A one day Scottish Tour Part 1 - Killyleoch Hill GM/SS-285

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I was staying in a Keswick cottage with my family in early October. On Tuesday 1st October I was released from Grandad duties for the whole day. I left Keswick at 5.45am to head for an area I am familiar with - Dumfries and Galloway.

My first ever SOTA activation took place in the area on Hightown Hill GM/SS-273, in June 2005, and I completed another nine activations in the area in later years, some were indeed first time activations of SOTA summits. 1st October was a special day - the day that Killyleoch Hill GM/SS-285 was entered into the SOTA list of accredited summits with 150m prominence. I wanted to be the first ham to activate the summit, and I was. 

The last time I operated in Scotland was in August 2009 on the fantastic SOTA expedition to Ailsa Craig which was organised by Jimmy M0HGY and Tom M1EYP, great memories of that trip:

Our SOTA Group heading for Ailsa Craig GM/SS-246 in August 2009

Phil G4OBK on Grandad duty the day before - climbing Latrigg LDW-206 for Wainwrights On The Air

This addition to the summits list was the result of a survey completed in August 2013 by Alan Dawson, author and creator of the Marilyn summits book, The Relative Hills of Britain. This summit was activated again five days later by Terry G(M)0VWP.

You can find details of Alan Dawson's survey of the summit and surrounding cols here. 

Where I parked by the forestry track at NX 8801 8053. I walked through that gate and headed for the summit (40 mins)

A 90 minute drive took me to the chosen parking place for Killyleoch Hill, north of Shawhead. I took Alan Dawsons advice and used the same way up to the summit from the track close to Newtonairds Farm. This was straightforward to negotiate, with three easy dry stane dykes to climb, a few unlocked gates, one locked gate and a small enclosure containing docile highland cattle.

Highland Cattle in small gated enclosure near Loweberry Wood NX 877810

Time taken to get to the wall corner was 40 minutes. I activated against the shelter of the wall in the photo, 75m before the highest point. This was 8m lower than the highest point. 

Operating position SS-285 - the highest point are the rocks 75m in the background

There was a good support for my 6m pole using a convenient fence post in the corner of the wall junction. I operated for 52 minutes on HF CW/SSB and on 2m FM, completing 56 contacts. There were no summit to summit contacts, but I did qualify the summit with 4 x 2m FM QSOs on VHF which was unexpected. The best DX worked was probably YO2BP on 30m CW. 

The writer packed up and about to leave Killyleoch Hill

After returning to the car I set off for my next summit GM/SS-228 Bishop Forest Hill - driving time to reach the parking place there at Marglolly Bridge was a mere 18 minutes. 

If you would like a GPX track of this route it may be downloaded from the SOTA Mapping Project run by Rob DM1CM. 

2.4 miles walked with 520 ft ascent.

A one day Scottish Tour Part 2 - Bishop Forest Hill GM/SS-228

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Bishop Forest Hill is a Marilyn summit which lies at the top of the Glenkiln Valley in the Dumfries and Galloway region. The valley contains a sculpture park which was assembled between 1951 and 1976 by the landowner Sir William Keswick. You can find out more about these sculptures on various websites, including Wikipedia. 

SS-228 Parking place in side road near cattle grid at Marglolly Bridge

On my visit to the four summits planned for the day I did not have the time to contemplate these interesting artefacts which are unusually situated in a moorland setting.  I did however see three out of the six sculptures in passing whilst driving up the valley to the parking place for SS-228 at Marglolly Bridge.  I hope to go back again sometime and have a closer look at them.

Looking back down the quad track to Marglolly Bridge

The way to the top was easy - a quad track steep and straight led up the hill across from the bridge, curving left when the climb eased - it was a 25 minute walk for me and I was there, by the big pile of stones and a trig point which had a hole in the top - a perfect fitting for my 6m pole. 

