After climbing Mullaghclogha GI/SM-002 yesterday I was determined that we would activate Carnanelly today. Ian had already activated this one last year but I was at work that day and now needed this one to complete the Sperrins. We didn’t get away until the afternoon as there was a bogged tractor to pull out of the bottom of the Pump field – I would know how that felt later this afternoon! Mountain dog aka Poppy accompanied us with her sidekick staying at home much to her disgust. We arrived at the start point H68214 94093 Goles Forrest at about 1:30pm. The start was fine along forest tracks but at 1.2 miles we had to set off into the forest along a fire break. First there was a large shough to get over and then the fun started! There was a faint path as this track was used by geocachers to get to the summit but there were fallen trees every 20 yds! This meant that I had to constantly make detours as I couldn’t step over anything more than a foot in height. The moss was amazing in here – our sticks would disappear into apparent solid ground up to their handles which made it very dangerous walking indeed! Unlike our recent summits in England there wasn’t a soul to be seen or voice to be heard – just constant birdsong. After 0.6 mile which seemed to take for ever we emerged onto the hillside and clambered up to the summit – at this point I swore I would never ever be back on this hill and renamed it Carnage. We also didn’t realise that we couldn’t spot ourselves nor could anyone else – thanks to the WAB guys for trying – but it was Victor GI4ONL who got it sorted eventually and we finally got it activated. Many thanks to everyone who contacted us on 2m, 40m and 60m. Just after we arrived it started raining but we stayed after the activation to get revived with coffee, brioche and traybake as a celebration!! We then started the long descent with a few disappearing tricks into bogs and shoughs and arrived back at the Landy at 7:30pm.

Esther’s Log:

Ian’s log:

On Easter Saturday I set off at 10am to activate our local SOTA Benbradagh which is 3 miles from our home. There had been showers earlier but the sun had come out just as I left the farm. Mountain dog and her sidekick accompanied me today but I left Ian at home to deal with the boiler engineer! My destination is the top of the Curragh Rd where it meets the old access road to the abandoned US Naval Listening Station C72807 10287. From here its a lovely walk along the old road past many of the concrete blocks to which stays were attached from the masts for the listening station crossing over several gates. At C72448 10947 beside a phone mast continue straight on onto a grass track that will take you to a stile on the left that leads to the final track to the summit. I had decided as this was to be a quick activation before doing Donald’s Hill in the afternoon that it would be VHF only on 2m FM, 70cms FM and DMR.

The following contacts were made:

No cup of tea on this activation – just straight back to the jeep with the 2 amigos to get ready for Donald’s Hill this afternoon.

At the Start

Away for a run!

Left over from the US Navy Listening Station