I’ve had this report sat as a draft for months now…finally finishing it off! This all took place at the end of April - between bank holidays, hoping it’ll be a little quieter and parking spots could be found.
Back when I awaited the snow gates opening at the Lecht, and then foolishly biking down icy paths to activate GM/ES-040 for a sequence of 40s, my wife asked if I wanted a party where we invited all the family or something else. Well this is that something else. A trip down south, to the Lake District, with two mates of the same new decade to go climb some hills.
One is an outdoorsy type, mountain biking up and over everything from hills to tightropes. He’s also an ham but never tried SOTA. The other is a working from home software developer…well stereotypes don’t form from nothing…but he’s skinny so surely that helps. I’d bought him the foundation manual and a quansheng for his 40th birthday. He did like HT, flashing firmware and listening to the locals, although he never took the test.
We were staying in a little house in Ambleside, a sign for “The Struggle” visible from our bedrooms. A portent for what’s to come.
Day 0
I made the most of the drive down by calling in at G/NP-001, Cross Fell, for the first day of the transatlantic S2S event. I had my new 10m 1/4 GP and the aliexpress vertical to try out. The weather was mild, not the scorching sun of earlier in April but not pouring with rain like the time in between.
Well they sure know how to build cairns here! Room for everyone, except I was the only one, but I was glad to be able to choose the leeward side. I thought the cairn would offer good antenna support but I needed a few bungees to make it work.
I had the 10m antenna by the wall and then the vertical whip out on the grass. It was setup for 15m and had to use the nanoVNA to find the right length of the whip and the radials - they needed folding back on themselves else I could never get the vertical to have a sensible SWR.
The bands were up and down but when they were up it was good, including a US net appearing on the frequency I was calling CQ on. It was also surprising to have Saudi return one’s CQ - a bit of a double take on their call:
really? Are you sure?
Some good contacts but no NA S2S. Time was getting on and I wanted to meet everyone for dinner, so packed up and headed back. Typically, as I was heading back that’s when the first NA summit spotted!
Day 1
I thought we’d do the biggest day first, get it out the way and all that. A loop of G/LD-001, Scafell Pike, G/LD-005, Great Gable, G/LD-014, Kirkfell, and G/LD-006, Pillar.
With ~21 km, and ~2,400 m ascent, I thought we could leave sharp and be back for dinner. I got up early and made everyone a cooked breakfast, and off we went on our 1.5 hr drive to Wasdale. The roads in the Lakes are particularly winding, and some passenger’s sausages were looking to make a second appearance 
but eventually we made it without incident… and off we go!
The forecast had said cloud and maybe showers. The cloud was low and I was hoping just for a misty walk, but about 2/3rds up and the damp turned to wind and rain.
We were overtaken by a bunch of Geordie lads, in hoodies and joggers, egging each other on. Said hi to enthusiastic dads carrying sodden and miserable children back down, and shared nods and grimaces with many, many more walkers. The trudge to the top, across ambiguous paths marked in the stones, was a cause for celebration and disappointment. Celebration we had made it and disappointment we weren’t going back yet!
I’d thought the walk up was busy but the top was heaving and everyone was trying to shelter from the wind and rain. Amongst the bustle, the wind, the rain, swearing Geordie’s, fogged up glasses, and water on my phone, I somehow managed to log 7 on 2m - probably getting a telling off on .500 too. With that done we started our descent down the other side - out of the crowds and thankfully out of the rain.
It was a long walk to Great Gable, some a little scrambly over wet ledges to keep us on our toes. On and on we went, past dogs and stoners, and eventually down below the cloud to see something again. This just meant it was time to climb back up.
More 2m contacts from the top. This time by ourselves and without rain, so it was a little more relaxed.
Onwards to Kirk Fell. Our pace was slow and still in the clouds but the rain held off.
Here one of my friends was very glad to be returning to the pub, although still a fair walk to get there, but I couldn’t leave whilst so close to the 8 pointer, Pillar. So two of us marched up, back into the cloud to the summit. We made it to the top, and some more 2m FM action, including into Northern Ireland. By this time, it was 6:30pm, and we had a fair walk back to the pub, with a slightly concern that they’ll have stopped serving food by the time we got there.
