This summit was activated on Saturday 24th April 2004, by myself accompanied by Jimmy.  It was part of the Yorkshire Dales SOTA Weekend, and was our second summit of the day after earlier activating Pen-y-ghent G/NP-010.

My next summit of the day was to be Ingleborough, so in one day I would have no less than four encounters with it as follows: Chased, Chased again for no points, SWL'd and Activated!  Back down in Horton, Myke G6DDQ had come along to say hello, but keen to press on, Jimmy and myself drove via Ribblehead and Chapel-le-Dale to Ingleton, from where we got a parking spot right by the start of the path. This gave me a unique double for the day, since I was fortunate enough to get a free roadside parking place in Horton earlier.  Off we plodded along the track, named "Fell Lane" on the map. This track is not drivable, but there is a farm about a mile and a half into it, with vehicles in its yard. There are certainly sections before the farm that don't look suitable for some of the vehicles parked in the farm, and like my previous walk to Ingleborough, I found myself looking around for alternative vehicle access! Once we got to the steeper bits, we were nearly there, climbing three stone stairways onto the summit plateau.  We met Riley there who had completed his activation, but left his SOTA Beam assembled, thus preventing us the job of setting up another one. Out came the FT-817 and the Red Pepper and Butternut Squash Soup, and the activation was underway. Chaser points came in via contacts with Steve G1INK/P now on Lovely Seat G/NP-030, Pete MW0COP/P on Cyrn-y-Brain GW/NW-043 and John using GX0OOO/P on Cross Fell G/NP-001. I also worked M1EYO/M, G4RQJ, M3HLD, G0UNK, G4FQW, G4JNN, M0SGB/M and M3SMK, all regular chasers.

Jimmy enjoyed a couple of chats courtesy of the greetings message provision, and at 5.20pm we decided to pack up and head down, so as not to be too late for dinner. We reached Ingleton at 7pm, and the Youth Hostel at 7.30pm, where we met the rest of the SOTA delegation - Shirley M0YLS, Alan M1EYO, Chris G3XWB and Keith G0OXV. Over dinner in the packed Youth Hostel dining room, Myke announced to all that Jimmy had done 2 of the 3 Peaks today, and kindly presented him with a mug and badge. The rest of the hostellers gave Jimmy a generous round of applause, and Jimmy was a very happy lad. Jimmy is about as involved in SOTA as it is possible to be without a transmitting licence; he reads the road maps and OS maps, plans the walks, helps preparing equipment, does all the walks, helps set up the beam, exchanges greetings messages on the radio and wears the T-shirt. Hence it was wonderful for him to feel "recognised" in this way by the SOTA community, and I would add my own thanks to everyone for continuing to make him feel so welcome on these occasions. After a shower and change, Jimmy decided to go to bed, and I met the others at the pub.

Conversation, bitter and pineapple-juice-topped-up-with-lemonade flowed as we relaxed for the evening. Interested walkers in the pub took advantage of our maps and experiences to plan their own walking for the Sunday. Ideas about what higher-level targets and awards need to be put in place in SOTA for those who have gone through the 1000 point barrier in each section were mooted, but quietened with Keith's and Alan's points that they were still active and enthusiastic in the programme without these!  Back at the hostel, and we adjourned to the members' kitchen for a late night chat over coffee (for those who can drink the stuff without lying awake all night). Most then went to bed, while Steve and myself decided that it was too early, and stayed up for a bit.

Thanks to the following stations, all worked on 2m FM with 5 watts down to G4RQJ, then 2.5 watts thereafter: