At the end of my recent activation of my Sighty Crag (G/SB-005) to Cauldcleuch Head (GM/SS-106) I found myself waiting for a bus, in rainy weather, at a layby under Wisp Hill (GM/SS-118). So I have been planning for several weeks to get back to that area and activate Wisp Hill. the plan was to activate several GM/SS hills as part of a small cycle tour.
I set off on Sunday 14 June, with the first few hours being the regular cycle ride through West Cumbria. Eventually leaving Carlisle at about 10am, the weather was broken cloud, but with a stiff northerly wind to impede my progress. As I joined the A7 and headed towards Longtown, I was looking at the north-easterly horizon to spy the Bewcastle fells, which I had crossed earlier in the year.
Early Lunch in Langholm with scaffolded spire in background
The ride to Longtown along the A7 was pleasant, this stretch of road has formed the start or end for many cycling adventures for me. My plan this time was rather loose. I wanted to activate Wisp Hill, and then cycle further into the Borders to bag a few others, but had not decided precisely which ones.
The A7 becomes quieter north of Longtown, and I was soon crossing the border. The landscape changes gradually with the hills steadily closing in around the road, until on reaching Langholm one feels properly in hill country. A visit to the Coop at Longtown provided an early lunch, and allowed my to stock up on food for the rest of the day. I sat in the small park next to the river to eat my lunch. As always when passing Longtown I admired the old Erskine Church. This is is a B-listed former church, of which the distinctive spire has been clad in scaffolding for the past 20 years. Its a real pity to see the building in this state for so long. The church is situated right on the roadside, so any attempt to renovate it would be hugely expensive.
Langholm is favourite small town of mine, situated at the meeting point of the Rivers Esk and Ewes and an entry point to the Southern Uplands. Langholm has lots of heritage ranging from the Border Reivers, to the more recent textile industry. Langholm is the turning-off point for Eskdale and the fabulous Samye Ling Tibbetan Buddhist centre (well worth a visit – and at this point in my tour was a possible option).
The river Ewes would be my companion for the next few miles, as I headed up to the Scottish East/West Watershed. The road climbs slowly, allowing a steady pace, with plenty of scenery to admire.
I soon reached a small turning for a farmstead, which marked the start of a path leading towards Wisp. I was using a route downloaded from SOTLAS as a bit of guide, the route suggested a lovely U-shaped valley awaited me.
I tied my bicycle to a tree, and changed out of my cycling sorts into some Ronhill leggings. Despite being warm weather, I would never dream of wearing shorts in the hills, due to the risk of ticks and Lyme Disease. With clothing drenched in Smidge, and third and fourth check that my radio was moved from pannier into backpack, I set off.
The first hundred meters passed through a rather dilapidated farm, with countless abandoned vehicles littering the outhouses and surrounding fields. I wondered what the story was behind this farm? Continuing to follow the route from SOTLAS took me up into a U-shaped valley, where I realised the route would pass through thick bracken. Indeed much of the lower slopes were clad in thick bracken. The one gap in the bracken led northwards, climbing the flank of Whin Fell, and gaining 150m of elevation in 200m of horizontal. The hillside was mostly grass and heather, although steep, I was glad to be away from any bracken.
Wisp Hill
As a paused for a rest, I looked across the valley to plot a horseshoe route, that would take in Wisp Hill and its neighboring SOTA Pikethaw Hill. I was mostly concerned with how I would descend Pikethaw without passing through bracken - but it looked do-able.
I rounded the shoulder of Whin Fell, and headed the short additional climb to Wisp Hill (GM/SS-118). It was a clear day, and the view was fantastic. Looking north to the flatter lands beyond Hawick, and looking east and west towards endless hills. The Lake District and Solway were visible to the south.
It was now 3pm, and I was hoping for a quick activation so I could move onto the next one. Using an FT70D I called CQ and first to respond was GM7LUN, followed by MM1ROS/P descending Merrick, I was then pleased to get GM4WHA and GM3VMB to qualify. A few other QSOs on 2m followed, including GD0TFG/P on Snaefell, Isle of Man.
With the time now past 4.30pm, I started off for Pikethaw hill (GM/SS-136). A faint quadbike followed the ridgeline across Ewenshope Fell and up to Pikethaw Hill. This is a fascinating part of Scotland, being sited on the watershed between the North Sea and Irish Sea. Pikethaw Hill was soon reached, and I was again hoping for a quick activation so I could get back to my bicycle. I made one contact on 2m FM, with M0MKU, and so then setup my EFHW to activate 40m CW using a QMX, I was pleased to hear ON7GO, M0BLF and DL1HBT, with a couple of other callers to ensure I qualified the activation. I was very pleased to have an HF radio with me so that I could qualify the summit.
Activating Pikethaw Hill (GM/SS-136)
I closed down at about 3.45pm and dismantled my antenna. I then set a course for Frodaw Height, and dropped down the delightfully named Peach Hill (no sign of peaches) to Eweslees farm and the A7.
Bike tied to a tree at Eweslees Farm
I must have dallied on the descent as it was 1740 BST when I reached my bicycle, and began getting ready to continue cycling. The warmth of the afternoon had faded, and it was time to think of somewhere to camp.
I continued north on the bicycle, passing the layby I had sat in earlier in the year. I turned off the road at Linhope to head up a track alongside the Linhope Burn, where I had a spotted a camping option earlier in the year. I was expecting to be able to use water from the hillside, and to have a nice spot of grass to camp on.
It seemed that this evening had been chosen for rounding up sheep, and there was a great deal of activity in the valley. Lots of penned-up sheep and people on quadbikes. I decided to look for somewhere quieter.
I continued north on the A7 to Teviot Head, where OS maps showed an unfenced road heading SW (unfenced roads always a good option for camping). There were a couple of houses at the junction, and so I started looking for an outside tap to top up my water. A passing gentleman who was walking his dog advised my to knock on the door of a particular house saying
“the owner is a pharmacist, so should have some nice clean water”.
Sure enough the friendly pharmacist offered me some nice clean water, and invited me into his kitchen for a chat while I quenched my thirst.
With water bottles filled, I headed SW along the unfenced road, which climbed steeply at first, before opening out onto grass land. I soon found a spot close to the entrance to an old Royal Observation Corp post (they are very distinctive, and easy to recognise).
I set up my tent out of view from the road, on some lovely grass, it was a bout 8pm when I was setup. Dinner was a dehydrated meal, followed by whatever else was in my pannier. After dinner, I couldn’t resist investigating the ROC post…I recognize that descending into one of these when alone is not the best idea, but I stayed on the ladder so could make a quick exit if there were any issues. As with most of these posts, the bunk beds were still insitu but the the rest of the post was a bit of a mess.
A great camping spot
ROC post entrance
ROC post entrance portal
Bunkers on the Air anyone?
looking out of the bunker
The following morning was a little breezy, but dry and sunny. I was back on the road by 8am, and cycling towards Hawick. I stopped for breakfast in the town, and as I was wheeling my bicycle across a footbridge, was greeted by a friendly lady who said
“welcome to Hawick, how long are you staying”
when I answered that I was here for about half-an-hour, she didn’t seem to pleased. I ended up staying for over an hour, and had a spot of breakfast following by re-supply at Lidl.
Hawick
I retraced by tracks southwards a little, and then joined B711 to head west towards Cacra Hull GM/SS-179. This was a pleasant road, following the Bouthwick Water and eventually crossing Alemoor Reservoir.
Alemoor Reservoir
I parked my bicycle at the end of a forest track at NT318162, and changed into walking gear while munching on some lunch. The track took me almost tot he summit, much further than the map suggested, As I turned off the track, I noticed an old cable reel had been used to make a sculpture. This is a very useful marker for where to turn off the track, onto a faint quadbike track. The track went up onto the summit of Cacra Hill (GM/SS-179), which had little in the way of significant marking.
Convenient landmark on Cacra Hill
Activating Cacra Hill
A call on 2m FM yielded two contacts, so I got out the QMX again and called on 40m CW, pleased to QSO with ON7GO, G0HRT and ON3UA. The calls soon dried up, so after packing away I retraced my steps. This was a really easy hill, almost unsatisfyingly easy!
Back on the bike, it was time to find some water. I headed to the campsite at Hopehouse on the B709. I had stayed here previously, around a decade ago, when out cycle touring. It was a very quiet site then. I thought I would check it out, get some water and then head onto the next hill before returning to the site. Unfortunately, I found that as with many camp sites these days, it had been turned over to static caravans, and they no longer allowed tents. I filled up my water bottles and headed off, glad I had checked.
This changed my planned route, since it made no sense to head back into the valley after activating the next hill. My plan had been to head down through Eskdale, but now I thought I would head across to St Mary’s Loch, and home via Moffat.
I headed up out of the valley, the road climbs the side of Turner Cleuch Law (GM/SS-140), passing about 200m below the summit. I parked my bicycle close to Windy House, and headed up the hill. grassy slope quickly brought me out on the summit, where I tried on 2m FM with absolutely no calls. The EFHW and QMX came out again. My telescopic pole was bungeed to a fence post, and I was quickly calling on 40m at about 1630 hrs.
Activating Turner Cleuch Law
The sunny weather was changing, and dark clouds were starting the form. The forecast was for rain to start in about an hour, so I hurried along with my activation. After the last caller, I quickly packed away and trotted down the hill. On a map Turner Cleuch Law appears very close to a hill called The Wiss (GM/SS-122), but with the time now past 1700hrs, I didn’t fancy the bracken covered route up to this additional hill.
AA call box at St Marys Loch
Back on the bike, I cycled down the hill heading northwards into the vale of the Yarrow Water. I was now thinking about where to camp; I rode across the cross-roads with the A708, and headed up the road to Innerleithen, knowing that I had camped next to a stream up here when out cycle touring once before. I found the exact spot I had used, but my previous camp must have been earlier in the year. The overgrowth did now make for an appealing spot, and so I turned tail and headed back to the A road.
My backup plan was the campsite at Tibby Shiels inn. The inn is now closed, but the current residents run a campsite. Its exactly the sort of site I like, they forbid playing music; there are few amenities (just barely warm showers) and the site is quite large and pitches well spaced out. It proved to be a good choice, with only one other tent on the site on this Monday night. The site is alongside the loch, so I was pleased the breeze kept the midges down. The large, almost empty site was great and felt almost like wild camping.
Great Camping at Tibbie Shiels
The following morning was damp and misty. The forecast was for constant rain on Tuesday and Wednesday. Although it had rained in the night, it was mostly holding off when I set-off from the site. I headed south past Loch of the Lowes, and the border for Dumfries and Galloway. I parked my bicyle at the top of the pass, and began an ascent of Andrewhinney Hill ( GM/SS-083). This was a great walk, along a clear track that took my straight up the summit. The fog was thick however, so there were no views today.
Parking for Andrewhinney Hill
Activation of Andrewhinney Hill
A try on 2m FM yielded a single contact, so it was back to 40m CW to qualify the hill. I was pleased to get a S2S with G4OOE/P on G/TW-004, and with M/DK7LX. It was about 11am when the contact dried up, and I headed back down the hill to the bicycle.
Back on the road
The route now took me past the trail head for White Coombe, where I paused for a while, but decided to leave that one for a day with better views. Instead I headed a but further down the road towards Moffat, before turning off to leave my bicycle at Selcoth.
The couple of hours walking were some of the most enjoyable of the trip. I headed up the Selcoth Burn, choosing the north side to avoid some recent tree planting. Just above the 300m contour, and at a sheepfold, I crossed the burn and continued the ascent on the south side. A clear path helps navigation here, but I eventually decided to take a shortcut and head due south, to meet the Southern Upland Way as it begins an hairpin ascent of Croft Head.
The well-built hairpins made a pleasant change for Galloway summits, and I was soon at the summit of Croft Head (GM/SS-100), calling CQ at 1500hrs. I managed four contacts on 2m FM and decided that rather than move to HF, I would pack away and head to the next summit.
Croft Head
The brilliant walking continued as I traversed an upload grass meadow and sheepfold, perfect for wild camping. This was followed by a well made track passing rugged hillside scars, and picturesque hum-back wooden bridge over a burn.
*On the hairpin descent from Croft Head **
Picturesque bridge
Stunning walking
A bit of a view as the mist lifted briefly on Capel Fell
The final push up to the summit of Capel Fell was over grass. I had made quick progress and was calling CQ at 1600 hrs, exactly an hour after starting the activation on Croft Head. A QSO was made with M5LEE, and then non others. I interrupted a ragchew higher on the band, and they kindly gave me two further contacts. Finally, G1GDB heard my calling for a fourth contact, allowing me to qualify on 2m FM.
As I was calling CQ, the mist lifted for the first time that day and I was treated to a view of the Southern Uplands. It soon closed in again, and then began to rain.
I was tempted to head on a direct route to my bicycle, leaving the summit on a NW direction. Although this looked feasible on the map, I was not sure what the bracken situation would be. In addition, I really enjoyed the walk up here, so it was a please to retrace my steps.
Back at the bike it was now raining quite persistently. My thoughts had originally been to cycle late into the evening, towards Loch Maben, so I could activate a hill in the morning. With it being a dirty evening I opted to stop at Moffat. Fish and chips in Moffat (with a can of Vimto) was dinner, followed by a stay at the Caravan and Camping Club site in Moffat. I severely dislike such sites. The site is lit up through the night (the electrical hookup posts have lights on the top, and illuminate the whole site); tents are confined to small patch of overlooked grass, and there is a constant noise of slamming car doors. But at least I got a warm shower, and arrived so late that there was nobody around to pay.
I left Moffat at about 0730 hours in the morning, still raining heavily, and headed back home via Lockerbie, Gretna Green and Carlisle. Unusually, when I reached Cumbria, the rain stopped and the sun came out!
On the move on Wednesday morning - tent packed away. Not my type of campsite!
Whopping massive caraven at Moffat campsite
Sadly closed when I passed by
Sheep in Lockerbie
Back to Civilisation
