Loch Lomond
National Nature Reserve
GMFF-046 & GMFF-002

MMØDGR Portable DX-pedition
6th February, 2010

This was another enjoyable day out with a radio. Unfortunately my friends could not join me this time, so that I have to go myself. Since many people already know MMØDGR call sign activating Scottish national nature reserves I have decided to keep using this call instead of my own one. This time I went to Loch Lomond National Nature Reserve (GMFF-046) which lies in the southeast corner of Loch Lomond, in the southern part of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park (GMFF-002). This portable expedition gives you two WFF reference numbers GMFF-046 and GMFF-002 simultaneously. If you still don't know about the WFF (World Flora and Fauna) award program please have a look at www.wff44.com web site.

Everything was prepared and loaded to my car on Friday night, 5th February, 2010. I know Loch Lomond area quite well, the nature reserve is located approximately 30 miles away from my house, so that next morning on 6th February in about 1 hour journey on a car I easily found the place without any problem. The whole area adjacent to the reserve including most of its mainland part is privately owned land. I was lucky enough to find a caravan site located just next to the reserve. The caravan park was closed for winter period, but I managed to find its owner, nice big man, who allowed me to install my portable station at one of his two tent sites. I couldn't wish a better location. It was high enough for antenna with a very wet field for its ground radials. In a matter of minutes everything was up and running at 14:30 UTC. The first QSO was made on 20 meters SSB with HA6NW, since then I had a good pile-up of calling stations nearly all the time. I have managed to work for approximately 5 hours excepting a few breaks. At 19:59 UTC I had to switch off my station with 368 QSOs in the log. Most of contacts were made on 20 and 40 meters, but I was also working for a few minutes on 30 and 80 meters. Up to 18:30 UTC the propagation was very good on all bands, later on signals started to fade out, and a few times I had to CQ on 40 meters for a long time without answer. The propagation was capricious, and that's a very common thing in Scotland.

The QSL-card for this DX-pedition has been already designed and printed. All who made a QSO with me will receive this QSL-card shortly via the QSL-bureau. I would like to thank you guys for calling and supporting me during this WFF activation. If someone would like to activate this nature reserve I would suggest you to go right away to the Lagganbeg Caravan Park (NS427871), you wouldn't find a better place for your station. In summer time you can bring your caravan with you and enjoy luxury portable operation from one of the finest places in Scotland.
 

And again, my radio was an Icom IC-706MKIIG with an HLA-300 Plus mobile power amplifier. The antenna was a 9 m vertical with the automatic antenna coupler CG-5000, and 8 ground radials. Sponsor of this trip is Radioarena [ www.radioarena.co.uk ]. The ADIF log has been uploaded to the WFF LogSearch database on 7th February, 2010. If you have any additional questions or concerns of any kind, please do not hesitate to contact me. Please have a look at the movie and pictures below. Please don't judge me strictly, I am not a professional, it's just my hobby as well as a HAM radio.

Loch Lomond is famous the world over for the beauty of its wooded shores and islands. This rich natural heritage is highlighted in the reserve, which embraces Inchcailloch and its four neighbouring islands, along with the nearby Endrick Water. Shaped by people working with their environment over many centuries, the wonderful woodlands, wetlands and wildlife of this area are now protected for all to enjoy.

 

Celebrated as a sign of spring, snowdrops can form impressive carpets of white in areas where they are native or have been naturalised. Snowdrop (Galanthus) is often thought of as a British native wild flower, or to have been brought to the British Isles by the Romans, it was probably introduced around the early sixteenth century. They are among the first bulbs in Scotland to bloom in late winter.

Gartochraggan Cottage. The owners of this cottage have bought Aber Isle, a part of  Loch Lomond NNR, in 2001. Aber Isle is a speck of a sandbank clad in trees and home to hundreds of birds off the mouth of the River Endrick. One of the owners said: "We bought the island to ensure that nothing changes. We want everything to stay exactly the same. We know it well because we have canoes and a boat and sail out to it frequently. I suppose the idea of buying an island is a romantic notion but our main reason was to keep the status quo".

This special place is managed very carefully to enhance some of Scotland’s finest natural heritage. Management of the natural and cultural heritage is the top priority on the National Nature Reserve, but it's also managed so that people can enjoy, explore and discover this wonderful place too.

Inchcailloch Island is on the background. This is one of the most accessible of Loch Lomond's islands. Veiled in oak trees and crowned at its summit by Scots firs, it holds all the mystery of the secret, sacred place which indeed it is. In 717AD three Christian missionaries arrived in Scotland from Ireland. They were the widowed St Kentigerna, the daughter of a King of Leinster, and her brother and her son. After much travelling the old woman settled on the island, which because of her became known as Inchcailloch. You can visit the island all year round weather permitting. If you don’t have your own boat, you can hire one – or be ferried there and back – from Balmaha Boat Yard. Countryside Rangers are available on the island for much of the year. The wooded island of Inchcailloch is a gem in the loch and part of Loch Lomond National Nature Reserve.

