Two " Orrible Ills"

Old Reflector
1

Hi All,

Dual Activation Report SP-011 Freeholds Top & SP-009 Hail storm Hill. 19/04/09

Freeholds Top:

Decided to do both of these today as I cancelled them last month due to new job. Setting off from Home we had four Motorways but only a short distance really. M56,M6,M62,M60.
Arrived at Shawforth for sp-011 in plenty of time, not many car park spaces so parked on main road where houses were just in village and walked back to side road that leads to path up. Path was easy ascending,had plenty of friends following as Sheep are free to roam here, must of thought we had food!

When path dissappears into field after nicely positioned house on left it starts to climb a bit not heavy but uneven surface can be difficult. then across what should have been a stile but was a farmer made fence adapted into a makeshift stile, bit iffy if you ask me. Signpost says cross diagonally across this next field, but very boggy so went roundright edge and arrived at final stile. Trig approx 250 meters ahead went over touched Trig and then come back slightly to find nice camp site,

Started off on 144ssb, very quiet until G3OHC, came back to me. 6 contact on 144.300 ssb then went quiet, QSY to 433.500FM gave call and Steve GW7AAV came straight back,star man, he put spot on and 7 more contacts on 70cm(just for you Gerald). Running late we decided to get down and make our way to next Summit Car Park and have lunch on top. descent was same some boggy until path then easy descent to car.

Hail Storm Hill( What a Name for a summit)

Arrived at Village of Turn, no real parking space so parked around back of main road. PROW not visible and on further investigation there is a dispute with landowner and Council so first up was blocked,eventually finding Fecit Farm was best way up followed good path but we both found it a bit heavy going and we agreed with Richards comments on summit page" This is a dismal Hill". Got to summit plateau very late from original alert time as we decided to stop on route for lunch as we were late and needed to eat for a bit of energy. Into AZ and set up camp. Checked spots on my Iphone and seen G1INK/P on 144.320,so chased him first for S2S thanks Steve. Went to 300 for calling then QSY to 330 with spot from GW7AAV,thanks Steve. 7 More on SSB decided we had enough so got off what I thought was needed to do but definetly no plans to return.

Overall, lovely weather for a change,and enjoyed activation although both of these are now off my personal target of all SP Summits done in 2009.(9 out of 17)

Thanks for all contacts and they are registered in Database as usual.

73

Tony

2

In reply to 2E0LAE:

Hi Tony,

Wot No Rain on Hail Storm Hill? I can certainly recommend this one for wet weather conditions… and you missed the scrap yard that you’d have found if you had ascended from Cowpe. Actually, joking aside, I’ve been up worse and it was reasonably enjoyable given the showery weather last November. I had no problems with Freeholds either, though it was very damp underfoot. I guess it is all down to how expectations are met on the day. Go expecting the worst and return having had an enjoyable day out… works for me every time!

73,

Gerald

P.S. Thanks for the 70cms report…

3

In reply to G4OIG:

No Probs Gerald, The summits are OK in their own little way.

What I did think was they were not the best looking Hills,not pleasing to the eye.

Hail Storm Hill was littered with those horrible Wind Turbines which spoilt the scenery a great deal for us!!

AS I say two more off my List of 17 SP’s only 8 to go including Kinder. Looking forward to that one!!

73

Tony

4

In reply to 2E0LAE:

Hi Tony,

I know what you mean about the two hills. I suppose the setting of the hill and its approach (both by road and on foot) is an important a factor in respect of how one feels about it as much the actual summit area itself. You mention wind turbines - they are like Marmite - personally I love them, but I appreciate that many don’t.

All the best for the completion of the SP’s. I’ve 3 to do yet, one of which (Fair Snape Fell) will have to wait for my presence until the next winter bonus period when it will get coupled with Cracoe Fell NP-032. Those extra 3 points per summit are just too valuable to miss!

73, Gerald