18 ticks = 6 SOTA (Marilyns) + 12 WOTA (Wainwrights) + 0 "little visitors" from Swinside.

It was really excellent that the long Royal Wedding/May Day bank holiday weekend coincided with stunning dry, sunny and clear weather in the Lake District. Accordingly, Jimmy and I managed to complete all our alerted activations in order - a rare occurrence!

Friday 29th April 2011 - Blencathra G/LD-008 (LDW-014), 868m - 8 points

Jimmy and I were up out of bed possibly even earlier than Kate Middleton on this Royal Wedding day. Most preparations had been completed the previous evening, so we just needed to make the soup and load the car. We were on the road by about 5.50am, and heading north on the M6. It was a beautiful morning with sun and blue sky, setting the scene for the coming four days. Breakfast was a large and tasty affair at Westmorland Farm Shops (Tebay), with Cumberland sausage, black pudding, bacon, haggis, egg, mushroom, hash brown and toast, with a cup of tea.

   

We dropped down the A66 towards Keswick, before turning right up to the Blencathra Visitor Centre. Just past the building was a car park, which was already filling up before 9am. We headed along the firm grassy path which then switched back to a graded track around to the western end of the fell. The route then became steeper and less defined, before levelling out again. Then came a short series of zigzags that gained quite a bit of height, and we were on the ridge up to Knowe Crags.

       

A series of minor ups and downs were then negotiated before attaining the summit - or Hallsfell Top as it is known. It was very busy today with many walkers out to enjoy the fine weather or escape the Royal Wedding, or both. Jimmy had predicted earlier that other walkers would ask us if we had reception of the Royal Wedding, and it did not take long for his prediction to come true.

   

By the time I arrived on summit, Jimmy MR3EYP was already set up and QRV, and making plenty of contacts on 2m FM. As forecast, a fierce wind across the top was proving troublesome to keep a fully extended fishing pole upright with the 40m dipole, but 40m wasn't in great shape anyway, and just 13 contacts were made on CW, despite my "exotic" temporary callsign of MR1EYP/P.  Luncheon was from the flask, and soup of the day was cream of asparagus.

   

Blencathra was a nice, and quite easy walk as 8 pointers go, although I did need a rest and flapjack break on the way down. Back down in the car park, we could feel the heat of the day that was somewhat disguised by the strong winds upland. We had been sensible though and covered up in factor 50.  It was now on to High Rigg G/LD-044.  Many thanks to all callers: