GM/SS-058. The twin peaks of Ben Venue
The diary was surprisingly empty on Tuesday but I’m getting a bit bored with the hills within easy driving distance, and to be honest I had started avoiding the Lake District in school holidays. A not so quick look at SOTLAS and White Coombs looked like a good option, but it is just over 2 hours drive, so the management suggested taking the van an going for the night. Some more looking later and the nearest 4 point summits that seemed to fit the bill were in the Trossachs, and area that I have not visited for 35 years. The next part of the jigsaw was where to park the van overnight. I did try a free park up on one of Ben’s weekends but I’m afraid that I didn’t see the funny side of the boy racers driving past with the horn on at 2AM. Forestry Scotland offer £10 overnight stays in some car parks but it is on the basis of turn up and hope for the best which wasn’t really something I wanted to experience after a long hike. I’m sure Andy would be pleased as I found a cheaper option by booking a camper parking place just off the forest for £5. The facilities are nil, but it is quiet with no-one driving past at 2 AM and a 4G signal better than anywhere in Teesdale.
The parking place added about another 4Km to the round trip so my easy 4 pointer became 17km and 871m of height. I could pretend that I took it easily in my stride, and I probably would have done 10 years ago but the high temperatures (25 in Scotland) made it quite a tiring walk, but I feel a lot better after having a shower and cooking a good curry. The dogs took several stops in the streams on the way up and down so they didn’t overheat (as much?)
Last night I checked as there are two summits.. and I noticed that the one with the trig point on was lower, and critically not in the AZ. I was very aware of this but through some bloody mindedness and get thereitis I managed to go the extra mile, to see the trig point on the lower summit. The detour probably added another km that I could have done without!
2m didn’t really go according to plan as the adopter that screws into the mini socket on the rig reached the summit in two pieces, so 2m was just an RH440 clone in the rig, still had some good contacts and I just dragged the J Pole up for the extra weight…
40m seemed reasonably well behaved, but the skip is noticeably longer than it was when the solar flux was higher so the strongest contacts were further away. ( From home in Durham I don’t seem to be able to hear many GM sota stations at the moment whereas just a year or so ago they were easy to work. Will the 80m dipole need to resurface soon? ( currently carry a 60/40/20m linked dipole)
Anyone working me must assume that I walk surrounded by the noise of a dog barking. Not the case, Woody is silent until I pick the microphone up, and usually starts the second I say CQ, equally any sign of disconnecting an antenna and silence starts. If anyone knows any dog psychology I could do with some ideas….
Im am slowly getting towards my Goat, an as soon as I get there I will attempt a CW activation. It will be interesting to see if Woody stays silent or realises whats going on, still at least the chasers won’t hear him.
I expected to be completely surrounded by midges, both during the walk and definitely in the van, but there are almost none, I even managed to cook tea with the Window open I’m sure that blue skies, cheap camping, minimal midges isn’t the normal Scottish welcome….
Once again thanks to all the chasers who make it worthwhile. Tomorrow might be Ben Ledi but as I’m slightly sore I’ll see how the legs feel tomorrow..
73 Paul (Woody & Jet)