GM/SS-228 Trig point - deep enough to take my 6m long flagpole

A 63 minute session produced one QSO a minute and I finished with 64 contacts of which amazingly, 12 were on 2m FM. The rest were on 40m CW/SSB, 10 MHz CW and 14 MHz CW/SSB. Amongst the contacts were summit to summits with DG0JMB/P, GM4MD/P, EI/G4ASA/P, GW4VPX/P, F6HBI/P and MW0WML/P who all found me on the 40 metre band. 

The summit was activated again five days later by Terry G(M)0VWP.

A misty view down to the 80 acre Glenkiln Reservoir, built in 1934 and operated by Scottish Water

The views could have been excellent but unfortunately mist spoiled the outlook down to the Glenkiln Reservoir. I left the summit at 1115z and made for my next climb at the foot of Bennan SS-224. This was only 10 minutes driving time, less than four miles away by road.   

Time to untie my 3 band link dipole and 2m vertical and head to the next summit - Bennan SS-224

If you would like a GPX track of this route it may be downloaded from the SOTA Mapping Project run by Rob DM1CM.

1.9 miles walked with 600 ft ascent.

A one day Scottish Tour Part 3 - Bennan GM/SS-224

Up the moorland to Bennan from west of Glen (Farm)
The GPX track can be download from the SOTA Mapping Project by DM1CM

This was the toughest activation of the day due to the strong wind. The rain shower which had fallen on my short journey from Bishop Forest Hill had finished by the time I reached the roadside parking place at NX 829763, just west of a pink painted farm called Glen. 

Parking place for Bennan GM/SS-224 NX 829763

There was ungated access into the field due to drainage work taking place on the verge. A quad track followed the left side of a small copse. At the top of the copse I kept half right to a gate at 8279 7658 (gate cannot be seen until you are close). The tall structure of Turners monument could be clearly seen on the summit, north west of the gate on Glen Bennan (Not to be confused with the other Bennan (not SOTA)) 16 miles to the west, near Clatteringshaws Lock.

It was rough walking beyond the gate, but not so bad, time taken to reach the top being 22 minutes. The wind was probably around 30 mph and I set up behind the monument for shelter. There was no antenna support and so after a struggle to raise the flag pole it was eventually guyed. 

Monument to John Turner on the summit of Bennan GM/SS-224

I operated for 36 minutes with an excellent QSO rate finishing with 50 contacts. There was a lift on the 2m band to the south and on FM with a simple vertical dipole I doubled the VHF distance expected and completed 11 contacts, the more distance stations being G4ZRP on the Wirral and 2E0XYL in Cheshire. This was unusual. The best DX on HF was VE1WT (Canada) on 20m CW. All HF contacts on Bennan were on CW. 40m SSB was attempted but after calling CQ in different palces without success I did not like the sound of the band, so I quickly gave up in favour of visiting another summit. Twenty minutes later I was in my car turning it round to head back to Shawhead on the way to my last summit of the day See Morris Hill GM/SS-274.

1.4 miles walked with 550 ft ascent. 

A one day Scottish Tour Part 4 - See Morris Hill GM/SS-274

The compact route by road activating 4 summits in Dumfries & Galloway October 1st 2013

A 22 minute drive took me almost right to the top of See Morris Hill SS-274.

Where I parked on See Morris Hill GM/SS-274

On my frequent visits to the area over three decades I have been aware of a prominent tower on a hill overlooking Dumfries. The shape of the tower always looked to me like an oversized Christmas Tree. The overall shape hadn't changed much over the years, although I imagine with changing communications technology the accoutrements fastened to the "Christmas Tree" have. 

The "Xmas" Tree on See Morris Hill 

Research on the hillbagging.co.uk website indicated that non radio ham Marilyn baggers often drive to the gate at the BT compound, which is what I did. Indeed, I was waved on by the farmer from Riddingshill after waiting on the uphill track whilst he herded his beasts into a field. There was an open combination lock metal gate part way up but I took my chance and drove on to park up within 250m of my final operating position by the trig point. The comms site did not appear to be manned as no vehicles apart from mine were present. 

