Sunday 2nd September 2018 - Cracoe Fell G/NP-032

Gig: Joe Longthorne

Venue: Viva Blackpool

After the Leeds gig, I overnighted at Haworth YHA, this being the second time I’ve stopped there this year on a gig night.  It was a bit stressful escaping the Leeds and Bradford city centre Saturday night traffic in order to make check-in! 

I had already done Sharp Haw G/NP-029 and Rombalds Moor G/NP-028 during the year, so the only logical choice for a summit en route to Blackpool was Cracoe Fell G/NP-032.  The day started with a hearty breakfast at the youth hostel.  When I reached the layby on the bend in the road between Cracoe and Rylstone, it was already full, so I parked in Rylstone itself.

I followed the bridleway out of Rylstone and up to the Rylstone Cross end of Cracoe Fell.  This was the same route I did with the lads when this summit first got added to the programme some years ago.  A couple of walkers caught me up here, and we had an enjoyable chat while climbing up the end of the fell to the Rylstone Cross.  From this point, it is a flattish and easy ridge walk to the obelisk at the summit, and we were treated with nice weather and decent views too.  I had a little more time available this time, and so set up the 20m GP as a matter of choice rather than necessity. 

Just four QSOs were achieved on 20m FT8 in half-an-hour of operating, so I then went to trusty old CW, adding eight more.  Conditions were definitely not great!  I put out the customary call on 2m FM before commencing descent, and added Alan M1DHA from Barnoldswick, a regular SOTA chaser of old.  It was good to hear that Alan was resuming active SOTA chasing. 

I noticed people descending off the summit in the direction of Cracoe village, rather than the Rylstone Cross, so I gathered that a circular route must be feasible. I followed down the same way, and indeed it was, so that ended up being a very pleasant half day’s walking.  I completed my journey to Blackpool, and was on time for soundcheck.  We had an intensive tour schedule coming up that Autumn, but if it was all going to be like these first four days, then I was in for a real treat - and this applied to both the concerts and the SOTA!