I’ll be trying to knock off a bunch of summits in the week leading up to Easter (10-Apr to 14-Apr). All of these summits lie at an awkward distance from my QTH such that they’re a bit of a trek. As none of them are particularly huge walks I’ve put off doing them as the day would consists of as much driving as walking. However, I want to activate all the GM/SS summits south of Edinburgh/Glasgow so I do need to do them one day. That day is coming!
I’ll be travelling back from Blackpool I thought I’d divert along the coast and get these guys done.
Ref Name Trig Last activation
SS-201 Beneraird TP1317 8-feb-2015
SS-229 Bengairn TP1318 22-sep-2014
SS-256 Grey Hill TP3509 5-mar-2016
SS-261 Bainloch Hill 20-apr-2014
SS-267 Knockdolian TP4283 14-oct-2015
SS-269 Woodhead Hill 31-dec-2013
SS-274 See Morris Hill TP5865 22-aug-2016
SS-281 Cairn Pat TP1852 10-nov-2016
Bands will be most likely 60/40/30m SSB/CW with possibly 2m. There are a few trig points in there as well.
Hello Andy. Hope your plans work out and WX is suitable for you. The “possibly 2m.”, could this be 2Mtr. FM? I am a chaser only ( my radio is Yaesu FT60R. ) and I would be very interested in trying for a QSO. with your Activations. Any advance information you may give will be most welcome as I would need to travel to high ground for any chance of a contact.
Best 73’s de Paul M0CQE.
Hi Paul, well weather issues can really spoil these plans so I’m hoping there will be some suitable weather during the week. My plan is to start at the Dumfries end and work West and North each day.
I will have an FT817 which means all modes are possible and also my VX170 handheld. I don’t have a portable SOTA 2m beam which will make things a little harder but I would expect some of those summits to be easily workable from high ground rubber-duck to rubber-duck.
You may be able to get yourself to the top of Winter Hill SP-010 (in theory you can drive to the top) for an S2S though I cannot remember whether the summit is benign to 2m handhelds due to the serious commercial radios on site.
Many thanks Andy, for your prompt reply. I will look at the possibility of G/SP-010. As I am new to SOTA, ( I began 01/01/2016 ), any and all information is welcome. Thanks again.
73 de Paul M0CQE.
Timed to a tee. I might manage an S2S with you as I am looking to get out up a hill or two on at least one day that week. Beneraird is THE summit to bag as you will remove it once you have activated it… won’t you?
Beneraird isn’t due for the chop AFAIK. It’s Neil’s back garden summit, Troweir, that’s due to be removed out in that part of the world. It looks to be a bit of hike to Beneraird but there’s loads of plane wreckage not far from the summit to justify the tramp out.
You may have noticed some famous Dumfrieshire horror-summits from that part of the world not on the list… Black Craig of Dee, Fell of Fleet being two well known reprobates. I’m saving them up for a special “All Dumfries Horror Show Special” probably with Mochrum Fell as well if there’s enough daylight.
Yes, my mistake. It is Troweir, the famous cattle pooh track. Maybe you should delete it and then you won’t have to experience it. Beneraird is a much more refined trek, though very boggy on one section. Quite a pleasant bimble otherwise.
I don’t think Black Craig of Dee and Fell of Fleet are that bad. I rather made a hash of Black Craig by being ill equipped and inexperienced. It was way back in 2007 when I activated it and it proved to be a tough introduction to what Galloway has to offer the unsuspecting. If I did it again I would be much more respectful of the landscape and far better equipped in terms of much better boots, gaiters and the like. By comparison, Fell of Fleet is a pussy cat. An easy track walk followed by a bimble up the felled hillside and onto the top. If you were cheeky, you could even take the track walk out of the equation. Anyway, I am sure you have done much harder summits than these two - Mulwharchar for example. I can recommend Lamachen Hill if you want a more challenging hill. A nice walk, but it almost wore me out.
The plan is to complete this bit of SS (South of Glasgow/Edinburgh) on Mulwharcher and I was toying with the idea of organising a grand Mulwharcher bagging day for this momentous event! i.e. activate it with other people so that we can do the activate:chase dance at the AZ boundary then I can have the complete as otherwise I could wait a long time to get the complete for it!
Happy to see your plan for next activations!!
Do you remember last meeting last year SS-254?
I was since January near to Girvan, now I’m at home (CT) but maybe back to Scotland and also I’ll hope to active the same SOTA in SS!
Arghh, twice in a day my summit memory fails me. It was GM/SS-096 (Craignaw) that you activated in 2007 and Mulwharchar was a summit too far on that occasion. It is time I retired so that I can concentrate more fully on SOTA.
I’m sure Paul and I would be up for that event. We quite fancy doing it with The Merrick, but as you know, the mind says one thing, the body achieves another! I’ve 7 summits still to do in that area, 8 when Kirriereoch comes on stream. The problem is that when the main summits south of the Glasgow/Edinburgh line have been activated, then it will be further north for those Uniques… I am already looking at ON.
If you are in the area it would be great to meet again.
I’m much fitter now. But sadly 10 years older. Craignaw introduced me to “Galloway Ground” which is why I have no intention of attempting more than two of these pimples a day. Once bitten etc.
I think Merrick to Mullwharcher is a bit of a hike. The tourist route up Merrick is easy, a few steep bits and the long climb to Benyellary then it’s trivial. The descent down to Loch Enoch is OK but the ground around the loch and the start of Mulwharcher are bit hellish from descriptions online. Then when you get to Mulwharcher’s summit you are a long way from anywhere especially your car! They wanted to hollow out Mulwharcher and use it to store nuclear waste as it is so far from towns/villages etc. and is made of good rock.
Now what started out as a plan to tick of a list of so-so summits has turned into something that suggests it’s going to be rather a lot of fun. Maybe a 1st S2S/activation for someone new(ish) to SOTA, a possible joint activation plus further S2S/completion offers for long time activater/chasers.
A change in my Blackpool plans me I’m already in Dumfries and I now have the WX forecast. I’m going to revise my plans this evening an update the alerts. First I need something to eat and drink.
Looking forward to your revised itinerary. May need to concentrate on the summits I need for Completes as there are other commitments this week. Will be signing /P if I can get on.
Looks like tomorrow may be the best day of the week up here in the far(ish) North so I’m planning to go for a pair that are a very long way from anywhere. Times accordingly very approximate but hope to do:
GM/NS-088 - Cnoc Damh - 0900 UTC
GM/NS-099 - Meall Liath Choire - 1300 UTC
Usual MO - start on 5-ssb (if phone coverage) then 3.666-ssb +/- finally 7.118 +/-
My change in Blackpool plans has enabled me to bag 2 bonus summits so far. First was Hightown Hill on Saturday on the way South. As I ended up in Dumfries overnight Sunday I was able to start early and with the WX being a bonus too, I could move Bainloch Hill onto Monday leaving a slot for Mochrum Fell as a bonus today. Though any summit where you end up with bloody arms and legs and blood on the log paper is probably not a bonus really!
Now any one who wants to bag Mochrum Fell should consider it as needing to be done before the end of 2017 as pretty soon the trees will be too big to walk between. They’re all around 6-8ft now and pushing between them is hardwork. . Also don’t go in the Summer as the Brambles are bad enough now so when they have developed for a few more months you will need Rocket Shorts or a tank!
Just missed you on Bengairn yesterday Andy. A late start out from base in Northumberland meant I got on just as you finished. Only had G level of Internet on Windlestraw so it was near impossible to track you. Heard you on Mochrum later, but you were sooooooo weak. Probably due to blood loss.
Presume you survived the wind as well as the foliage. Can’t remembering it being that bad when Paul and I activated it. Mind you, we did attack it from the rear, having driven the forestry track.
Beneraird is a much more refined trek, though very boggy on one section. Quite a pleasant bimble otherwise.
