Thanks to those that worked me while I was baking my flesh on G/NP-017 Fountains Fell today. Nice to work Don G0RQL and Don G0NES on 2M SSB using my Yaesu FT817ND running 5W into a 3 element SB270. I really must try 2M SSB more in future.
No video of this activation as I just wanted to get out and play some radio. Photo is of me and Bailey who is 13 years old overlooking the 3 peaks of Yorkshire during todays ascent. Although Bailey is very energetic for his age sadly his eyesight and hearing isn’t what it was.
Gordon Bennet it was hot today. When I got back to my car at 1722Z the display said 29C, well it was in the sun, no shade to park in. Driving down the A9 the temp dropped to 23C but that was a 400m ASL.
Here’s the (rather nice) panoramas from Meall nan Eagan GM/WS-247
I’m looking at that one as a possibility for our next SOTA trip based in Newtonmore. I assume you ascended from the west, but wasn’t sure about parking. Doing it with the Fara from Dalwhinnie is probably beyond our capabilities!
The Fara for 6pts is trivially easy in comparison. You can park at the quarry entrance on the Dalwhinnie to Laggan road on a Sunday as the quarry is closed. Otherwise there’s not much parking without a bit of a trek. I suppose you could ask the quarry if you could park in their car park and they may say yes due to the novelty of being asked!
For The Fara, take the track to Alt An’t Sluic Lodge but take left fork after 1km, down to the ford, normally not more than ankle deep and easy, then up the track. The tracks goes much further than the OS map shows, almost to the grouse butts. Then take the NW ridge to the summit. It’s easy good walking. I’m not sure of the route to Meall nan Eagan from here, probably via Coire Odhar and up. There are some spectacular rocky gorges from glacier meltwater, maybe very serious scrambling but way out of my contemplation.
Meall nan Eagan, start the same way but go to the lodge, take the left path down to the river. When it just ends, rising traverse up the bank gets you to the track that runs through the (private) lodge grounds. Follow this, take the fords (not ankle deep) if you can or walk in the boggier ground without crossing. Either way at the end of the track, cross the river once more on the signposted path to Feagour (Feith Gobhar) and then follow your nose up to the top. Take what looks like the easiest route, they’re all boggy rubbish with heather just tall enough to slow you down. Yesterday, the views from a wee 2pt summit were to die for so it was worth it. Not sure if the WX was dreiky or claggy whether I’d do it. The views along the path were simply fabulous in the blazing sun Computer said 1hr20 and it took me 1hr40 elapsed in the 25C heat.
My activation of Bucken Pike (G/NP-009) yesterday was also rather hard work in the heat. The plus side was it meant my wife and daughters didn’t seem to mind the hour at the top while Daddy played radio.