Trig point with centre missing - you couldn't hope for a better support for your pole

I set up at the trig point, which had again the centre removed providing a smart support for my flagpole once I added some padding around it to prevent pole damage. A Berghaus fleece glove was again used for this purpose....   

It was most comfortable on the summit and I had pulled back some time through not having to walk far to the activation point.  After 60 minutes operating time I went QRT with 73 QSOs in my log. The VHF propagation lift experienced on SS-224 Bennan was no more by the time I reached SS-274, but I was satisfied to complete with six stations on 2m FM, the furthest of which was G4UXH, my friend Colin, in Milnthorpe. The other contacts were made on 40m, 30m, 20m CW. Only one station answered my CQ on 14.285 MHz 20m SSB before closing down at 5.00pm. This was S57ILF.

Using a Yaesu FT-857 transceiver I suffered no breakthrough on any of the four amateur bands used, despite the presence of the large commercial installation. 

Job done, with 243 contacts completed in the day, a steady drive via the A75 and M6 took me back to Keswick by 7.00 pm to enjoy a good home made curry dinner and a large glass of red wine to finish of a most satisfying and intense day of Summits On The Air!

A GPX track for GM/SS-274 from leaving the public road near The Grove to the trig point is available from the tracks section of the SOTA Mapping Site - thanks to Rob DM1CM. 

There are many more unique rarely visited summits left for me to visit in Dumfries & Galloway. I'm already planning for my next visit. 

0.2 miles walked with 75 ft ascent.

An early morning walk up Binsey G/LD-041

Sunday 29th September 2013

A GPX file by MW0WML for this track can be found on the SOTA Mapping Project run by DM1CM

After arriving in Keswick for a family holiday the previous day I ventured out early on Sunday morning on my own to the usual parking place for the 15 minute walk up BInsey. 

The writer enjoying an early morning activation of Binsey G/LD-041

I used a Yaesu FT-1500M FM radio (40 watts) and a vertical dipole mounted on a fishing pole on the 2m 144 MHz VHF to make twelve solid contacts. There was a good path into Northern Ireland (GI), Scotland (GM) and the Isle of Man (GD) with stations exchanging 59 reports both ways:

After 30 minutes operation I headed back to Keswick for my breakfast. As I entered the town in the mobile I heard CQ SOTA on 2m FM. I pulled up immediately and logged G4ONL/P and M0JST/P, the two Victors from Northern Ireland. They were activating Cross Fell G/NP-001 on their way back to the ferry. I was pleased to get them in the mobile log from the lowest part of Keswick by the River Greta bridge on Crosthwaite Road. They were obviously getting out very well indeed.  

Pennine Journey completion - Sedbergh to Settle

Day 21 Wednesday 11 September Sedbergh to Dent
(6.6 miles 600 ft ascent)
 

At last, after over two years, five of us are finally able to complete our final four day section of Wainwright's Pennine Journey.

Jennie - Judy - Yvonne - Phil (Writer of blog) - Geoff, Pennine Journeymen on this section
Here we are on Whernside the following day

We split this four day section into two easy, and two harder walks after deciding to base ourselves for three nights at the George & Dragon Pub in Dent. A combination or three cars and two taxis enabled this, and we returned to the hostelry in Dent each night in our own cars. 

Waymarking of Wainwrights Pennine Journey is now complete

After collecting Yvonne and Jennie at Settle Railway Station where one car was parked for the duration of the walk, we proceeded to Ingleton where my car was left. The five of us continued to Dent in Geoff's car, arriving at 1.00pm. From there we arranged for a Ladycabs Taxi (Tel: 01539 735086) to take us to Sedbergh to restart our walk from New Bridge, just outside the town, where we finished off in July. Our first port of call was lunch, so made for the centre of town to dine in style at Smatt's Duo Cafe Bar & Bistro. 

