Day 7 - Saturday 31st July 2010 (part 3)

Now Win Green was one of the four SC summits that we had already bagged a couple of years ago. But it is such a short walk from the obvious car park that we agreed we might as well activate it again, rather than drive past it - which we would have done on the route.

   

Having parked in the National Trust car park, we ambled across towards the trig point and small wood on summit. A group of cows were wandering about very close by, so careful consideration of where to site the antenna was necessary, especially as I wanted to use 80m.

       

I erected the dipole round the back of the wood where there is a convenient bench. Liam plonked himself down on here to play DS while we played radio. I made eight QSOs on 80m, 5 on CW and 3 on SSB. Jimmy had completely failed on 2m FM on this occasion, and had to settle for 5 QSOs on 80m SSB.

   

We returned to the car and resolved to eat as immediately as we could. It was after 8pm, so even though we were a long way from the campsite, our evening meal needed to be the priority. We were entertained in the car by Coast 106 from Southampton, but food was only around the corner. Soon we were sitting sat down in a very popular - and busy Indian restaurant in Shaftesbury - and being placed right next to a hen party on a very adjacent table! That made for a convivial atmosphere to accompany a decent meal.

       

We got back on the road, tired, but sobered by the prospect of the long drive from Shaftesbury back to Minehead.  With careful deployment of Red Bull one third of the way into the journey, and then a coffee from a drive-thru McDonalds two thirds in, we made it back to camp safe and sound, albeit with a rather late bedtime of 1.15am. Jimmy put in his earplugs as usual, but insomnia was not an option.  Furthermore, it was going to be straight back out on another long day tomorrow.