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Freeholds Top 2018

 

Sunday 23rd September 2018 - Freeholds Top G/SP-011, Hail Storm Hill G/SP-009 & Winter Hill G/SP-010

Gig: Joe Longthorne

Venue: Viva Blackpool

 

Freeholds Top        Tom M1EYP

I had originally assumed I would be heading for the Yorkshire Dales summits in between Grimsby and Blackpool, but in fact the logical route didn’t really go anywhere near that area. Instead, I headed for two much-paired summits either side of the East Lancashire-Calderdale border.  I parked in the wide track entrance on the Bacup-Todmorden road, and walked along the winding Limers Gate Track.  I cut up the hill towards the ridge a little earlier than intended due to a herd of long-horned cattle appearing to be unimpressed with my presence! 

It seems there was already some radio equipment on this hill!        Summit of Freehold Top

It was another lovely day of bright sunshine, and a joy to be out walking.  This summit always seems to take longer-than-anticipated to get to, but that was fine.  I was enjoying myself, and there was plenty of time available before work in Blackpool.  I went for the 2m FM handheld only style activation, and this time it was successful.  Seven contacts were made, the first five all being 2E0 stations.  I took the usual route off the summit, aware of that this would drop me back onto the Limers Gate Track before the long-horned cattle.  I thought they might have moved away by now, but they were still in the same place.  They looked really edgy again as I approached, so I went off track and plotted the best line I could to keep a distance, and maintain an angle of my walk so that they wouldn’t feel threatened.

The trig point        Long horned cattle

After the solitude of the previous couple of days’ summits, this one was quite a contrast. Several other walkers, and a few mountain bikers were out on this hill.  I checked the time back at the car, and there was still plenty enough to allow a second activation for the day before driving to Blackpool.  I drove though Bacup and down into Rossendale and into the village of Cowpe in order to take a walk up Hail Storm Hill G/SP-009.

Time

Call

Band

Mode

10:56z

2E0LKC

144MHz

FM

10:57z

2E0LMD

144MHz

FM

11:02z

2E0DIJ

144MHz

FM

11:06z

2E0XLG/P

144MHz

FM

11:08z

G4MYU

144MHz

FM

11:09z

G6HMN

144MHz

FM