Autumnal Cumbrian adventures (part 3) G/LD-013 The Old Man of Coniston 4/10/24

 Ok, quick apology right before we start, this report may contain more pictures than words! 😂😂

A few more days pass, and we did other stuff, but wifey could sense I wasnt satisfied with the 2 activations i had done so far, and she knew I wanted more... I had been eying a proper big one as a finale something over 800M to really push myself, the Old Man of Coniston ticked the box, at 802M! And being a peak district lad, anything over 500M is nosebleed territory! Anyhow, I got the ok off the boss, and headed up to Walna Scar car park. 

The old man is still a fearsome looking lump, even from the car park, this was going to be one hell of a trip! 

Parking paid, I was off up the track, this was a nice well made track that was clearly well maintained and kept in good condition for the 1000s of feet doing the trek every year. Now this was where I made my first mistake, I kept to the well made track, and I worked G4TJG/P who was already on the summit, which was a nice suprise and eventually ended up discovering I had trekked a good 20 mins in the wrong direction.. I ended up at a ridge at the head of Boulder Valley, overlooking Levers water, I could see a path marked on the map that would take me up to the summit, but it looked like a nightmareish scramble up the scree, something I wasnt equipped for in any way!

I had obviously expended alot of time, and energy by this point, and was very annoyed with myself, I was even considering giving up and going home.... but I couldnt face it! so I worked back to the path split, and went the right way! Straight away, its steep.. and unforgiving.... but the only way is up! now, what I didnt know is this slope was extensively mined for Copper, and Slate and evidence of these extensive working are EVERYWHERE, so this broke up the walk nicely, anyone that knows me, knows I am a massive fan of this sort of stuff, as a former "urbexer" im well into industrial archealogy so this was very distracting, but offered a welcome break from the uphill struggle!

One of the first clues you will find are the huge thick steel cables that run over the track in places, these are from the former cable car system that would have transported men, ore and equipment up and down the steep slopes.

you even have to duck under them, or climb over them in places! 

There are even flat carriers that would have been suspended under the thick cable lying on the waste tips.. its an AMAZING place! 

Then, just as you think it cannot get any better, there is a level with Railway lines and a saw shed! 

With the remains of a stone saw that I would think was used to cut the slate to the right size before dressing.

Anyhow, that enjoyment over, I was off to carry on up the never ending slope! More holes in the ground were passed, and bits of cable, and industril good stuff.... and then the icing on the cake, a toppled cable car pylon! this would have been one of the support structures for the thick cable, and the cars would have passed over the top!

Excitement over, I realised I had nerded out enough on this industrial goodness, and needed to crack on.. next stop Low Water!

I had a pause here, you can see the summit cairn from here away up to the left, but this is where the path gets seriously steep.. a look to the left and you can see what you are up against, its properly intimidating, I was already getting tired especially after wasting time and effort going the wrong way, and I was having second thoughts... I got some food in me a good drink and a few biscuits for energy, and decided to go for it.... up this we go!

From here on in, I gained height rapidly it wasnt long before Low Water was tiny, Dwarfed in the landscape! 

Sections of rocky scrambles, where you needed hands to continue, and some very narrow sections with some big drops aded to the excitement, and slowly, and carefully I made my way up, and up, and up... and then it was there, the summit Cairn! I was soo happy, but absolutely SHATTERED! I may not looking it, but im buzzing and over the moon in this selfie! 

I had a few mins to recover, then set about chucking the mast up, handily the trig point was well positioned to chuck a couple of bungees around, and got an antenna up! Spot away, and started calling... 21 2M contacts in half an hour so I was pleased with that! I had the intention of having a go on HF, but it had took me a LOT longer than I thought it would to get up to the summit, so I left it at the 23!

now, decision time, back down the steep way, or go down the longer but less steep way, I opted for the latter Via Goats water, and Walna Scar Road... as nice as it was, it was a bit of a slog on tired legs, and I kinda regretted it.. 

Eventually I made it back to the car Tired, thirsty but Elated, I had done it!! The Old Man of Coniston conquered AND thanks to G4TJG completed on the same day! WAHEY! but most of all my first big SOTA done..

Till next time! (some winter bonus action tomorrow) 73, Alan

Autumnal Cumbrian adventures (part 2) G/LD-049 Kirkby Moor 1/10/24

A couple of days recovery, and spending some time with my Wife she was having a tired afternoon, and wanting to do nothing more than relaxing in the recliner, with a the TV and a pile of snacks! "why dont you go and play some radio" she said, followed up with "you dont need to sit here and be bored beacuse im tired"! Well, I dont need asking twice! I already had an outline plan for Kirkby moor so the maps were studied, radio stuff thrown in the car and off I went! Now Kirkby moor is probably the nearest (by road) SOTA summiot to my parents house, so half an hour later I was parked up and staring at the quarries and Wind turbines of Kirkby moor.

I actually ended up taking the wrong path up, according to the map it was more direct.. According to the ground, it was a nightmare trudge through the waist high ferns, heading in the vague direction I thought I needed to go! This led to more navigational nightmares, and eventually I found a path, that led towards the quarries... hey ho, at least when I get to the quarries there is a track heading up for the wind turbines I can use! 

I actually enjoyed the Quarries, there was plenty of industrial stuff for me to poke around at, and the track heading up was good and well made, and the Views were fantastic!

 

As I rounded the track to the first turbine, I got a bit of a suprise, a metal road! they must have laid it to do some work on the turbines, but this led neatly to the summit cairn.

Not much up here to secure the mast too, so made something up using the cairn and wedging the pole with the rocks, quite typically for Cumbria it was again blowing hard, and getting it up much higher would have been a problem! 

Mast up, and spot away to SOTAwatch it was time to get down to business! Cals were somewhat slow, with 5 over 25 mins on 2M, somewhat dissapointing if im honest, and if I were to try it again I would definately be going straight onto HF, but 5 is enough and it was time to set off back to the car. Just beyond the 1st turbine there is a park bench laid in memorial, and accross the front of this is the path i should have taken! It takes you down through the old quarries on the inclines, and leads you round the waste tips and back to the road, definately will going that way if I go back up there again! 1 for 1 point, and Actually a pleasant little mooch.

Part 3 will be out tomorrow! 

73, Alan

Autumnal Cumbrian adventures (part 1) G/LD-030 Black Coombe 29/9/24

 My parents live in Cumbria, and this is useful! ok, they dont live in the national park, they live on the Furness peninsular, right at the bottom before you get wet! so its still one hell of a drive to alot of the summits in Cumbria! and this is not so useful. Black Coombe DOMINATES the bottom end of the peninsula, its visible from just about everywhere, and for years has tormented me.. I just wasnt fit enough for the climb! But now, I think I might be... A plan was formed, and a mission set.. Activate Black Coombe! 6 points and 600M dead, and 590 of which you have to climb as the start point is about 10M ASL.. this is a PROPER lump!

I parked in the usual spot, at the church at Whicham, headed down the little passhae and onto the lane, Black coombe is an absolute BEHEMOTH and towers over you as approach the bottom, the path however starts of fairly gently, but luls you into a false sense securuity! Make no mistake, these Cumbrian mountains are steep!

The number of false summits are probably the most annoying thing, that and the unrelenting steepness! its just up, up and more up requires some serious stamina, but I plodded on.. this seriously nearly broke me!

As I got higher the wind started off the Irish sea, properly blowing it was aswell, and as the path runs up that side, there is no let up from it.. certainly made things more difficult! as I got to the summit shelter, I realised putting the mast up would be nearly impossible as the wind was properly gale force by this time! I managed to get the spectrum Communications Slim G up, just above the summit shelter at a jaunty angle! That would have to do..... Spot sent, and away I went on 2M! 

Things were quite slow, I managed 8 in 19 mins, Matt M0MZB First, and Paul M0CQE (Just) to finish! not fancyng that wind any more than I needed too, it was time to go!

I did the descent with the wind in my face, and that was a struggle.... but going down was definately quicker than going up! hahaha

My first taste of a Cumbrian mountain, Bloody hard work and very rewarding in the same bag! 6 points in the bag too (my biggest SOTA to date)! Would I do it again? Maybe! although there are other fells and Mountains in the area, I would try first..I can see myself becoming very acquanted with cumbrian fells in 2025!

73, Alan

6 SOTA Summit weekender (part 4). Return to Wales! GW/NW-051 Foel Fenlli 8/9/24

Sunday was upon us, and it was time to return to Wales to collect the girls from Towyn! Now I originally planned on doing a Welsh biggie GW/NW-012 Cadair Berwyn fitted the bill, a reasonably steady 8 pointer, and not too far out of the way for my return to Towyn, HOWEVER I decided against it, and went for GW/NW-051 Foel Fenlli and the intention of doing GW/NW-044 Moel Famau after it, both are accessible from ths same car park, and relatively easy, plus a good bit closer to Towyn!

I set off down to Wales, and the weather was still murky, the mountain Weather had given it clear by mid morning, so I stuck with the plan, on arriving a the top car park, the mist was thicker.... Here we go again I thought! still hopeful it would start to clear, I headed off in search of the summit of Foel Fenlli! well, the clag never cleared did it... it got thicker and thicker! I eventually found the summit cairn, and chucked the mast up..

10 contacts, 10 mins! then the rain started... balls! id activated and was off, I descended a different and shorter looking way but sill ended up like a drowned rat, I took one look at the path up to Moel Famau and thought stuff this!! and made my way to Towyn instead... and funnily enough the sun was starting to come out there! Welsh weather huh!

Anyhow, 6 activations & 9 points gained, I was happy enough with that! 

73, Alan 

6 SOTA Summit weekender (part 3) The Cloud G/SP-015, Shining Tor G/SP-004 & Black Hill G/SP-002. 7/9/24

Day 3 of the multi summit weekender, and we decided we would do the Cloud, Shining Tor and finish on Black Hill for a total of 5 points! We were omitting the Gun, as I had done that earlier in the year.. We had been keeping an eye on the mountain weather, and the front wa supposed to move to the South from the North of the South Pennines area through ghe day, meaning it would be horrible on Black Hill in the morning and nice on the Cloud! and Vice Versa in the afternoon, we were soon to find out this would not be the case..

Anyhow, an early start and off down to Macclesfield we went.. The cloud is a trial by a million steps (ok slight exageration but still...) but the summit is doable in 20 mins or less from the parking spot, as we were early, it was thankfully quiet! Chucked the antennas up, fired a spot off and away we went! First up, the ever faithful Paul, M0CQE, followed by 14 more on 2M including 2 S2S (Matt M0MZB/B on G/LD-025 Seatallan. And Duane 2E0DIJ/P on G/SP-017 Billinge Hill).. after I had exhausted 2M, i fired up the 4M handheld, sadly only 1 contact on 70Mhz, but 16 all told, in just under an hour on VHF.. happy with that!!

As can be seen from the Tshirt, it certainly wasnt cold, but the clag was looming in the background on the Cloud! 

Anyhow, Job done! Off to Shining tor we went.... The weather was intermittently Claggy as we got up to the Cat and Fiddle, but still fairly mild... we reckoned it being the crappy weather heading south, as we were heading North, passing us on the way! we kitted up, and set off, but noted the path up was decidedly damper compared to the Cloud... hmmmm.... in and out of the Clag we passed, and managed the summit in a fairly good time, although it was busy! the bench on the summit was clear, so up went the mast on the finger post, and the ever reliable Spectrum Communications Slim G, and we got on air. Again Paul, M0CQE was number 1 in the log, followed by a 14 more on 2M and 2 on 4M! 16 total in 35 mins, with the clag thickening... we were off! 

Note the thick claggy cloud behind us.... it was a taste of what was to come!

Lastly we set off to Black Hill, and this is where things would get fun! the Clag was thicker than ever, but still thin enough to be able to sensibly navigate, the path these days is pretty well marked and obvious, so we decided to have a go.... there are 2 streams to ford on the way along the pennine way, and these would be make or break, if they were even remotely raised, we would be calling the trip off.... but thankfully there were ok!

 William on the ford crossing! Note the thankfully low water levels..

Anyhow, the clag got thicker and wetter, wetter and thicker as we climbed the Pennine way to the summit plateau, by the time it levelled off we were RIGHT in the thick of it, already soaked we decided we may as well find the trig, and get the activation done. Now I have NEVER had much luck on Black hill, its a bogey summit to me, but the mast went up, this time on the William mount and we got too it... I literally managed 6 contacts in 5 mins, mast down, and gone! 

One day im going to do black hill in glorious weather! 😂😂

The way down was claggier, and wetter and more miserable.. but we safely got back to the car.. What a great day! and some plans for the next day on my return to the Girls in Wales! and that will be the subject of my next piece.... for now, 73 everyone!

Alan & William