we could see a large herd some distance away but hoped we could set up as soon as we were in the AZ and they would ignore us. Rod sat with his back to them while I preferred to monitor the situation. Unfortunately we were not on the ridge and the only contact I could make was with MM0HRI Iain in Arbroath on 2m (not even on 70cm) and the few further calls I made were unanswered before I looked up…
they were definitely getting closer and bringing their calves with them. The big white bull had been called over for a look but had decided to ignore us. However others were not so sure…
and wanted a closer look. I decided to suggest he turned round and … there was no time to video the lowering of the mast, stowing of the gear and retreating to the gate unscathed.
It wasn’t our most successful day as we drove to the RSPB reserve at Foulsheugh to look for puffins but they were not at home but other birds were and surprisingly close.
Guillemots mostly
and razorbills (NOT taken with a telephoto)
I was looking forward to Kerloch GM/ES-059 as I thought contacts might be easy on a prominent 2 pointer on a Saturday with a good path in – but possibly some fallen trees. The trees were no problem but
the path once you left the forest track had become a stream bed so had to be walked with care. We eventually came out of the trees and back into the sunshine
to find a bank of cloud over the nearby hills – just behind a wind farm.
Contacts were good (including a s2s with 2M0PVP Chris on GM/SS-177 148km and my only English chaser of the trip G4ITR Keith in Newcastle) and we were soon heading down again
Fortunately we knew that the path would gradually improve as we descended but the local model aircraft flying club had long since packed up by the time we reached the car. A good hill but the path is harder work (and took longer) than expected.
More to follow. M6BWA