Sedbergh was quite damp as we departed the town

It was raining as we left the town, but not too heavily as we joined the Dales Way for a straightforward, easy six mile walk to the George & Dragon in Dent where we checked in at 4.00 pm.

A Pennine Journey Waymarker in Millthrop where we joined the Dales Way

We got a great deal on the cost of the accommodation, which was one advantage of staying at the same place for three nights rather than moving on each day, which we had previously done on the Journey. The food at the G&D was on the costly side, however it was of good quality, and we ate there on two out three nights. To be honest, there isn't much choice in Dent if you want a meal.

Day 22 Thursday 12 September Dent to Ingleton
(13.8 miles 2525 ft ascent) Departed Dent: 0925 am

Our plan today was to follow David Pitt's Guidebook and walk to Ingleton, where my car had been parked on the Community Centre car park for two days, by special arrangement with Craven District Council. Parking regulations dictated that the maximum parking period permitted is 23 hours, but the rules were waivered in our case provided two days parking and the overnight fees were paid. 

Leaving Dent at Church Bridge

Wainwright took a short cut in 1938 by using the road through Kingsdale, as his shoes were completely worn out by that time - they were old when he started the walk from Settle anyway, as were his old office clothes. He admitted this in his book suggesting that when paying for his lodgings his landlords took pity on him and charged him less as he looked "poor". He had also run out of handkerchiefs before he got to Hadrian's Wall and his nose still was streaming at this point, as it had from the beginning of the walk! 

So on to our walk....an ascent of Whernside from the west on a route up Whernside which none of us had walked before. The climb was gradual and we joined the Three Peaks Route at a stile 1 Km from the summit. This was my third visit up the hill this year and I suspect my last for some time. The same goes for Ingleborough which we will climb tomorrow. 

Leaving Dentdale

Leaving Dent at Church Bridge we again followed the Dales Way but only as far as Mill Bridge where we turned south. Leaving the public road on Dyke Hole Lane just south of Whernside Manor we climbed up towards a radio mast on the side of Rigg End. The track and route was well pronounced until we reached Boot of the Wold when we turned right on to pathless access land for the most part.

Arten Gill Viaduct at the foot of Great Knoutberry Hill

We followed the dry stone wall until it turned right. Eventually Whernside Tarns appeared abruptly, on the side of Knoutberry Hill at 645m and not to be confused with the slightly higher Great Knoutberry Hill at 672m, located four miles to the north east.

Three Peaks Route footpath improvement work September 2013

On joining the usual Three Peaks route up to the summit of Whernside we came across two workers and a digger who had been contracted to improve the eroded path by flagging it. The chap on the ground told me that they had started work on the Monday of that week and work was progressing very well.  I could see that was right. He told me that the digger had been driven across the moor from the Kingsdale Road - amazing!

The digger at work which came up from Kingsdale

I was bringing up the rear of the group with Jennie, whilst Geoff, Yvonne and Judy had forged ahead. Well before we reached the digger Geoff was already operating his VHF radio by the trig point and making contacts for Summits On The Air. I gave him a call myself when I was around 100m in vertical height from the top to claim my chaser points. At 12.45 pm we both arrived and joined the others in the shelter to eat our lunch, staying for almost 30 minutes.

Ribblehead Viaduct from the flank of Whernside

Army helicopter on manoeuvres around the three peaks  

I had a few more radio contacts myself for SOTA from the summit before we set off on the usual route off the hill south towards Bruntscar. Here again we noticed that the eroded path on the steepest section had been improved since we were last here in May, with more slabs laid. 

When we reached Bruntscar we usually head for either Ribblehead or Chapel-le-Dale, but today on Pennine Journey we went straight on for four miles following a bridleway through Kirkby Gate to Twistleton Scar End.

Phil, Judy, Yvonne, Jennie, Geoff west of Bruntscar

David Pitt's Guidebook mentions a fluted pothole on Page 192. You can't miss it as you pass it by on Ewes Top Moss at grid reference SD 707 764: 

Limestone pavements and a clear path led us to the top of the Ingleton Falls Walk at Beezleys (No charge as it was just after 4.00pm and the attendant must have finished for the day).  We found the steps and undulations hard work after one of the hardest days on the Pennine Journey and reached the town of Ingleton too late (4.50pm) to enjoy cake and tea in one of the café's which were either closed or were closing for the day. 

Huddled on a ledge at the Beezley Falls - Ingleton's Waterfall Walk which dates back to Victorian days

The hardest section of this 4 day leg now completed in good weather, we returned to Dent.

Tomorrow's target - Ingleborough from near to Bruntscar

That evening for a change, we dined in The Sun Inn, Dent. This was quite an experience - no nonsense pub grub served in "the locals local" by a pierced chef with tattoos in abundance. We enjoyed cheap drinks and a landlady who was far from welcoming, but who cheered up towards the end when we were paying.....!!

Day 23 Friday 13 September Ingleton to Clapham
8.85 miles 2300 ft ascent 

The George & Dragon Dent - our base for the last four days walking on Wainwright's Pennine Journey

On our penultimate day we had excellent weather. We motored back to the Community Centre Car Park in Ingleton, driving the longer route through Ribblehead rather than the gated road over the top into Kingsdale. Leaving Ingleton on foot back up the same road led us to Fell Lane, a bridleway which leaves the B6255 on the right just after a milestone. A track leads to a homestead called Crina Bottom and from then the track becomes more of a path.

Pennine Journeymen in the shelter on Ingleborough - the most visited mountain in Yorkshire

I hadn't climbed Ingleborough via this route and it proved to be excellent - and was more gradual an ascent than the march up from the Hill Inn at Chapel le Dale. We followed the same format as on the previous day with Geoff arriving on summit 30 minutes before Jennie and me.  After lunch in the shelter we headed down over Little Ingleborough to Gaping Gill and then on to Clapham. 

Looking into Gaping Gill

I knew this section of route having been up this way with my walking group in 2008. Trow Gill is never forgotten - a natural gorge of a few 100 metres long carved out of solid rock before reaching the sanitised footpath near to Ingleborough Cave.

This is Trow Gill just above Ingleborough Cave

After this we turned left to climb up to Long Lane which took us into Clapham. As we passed Thwaite Plantation near to Ingleborough Hall we wondered what the hidden dangers were lurking within the wood.....the most likely thing would be potholes I expect. The landowner clearly doesn't want people rambling in there as can be seen from the notice....

Signage on the fence around Thwaite Plantation

Walking into Clapham meant that we left the Pennine Journey route and used the tunnels close to Ingleborough Hall to reach the village. After enjoying tea and cake in a cafe in Clapham we missed the 3.46pm bus which would have taken us back to Ingleton.... the chap running the Post Office in the village was very helpful and suggested we phone for a taxi, providing us with the phone number for Austwick Taxis (01524 251364). The driver came immediately, enabling the retrieval of my car from Ingleton, which allowed all five of us to return to our base in Dent for our dinner at the George & Dragon. 

Day 24 Saturday 14 September Clapham to Settle
7.7 miles 870 ft ascent 

Our last section, and an easy half day walk to finish off, with lunch planned at Ye Olde Naked Man Cafe in Settle. I wondered if the Naked Rambler had ever paid a visit there? (See my Pennine Journey High Force to Greenhead blog for when we met him on Hadrian's Wall). 

Bound for Settle on our last day of Wainwright's Pennine Journey

Repeating the last section of the route from the previous day we walked down Thwaite Lane to Austwick. The weather had been improving each day and it was a beautiful morning on which to complete our long walk. After a drink break in Austwick we were delighted to see a family of Red Kite flying around the crags above us close to Meddings Barn. Then I photographed a shepherd near Feizor on his quad bike gathering his flock with his dogs :

Approaching Feizor

There were plenty of people out walking the route, you could tell it was Saturday. We joined the Ribble Way near to Settle and made our way into the town via the riverside path. In this blog I have mentioned the various things we have found along the way and today was no different. This time it was alive, as we came across a small, old and smelly distressed dog trapped at a gate on the path wondering where to go, close to the sports ground on the outskirts of Settle.  

A small dog to add to our list of finds

Found dog reunited with owner

All five of us are "doggy people" and so we walked on, carrying the small dog having decided to head for Settle Police Station to ask for advice. Five minutes later we found the lost dogs owner, but were left unsure if she was happy to see it having allowed it to venture so close to the fast flowing River Ribble.... 

Earlier in the day Geoff had announced he was carrying a heavier load than usual as he wanted to celebrate the completion of the Pennine Journey. Champagne! I was grateful he had thought about this as it was not something I had considered as the planner of our long expedition....

We crossed the Ribble, turning into the back streets of Settle which after passing Booths Supermarket (I never knew they had one) led us to the Railway Station. Our first task was to find the blue plate commemorating Alfred Wainwright's Pennine Journey, which we located in the waiting room of the platform on the town centre side of the station. 

A Wainwright = 210 miles..... David Pitt's Guidebook = 247 miles... Our route = 265 miles with 36000 feet of ascent!

So why did we walk an extra 18 miles? The distance and ascent were accurately measured throughout by GPS and copied on to computerised Ordnance Survey Mapping. David Pitt's guide book splits the route into 18 sections but we split the route into 24 sections. In some cases our accommodation was away from the recommended guidebook route, so extra mileage was walked getting to it. The other increase in the stated mileage of 247 miles was due to the occasional navigational error. It happens. We never got lost, just slightly misplaced, but not too often I am glad to say.....

Geoff opens the champagne on Settle Station assisted by Yvonne

After the waiting room emptied and the train departed we got on with celebrating becoming Pennine Journeymen and quaffed the champers:

Jennie, Geoff, Yvonne, Judy and Phil (Writer)

Then our friend Chas arrived with a present for his partner Yvonne. Chas had walked with us for nine days on the Journey but was unable to join us on the rest due to work commitments. 

Chas's present - a personalised T Shirt for Yvonne

The T shirt says it all and harks back to when we walked from Keld to Bowes via Tan Hill in April 2012 in torrential rain and Yvonne's new Paramo jacket failed to keep out the wet. 

Celebration over we made for Ye Olde Naked Man Cafe (or the Bare Bloke as it is also known) for our lunch before returning to Clapham in Yvonne's car, which had been parked in Settle for three days awaiting our arrival. 

My memories of Wainwright's long walk in 1938 will remain with me for ever......  

Wainwright's Coast to Coast - Robin Hood's Bay 7th September 2013

As members of the Wainwright Society Judy and I went to Robin Hood's Bay at 10.30am today to be present for the unveiling of an information board at the finish of Wainwright's 190 mile Coast to Coast Walk, which we completed in 2010.

In a joint project with the National Park Authorities and Parish Councils, information boards have now been installed at St Bees and Robin Hood's Bay to commemorate the fortieth anniversary of Wainwright's popular walk. 

The Wainwright Society and partners unveiling the information board at Robin Hoods Bay

We were welcomed by Society Committee Members Derek Cockell and Peter Linney, pictured above. In attendance for the unvieling of the board was Bernie McLinden, Head of Park Management, North York Moors National Park. 

New Coast to Coast information board to celebrate 40 years of Wainwrights excellent work

After the ceremony we joined a walk led by Wainwright Society Walker Leader Carolyn Nichol. We walked from Robin Hoods Bay up to Maw Wyke Hole and then returned to the Bay via the Coast Coast path. 

On our walk with Wainwright Society members at Maw Wyke Hole on the Coast to Coast route