REPORT
All times are British Summer Time
The worst thing about this entire episode - there was a free bar after our meeting on Wednesday. After sinking four or five Peroni’s in about 90 minutes, the mission was definitely at risk…
Thankfully common sense prevailed and I was tucked up in bed at the Radisson Blue Hotel, Manchester airport for 2100.
Thursday 9th June
Probably the only advantage of staying in an airport hotel is they are geared up for early departures. They had a full breakfast offer from 5am, so I made the most of this and had a “full English”. I also secreted a couple of flapjacks, a croissant and some Nutella for later.
The hotel is linked to the bus/rail station via a walkway, so easy stuff. I took the 0615 bus to Stockport (a Buxton service) and it arrived there 20 minutes later, thanks to it taking the motorway throughout. I then had just over half an hour to find the starting point for the 358 bus to Hayfield. It turned out to be just 200m away. It departed on time at 0710.
0801 and I was in Hayfield. I’d pre-programmed a walking route in my phone and GPS, having difficulty in choosing from the myriad of footpaths, bridleways and other tracks that all wove their way towards the main Kinder Scout path. As it happened, the one I chose was called the Pennine Bridleway. It was probably rougher, muddier and ascended more than I needed, however it provided good early views of my objective, as well as other local hills.
the best dressed hill walker in town
first view of the objective
nice morning views from the bridleway
I soon picked up the main track, which was tar at first, then unsurfaced after a gate, becoming much rougher as it ascended to my turning off point - The Edale Cross.
From there a mud and then beautifully finished flagstone path ascended all the way to the summit of Kinder Low.
a walker ascending the flags
I arrived there 1h 20 m after setting off, much quicker than the 2 hours I’d allowed. It’s well inside the AZ, despite the true summit being a kilometre further on, so I found some shelter from the breeze and set up my simple station. This was a Yaesu FT-3d, 4m fibreglass pole and Spectrum Communications 2m G-pole. I was QRV at 0936 for almost half an hour of some of the best fun I’ve had on the radio for a while!
on Kinder Low with Kinder Scout behind
Station after station, a nice pile-up throughout. Working many of the guys I normally work on 40m from Scotland. Everyone patient. Short QSO’s but never too short. A toss up between Phil @G4OBK and Ben @GW4BML for ODX, with Ben just edging it at 127km, 79 miles. Great fun!
When it eventually went quiet, I decided to cut and run. I shelved plans to head over to the true top because I had a niggle about buses, airports, security wait times. So much so, that I jogged all the way back down, thinking I’d make the 1110 bus (instead of the planned 1240). I arrived in a sweaty mess, just an hour after leaving the top, only to find that there was no 1110. However, there was an 1140, so I settled down on a handy picnic bench, cooled off, uploaded my log and had my croissant & nutella.
Apart from a slight delay at Stockport, all the buses ran to time and I was back at the airport for 1330. I was through security in 20 minutes, so no issues there either. My 1600 flight was actually to Sumburgh (Shetland Isles), just stopping off at Aberdeen, so that caused mild panic for me and my colleagues, with whom I was now reunited, when we couldn’t see Aberdeen on the departures board! Anyway, it was 15 minutes late in leaving…
Summary
How much fun can you have for £10 (total cost of my bus fares)? Not much more than that!
Well I didn’t climb to the top, so I’ll have to go back.
In other news, when I showed Mo the photos, she remarked, “Oh, that looks really nice around there and I bet there are village pubs everywhere. You’ll have to take me walking the hills in the Peak District”.
We’ll be back.
Friday 10th June
A stark contrast today on my bike & hike activation of Ben Bhrotain GM/ES-007 (1157m 10 points). Rain, drizzle, showers and the only constant was the strong wind. I only managed two contacts on 2m in 30 minutes and then reluctantly put up the mast & wire in the gale to complete the job on 40m, and even that was poor. I got go go Full Pirate though, as I’d forgotten my hat.
Beinn Bhrotain from Carn Clioch-mhulinn
73,
Fraser
) 
was great to get you!
.
