Wednesday 22 April 2015

7 summits in the North Pennines



7 summits in the North Pennines

This had been planned for some time and there is always a danger that the weather can spoil things but as it turned out we were blessed with glorious spring/summer weather although cold on some of the summits.  Barry M0IML and myself had booked into the ‘The Dales Guest House’ in Ingleton which is run by Penny and Paul Wearie (015242 41401)....highly recommended.  Most of the summits were close by apart from two in the Howgills... 

17/04/2015 
G/NP-010 Pen-y-ghent 

Now Barry had to travel all the way up from Kent (6 hours) in the morning so both of these summits were down for afternoon activation.  I parked my car at SD84307145 right next to the track which is part of the Pennine Way and takes you up to the south side of Pen-y-ghent.  
 On our way to Pen-y-ghent
He duly arrived  and our 7 summit extravaganza was about to begin. Now any reference to 23 cm in our joint contact info will be between Barry IML and Mike G4BLH and Brian G4ZRP...some great signal reports during the four days including a few strange signal paths. Thanks to Andrew G4AFI/p on G/CE-001 and Mike 2W0YYY/p on GW/NW-076 for the s2s...made our day.

Our joint contact info:- 8-40m, 9-2m, 1-23cms, 2 s2s
'Come on Allan..another one to do' Trig Pen-y-ghent 
 Pleased with this pic...on the way down from summit

G/NP-017 Fountain Fells

A short car journey NE to SD853723 and we were ready for the second summit of the afternoon.
Taken from the trail leading up Fountain Fell-SE face of Pen-y-ghent and our cars
Once again this is part of the Pennine Way so a visible grass path is evident ..... Barry had a nice pile-up here but as soon as things went quiet we packed up with thoughts of a nice cool pint and an evening meal in our minds.
Our joint contact info: 21-40m, 7-2m
Fountain Fells
As I had arrived the night before I had sussed out one the best places for a drink and a meal.  This was at the Craven Heifer Inn (01524242515) and indeed it became our ‘local’ for the duration of or stay....only 300yds from the B&B :)
 
18/04/2015
GP/NP-011 Great Coum

We parked the car at SD72308225 and made our way along the track to SD70658270 where we headed West up on to the ridge leading to the summit.  
 Heading for Great Coum..bottom sign reads 'Lambs are more worried about dogs than mint sauce'
Great Coum to the right...our path up - middle of pic
Plenty of protection from the wind up here and a good view of the Howgills which were on the list for the following day.   

The Howgills...A blue haze spoilt most of my photos during the 4 days...
Great Coum ...Drying my sweaty coat :)
Thanks to Mark G0VOF/p for the s2s on 2m from G/SP-003 Ward's Stone 
Our joint contact info: 31-40m, 9-2m, 2-23cms, 1 s2s

G/NP-004 Whernside
We moved the car to SD72158175 then passing through a gate and passing some sheep pens we headed ESE towards the summit along a clearly visible well trodden grass path and stone wall. 
As we arrived in the activation zone a few s2s were in progress so I quickly erected the fishing pole with 2m dipole and held on by hand to complete the contacts with Karen 2E0XYL/p and Neil 2E0TDX/p on G/LD-014 and Gerald M0WML/p on G/SP-003...thanks everybody :)  
 Ribblehead-Viaduct and Ingleborough NP/005 to the right...from Whernside
 A quiet Whernside trig...not for long...
After moving closer to the trig another 3 s2s made the logs with Simon G4TJC/p on G/NP-013, Colwyn MM0YCJ/p on GM/WS-128 and a lovely chat with Jack GM4COX/p on GM/SS-165...thanks once again.
Our joint contact info: 34-40m, 12-2m, 2-23cms, 6-s2s

As we tucked into our evening meal in the pub a text from Gerald MW0WML arrived informing us that he and Sue were on their way up to NP and asking for details of where we were staying...details duly sent...

19/04/2015
G/NP-013 The Calf

This was our only foray into the Howgills and involved a short journey North. We parked at SD69809695 on the A683....crossed the small bridge below the parking spot and made our way up towards Cautley Spout, up Red Gill Beck,then Force Gill Beck hitting the Dales Highway leading to the summit.  
Cautley Spout..distinct lack of water?

Above Cautley Spout...we started from the green bit in the distance
First in the log for both of us was Rod M0JLA/p on G/WB-021 so thank you Rod for giving our one and only s2s for this summit.  I had a nice short pile-up on 40m including a contact with Carolyn G6WRW/m on her way to a summit and wanting confirmation that we would be on Yarlside later...confirmed :)  
The Calf....A busy summit....we were tucked in this gutter on the right..out of the wind :)
It turned wet and windy here so the activation was curtailed when the rain and the mist came down.
Heading for Yarlside

 Our joint contact info: 2-60m, 25-40m, 1-23cms, 1-s2s

G/NP-019 Yarlside

Having put on our wet weather gear we headed back down but thankfully the sun appeared again so off they came once more. Heading back the way we came we then headed North up the valley from the top of Cautley Spout on a faint grass track then East up the first cwm leading to Yarlside.. As promised first in the log was an s2s with Carolyn GW6WRW/p and Helen MW0YHB/p on GW/MW-027..thanks both. Other notable s2s were with Andy G6PJZ/p on G/NP-026 and Michael DB7MM/p on DM/BM-329...thanks once again

Barry chasing 23cms on Yarlside
Our joint contact info: 2-60m, 23-40m, 4-s2s 

A text message from Gerald saying that he and Sue were booked into our B&B... arrangements were made for us all to meet up at our ‘local’ and a lovely evening was had by everyone...SOTA being one of the main topics of conversation  and plans for future activations .....sorry Sue :)

20/04/15
G/NP-005 Ingleborough

At breakfast Gerald informed us that he had alerted for G/NP-007 Wild Boar Fell so we could look forward to one s2s. On what was turning out to be one of the hottest days of our visit we parked our cars at SD701731 and headed up the ‘A Pennine journey’ track to the summit.   
The summit was quiet but we still set up a short distance away from the trig with Barry getting a 23cms with Mike BLH immediately.  It was great to get Adrian G4AZS/p on G/WB-006 on 40m with Gerald also booming in on 2m at the same time...crossed mics for a while as we shared the s2s...thanks both.
A delighted IML on Ingleborough - mission accomplished

 Our joint contact info: 6-60m, 39-40m, 2-2m, 2-23cms, 2-s2s

We left the summit feeling rather pleased that the weather had been kind during our activation in NP but nor relishing the long journey home.  Thanks everyone both chaser and activators alike for being there and to all those who spotted for us and gave us the ‘heads up’ for s2s....too numerous to mention but you know who you are...

73 Allan GW4VPX & Barry M0IML

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