This summit was activated by myself, accompanied by Jimmy and Liam on Bank Holiday Monday 3rd January 2005.   

Instead of starting local, and spiralling outwards through the year, I was thinking of starting at the summits that are around 100-120 miles away and spiralling inwards.  I doubted it would, but I had unfinished business with the Clees.  They were supposed to be building my appetite for a late afternoon feast at Mr Bun's in Church Stretton on Gaulfest day - but Jimmy and Liam were poorly.  However, today, Marianne was only due back in after 9am from the nightshift, and Jimmy and Liam were fighting fit.  Time to erase a couple of demons before they've had time to fester.

We set of at 6.45am and were immediately in QSO with Dave G3GAH who nearly always has a chat with me on GB3MN when I set off for activations.  A Bank Holiday was a good opportunity to take the M6, M54 and A442 into the deepest West Midlands and indeed we got a completely clear run.  On the A442, south of Telford and towards Bridgnorth, we pulled in for breakfast at BJs in Sutton Hill.  This was a touring caravan split into a kitchen and seating for three customers.  We became those three customers, and partook in three monster breakfasts that dictated we would not be adding further supplies to the flask of soup as far as lunch was concerned.

   

Our journey took us through Bridgnorth, out on the B4363 to Cleobury Mortimer, right on the A4117 through Cleehill, past the Kremlin pub, and finally right, conveniently signpost "Titterstone Clee Summit".  We then followed the good tarmac lane that leads right to a parking area and viewpoint, from where it is a very short walk and ascent to the summit.

   

The walk up the broad ridge was dominated on the right (north) by various radar installations, including the "Prisoner" stlye golf ball.  Close to the trig point was a hollowed out shelter that I didn't remember being there when I was last here, with G3CWI in June 2003.  Nonetheless, it was welcome, and Jimmy, Liam and myself bedded into it for the activation.  The radars played havoc with my FT-817 last time, but today the SOTA Beam seemed to make all the difference, with no problems whatsoever being experienced.  12 minutes of activating brought G4JZF, G0NES, G1INK/P on Black Hill G/SP-002 and a difficult contact with G0OXV, and then no more callers, so we decided to crack onto the second summit - Brown Clee Hill G/WB-002.

Thanks to the following stations, all worked on 2m FM with 2.5 watts: