After activating G/NP-008 Great Whernside and having something to eat and drink back at the car I set up towards Buckden Pike. The path started off a nice wide grass path but that soon changed to moorland and bog. To get to the summit I was going to have to walk up either around or up and over Tor Mere Top, I opted for the shorter up and over, this may not have been the right decision but as no one else was doing the around the summit I will never know.
It was hard going and the bogs on this were a lot more plentiful and deeper than the ones earlier in the day on Great Whernside. I managed to get the pull cord for one of my gaiters stuck on my boot and it snapped, so the gaiter would keep slipping down my log and not keep the bog water out, it was going to be a damp walk.
At the stile near the summit the top of Tor Mere Top, I had to take a break and have a chat with myself. I was feeling really tired and knew I had more then halfway to go to get summit of Buckden Pike and then would have to walk all the way back too. I contemplated calling it day and in hindsight maybe I should have. After the pep talk and break I pressed on thinking the bogs might be better, they were not. Not sure how much more I walked to zig zag around the bogs and try and find a good path, it was a little soul crushing, but finally I made it on to a hard track, my mood lightened and I plodded on only to find the track finish about 200 meters later. Back to bogs and moorland.
I finally got to the memorial cross and from the map knew I was not at the summit but was in the activation zone, it was just shy of 1 km to the trig point so that would be 2km to just to get back to where I was but I always like to touch the trig point so up and over the stile and on to to the trig. What made it better was the path on the top was large stone slabs and only a very gentle incline, so I covered the distance quite quickly.
Finally, at the trig point I got into the lee of the wall to shelter from the wind and decided to just try VHF, I was too tired to set up the 705 for HF. Checked in again with XLY
I spotted myself and called CQ and got 5 QSO’s in quick succession. G7SXR who had hunted me earlier in the day called first. Was getting some nice distance especially when I worked M5BSA who was 137Km away. It only took me 5 mins to get the 5 contacts but by then I was shivering so I got packed up and started the log walk back.
I would like to say it was easier going down hill but the bogs were just horrible to be walking through, as I started to ascend Tor Mere Top I hit the wall and just just had to rest. Everything was aching, I was tired physically and mentally. Time for the bit of the emergency rations. I got the Kendal Mint Cake out and ate 2 pieces, it did not take long for the sugary goodness to kick in. I put another bit in my pocket and put the rest in my bag and got up and started walking. Once I creased the summit, I ate the piece from my pocket knowing that that was no more up to go.
I found a slightly different route down which was easier going then the way up, still bogs, reeds and moorland but not as bad. With the car now in sight I wanted to increase my step, but my legs were having none of it. Finally back at the car, I started the engine to warm it up and pealed my damp clothes off, soaking gaiters and boots and put some dry kit on. I texted the XLY I was back at the car, and she replied she was a little worried as I had taken longer than I had estimated.
Once I had warmed up a bit I set off on the drive home with 18 SOTA points in the bag.
| Operation Details |
| Summit: https://www.sotadata.org.uk/en/summit/G/NP-009 Grid square: IO84xe WAB square: SD 97 |
| Working Conditions |
| Anytone 878 Ham2K Polo |
| Operation Totals |
| 5 QSOs 2 DXCC Entities 1 S2S 1 Band and 1 modes 2M – 7FM |
