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Stony Cove Pike LD-018

 

Stony Cove Pike, G/LD-018 - 763m ASL - NY 417 100 - OS Explorer OL7 / OL5 - 6 SOTA points        Map & summit information from SOTAwatch

This summit was activated by me, accompanied by Jimmy and Ray M1REK on Sunday 23rd November 2003.

Sunday morning was Jimmy's chance to meet the Saturday-arriving participants at breakfast, following which we all set off again on our activations. This time Keith G0OXV and Stuart now taking up GX2OA/P activated Coniston Old Man G/LD-013, Alan did Knott G/LD-023, Myke and Chris aimed at Seat Sandal but G/LD-022 turned back at the Grisedale Tarn when too few daylight hours remained and Shirley retraced my Saturday steps with Dale Head G/LD-020 and Robinson G/LD-021, but returned to Honister rather than down to Buttermere - something I will definitely do next time myself. Ray M1REK decided to join Jimmy and myself for our crack at Stony Cove Pike G/LD-018.

The summit cairn on Stony Cove Pike G/LD-018    Jimmy on Stony Cove Pike G/LD-018

After driving to Ambleside and collecting a new fleece hat to replace my new fleece hat that I probably left in the Bridge Inn the previous day(!), we drove up "The Struggle" to the Kirkstone Pass, parking in the free car park opposite the Kirkstone Pass Inn. We followed the path up by the left of the pub, which soon took us to some scrambling as we pulled ourselves up onto St Raven's Edge.  From here, we followed the path which follows the wall virtually all the way to the summit. This was a very pleasant walk. There were a few boggy bits to negotiate although nothing too difficult, and the weather was again favourable with stunning clear views to the North, East and West. There was cloud rolling in from behind us, but it was also not too cold, and I was down to the base layer on the top half for most of the way to the summit.

Ray M1REK + Tom M1EYP on Stony Cove Pike G/LD-018

It soon turned nippy on the summit as the cloud caught up with us, and so we had to multi-task by simultaneously (and quickly) adding extra clothes & jackets, setting up the radio gear, eating food, drinking and working the contacts!  We got summit-to-summit with Shirley M0YLS/P on Robinson G/LD-021 (we must have missed her on Dale Head G/LD-020 earlier) and with Stuart G0MJG and Keith as GX2OA/P on Coniston Old Man G/LD-013. We did miss Alan M1EYO on Knott G/LD023, but he had told us to expect no radio path between our two hills the night before anyway. By the time we had returned to St Raven's Edge, I was shattered for the first time in the weekend, definitely feeling the culmination of the two days' walking and a couple of late nights (one through rare insomnia, one through watching the rugby). Hence I was pleased that Ray was with us, and more than happy to allow him to takeover from me in talking Jimmy back down the scrambly bits and giving him the odd lift. I had in fact decided originally not to do Stony Cove Pike after the rigours of the previous day, but changed my mind back when Ray said he would join us for the walk. Back at the cars, Ray set off back to Congleton for his birthday tea, while me and Jim went in the Kirkstone Pass Inn so he could 'phone mum while I enjoyed a mulled wine and pint of Hawkshead Bitter.

On the first part of the drive down from Kirkstone Pass, I had a QSO with Simon M1AVV, and then on the M6 it turned out I was on the same stretch of road as Stuart G0MJG/M, and so had a lengthy QSO with him until he turned down the M58 and went out of range. During this, Jimmy shouted "There's Keith". I replied "Don't be silly", but he argued "No I saw his Ford Focus with a man that looked like Keith in it". Sure enough, when Keith came past me again I got a toot and a wave, and I really should remember the saying in our house: "Jimmy's never wrong!".

It was an excellent weekend. My thanks to all participants for their company and friendship, to all chasers that called in, especially those who had gone up a summit to work us, and particularly to Myke for organising everything with such effectiveness, and Keith for having the initial idea.

Thanks to the following stations worked, all on 2m FM with 500 milliwatts, except for the third and fourth contacts were 2.5 watts was used:

G0MJG/P Coniston Old Man LD-013 Stuart
GX2OA/P Coniston Old Man LD-013 Keith
G0MXR Lymm Geoff
M0YLS/P Robinson LD-021 Shirley
M3CKN Barrow-in-Furness Sam
G4RQJ Walney Island Rob
GW4EVX near Mold Ron