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The Wiss, GM/SS-122 - 589m ASL - NT 264 206 - OS Explorer 330 / 337 -
2 SOTA
points
Monday 5th September 2022
The day started with the fabulous breakfast at Tushielaw Inn. We set off and drove up the junction at Tushielaw village, turned left, and drove up to a small layby by a cattle grid, just past Windy House at the top of the road. The original plan was to do two activations, one either side of the road. We set off to do the longer and tougher looking prospect first - The Wiss.
We dropped down a few metres initially on the opposite (west) side of the road and headed down the the sheepfolds and stream in the valley. Then the hard work started as we climbed up out of the valley on the other side. Jimmy headed on a contoured line up the valley side. I choose a more direct, steeper line to attain the ridge. For both of us, it was hard tiring work on unforgiving ground.
It was another trig point we were mightily relieved to reach! I was extremely tired so suggested to Jimmy that we didn't rush this activation in order to give us some opportunity to rest. As such, we operated for just over two hours and made plenty of contacts. I worked on 20m CW and 20m SSB, while Jimmy focused on 2m FM. We did swap stations whenever S2S opportunities popped up on either 20m SSB or 2m FM though.
The descent was, unsurprisingly, easier than the ascent, but I was incredibly tired by the time we'd returned to the car. Jimmy was still keen to head up the much shorter route to Turner Cleuch Law GM/SS-140 on the other side of the road, but I'd had enough for the day and preferred the idea of a refreshing pint of cider in the beer garden at the Tushielaw Inn! Instead, that summit would be our first port of call on the following morning.
After the beer garden pint, we rested in our rooms for a while before meeting in the bar for dinner.
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