The loop round from Pillar back down into the valley involves quite a descent down some scree. 90% of the time you can skate down it, just have to watch that other 10% where sometimes it trips you up and you think you’re going to break your neck. We manage this, and then the long walk back until we get to the Wasdale Head Inn. Of course no phone reception since the summit, so no way to give any indication of our timing to my friend. Think it was about 8/8:30 and I finally sit down, and eagerly await my fish and chips plus extra onion rings…oh boy did they taste good! We recounted our journey and finally managed to get ourselves up and back to the car…ready for the 1:30 drive home. 
Day 2
My friends enjoyed Day 1 so much, that they let me go out on my own today. Today was the Helyvellyn loop of four - Helvellyn, G/LD-003, Seat Sandal, G/LD-022, Fairfield, G/LD-007, St Sunday Crag, G/LD-010. Another loop of 19-20km but maybe not quite as much elevation as day 1. I parked by the White Lion hotel in Patterdale, and set off. Too much Aberdeenshire SOTA smack talk on WhatsApp meant I wasn’t paying attention and ended up going the wrong way around the loop. Luckily I wasn’t too far, and could cut across the valley to start climbing the right way.
The weather was much better today. I was in the cloud for Helvellyn and Seat Sandal but by the time I got to the top of Fairfield, it was starting to lift and the walk from there onwards offered great views all around. Every summit was 2m FM, and I was getting familiar with many of the chasers who helped me keep moving along!
Another 32 points! Back home, ready to see what’s for dinner in Ambleside. Some outside seating of a pub is what I recall. 
Day 3
Now the weather truly was lovely, and everyone felt ready for The Old Man of Coniston, G/LD-013. After the day 1 struggle in the wet and wind, today was the opposite of being too hot! We parked in the centre and set off. With the lovely weather, everyone else also had the same idea, so plenty of walkers as we made our way up. Lots of interesting mining stuff left to have a look at and trip over.
We reach the top and the views were stunning. A slight breeze keeps us cool and after some summit selfies, we head away from the top to a nice area of grass to setup. Today is ideal for some extended radio. I even crack out the SOTA flag. Mostly to look professional for the other hundred walkers sat by the cairn eating their lunch.
I had the 10m 1/4 wave, and after the success on Cross Fell I was hopeful we could get some interesting DX. Unfortunately the band wasn’t playing. It did open a little just before we left, when LX was coming in clear but no QSO. After a go on 40m, 20m and 15m, I ended up chasing S2Ss across the bands - certainly a lot of activity today - including a new one for me in 4O. My friend was on 2m and doing his first real activation - and very much enjoying it.
It was amusing to have a S2S with Alan, MM0VPM, who was about 5km away on G/LD-051! We did have a few people come and talk to us, well not me as I was shouting into a mic most of the time.
After 2 hours or so, we decided it was time to head back down, enjoying some ice creams from the van in the car park on the way back to the village, before heading back to Ambleside. We had a few hours before dinner, so time for Red Screes, G/LD-017 - a quick hike for 6 points! However, no time for the summits on the other side of the road - High Street and Stoney Cove - they’ll have to wait for another trip.
Day 4 - the final day
Well time flies when you’re having fun and our trip was nearly done. Everyone else wanted to get going to get back in time, so another solo morning for me. First up is Skiddaw, G/LD-004. I get there early, about 8:00am and there’s plenty of parking. It’s another glorious day and already very warm. The route up is straight forward and only a couple of other walkers.
Back down to the car and off to Blencathra, G/LD-008. Now it’s a bit later in the morning and many more walkers are out now, plus the car park is rammed. I was a little concerned with parking for Blencathra, but the layby on the A66 opposite Scales had a few spaces when I arrived. Up we go for the final summit of the trip.
Quite a few flies at the top as there was no breeze whatsoever, so they didn’t encourage me to hang about long. I was hoping to get a complete for Skiddaw, as Denis, MW0CBC, was climbing up it, but our timings didn’t quite make it. I was on the M6 before he got to the top!
As my last activation, lots of thanks to the core group of dedicated chasers who had all kept me moving during the past few days! Dave, G6AEK, chased me on every single summit!
Four months later
I certainly enjoyed the trip. The Lake District is much more pointer than local GM/ES but also everything is much closer together. Whilst not as much height, you do start lower down, so still plenty of ascent. Exciting having to climb with my hands along some scrambly parts and edges. Plenty more hills left in LD to climb so I’m sure I’ll figure out another trip back sometime.
- 13 summits
- 108 points
- 82.5 km distance
- 7 km ascent