Millions of years ago, the rocks of lowland Scotland collided with those to the north and the "crumple zone" formed the Highland Boundary Fault. It runs from Stonehaven to Kintyre, marked by Conic Hill (on the background) just east of the loch. The fault goes straight through Inchcailloch, so you can stand with one foot in the Highlands and one in the Lowlands!

The area forms part of a freshwater floodplain consisting of alluvial sediments. It is meso- to eutrophic, and varies from basic to neutral to acidic. The site plays a role in shoreline stabilisation and dissipation of erosive forces.

Loch Lomond Woods is one of three SAC sites representing old sessile oak woods in the most bryophyte-rich area of the UK, the southwest Highlands. This extensive site has a mosaic of woodland types, including oak, ash, elm and alder woodland.

Access to the Mainland part of the NNR will always be limited by the nature of the location and the need to protect its important species and habitats. For many years there were very few facilities for visitors but recently SNH has been trying to make the area more suitable for visitors seeking quiet enjoyment of nature. SNH has upgraded the Shore path which leads to several pleasant viewpoints with seating. This path is already well used, particularly by the local community and by local birdwatchers.

Woods mushrooms are found throughout much of Scotland. These mushroom shelves are made up of many tiny tubular filaments. The mushroom grows in large brackets - some have been found that weigh over 100 pounds (45 kg). It is most commonly found on wounds of trees, mostly oak.

One of the great sights locally is the arrival of skeins of white-fronted and greylag geese from Greenland. Ever-changing formations of the birds arrive to winter on the mainland part of the reserve; in early spring they set off again to breed in their northern home. You can tell the white-fronted geese from the greylags by their slightly darker colour and the prominent white patch above their beaks. Each year also brings a crop of birds passing through on migration and occasional visitors blown off course by strong winds.

Loch Lomond is a freshwater loch lying on the Highland Boundary Fault, the boundary between the lowlands of Central Scotland and the Highlands. It is 39 kilometres (24 mi) long and between 1.21 kilometres (0.75 mi) and 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) wide. It has an average depth of about 37 metres (120 ft), and a maximum depth of about 190 metres (620 ft). Its surface area measures 71 km2 (27 sq mi), and it has a volume of 2.6 km3 (0.62 cu mi). Of all lakes in Great Britain, it is the largest by surface area, and the second largest (after Loch Ness) by water volume. Within the United Kingdom, it is surpassed by Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland only.

The Mainland is naturally low lying and includes part of the Endrick’s natural floodplain. This disappears under floodwaters during most winters, and is one of the best examples of a natural floodplain in Scotland. It has habitats such as swamp, mire, fen, marsh, reed bed, wet woodland and open water, and is one of the main reasons why the area has received national recognition as a nature conservation site. The Endrick has retained this rich variety of habitats because, unlike the floodplains of many European rivers, it has not been severely modified by drainage or flood defences.

Take a seat on the bench beyond the eastern end of Shore Wood. Admire the grand view over Net Bay to the mouth of the River Endrick and the promontory on the right called Ring Point, part of the area where the Aber cattle used to graze.

MMØDFV at Endrick Vew Point. From here, look over the sweep of low wetland to the south and east. The lowland directly to the south, known as Twenty Acres, is one of central Scotland’s most plant-rich wet meadows and was once used for hay-making. It is home to a big variety of wetland plants, including the Scottish dock and tufted loosestrife. Looking inland in the other direction is the parish landmark of Duncryne - the core of an old volcano, affectionately known locally as "The Dumpling".

Although the loch, woods and farmland make a bonny rural scene, this area has long had links to urban areas not so far beyond. Today, those links are through recreation in the National Park. But in the 18th and 19th centuries, when Glasgow and other Scottish cities began to grow very quickly, this country parish helped to provide some of the raw materials for city buildings and industry..

Lichens which grow on trees and shrubs do not harm them. Although the lichens are attached to the bark or penetrate a short distance, they do not enter the inner bark where food is transported, and hence do not rob the tree of nourishment. Neither do lichens cause disease. The oak and ash trees seem to be choked with lichens.

Aber Bogs was abandoned as grazing land in the early 1980’s. The Reserve Managers saw this as an opportunity to enhance this wetland habitat for wildlife. So they bounded the bogs first and then flooded them. This made the bogs much wetter throughout the year and created the right conditions for the arrival of a number of important species such as cowbane.

Know the Code before you go... Enjoy Scotland’s outdoors - responsibly! Everyone has the right to be on most land and inland water providing they act responsibly. Your access rights and responsibilities are explained fully in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. Whether you’re in the outdoors or managing the outdoors, the key things are to: take responsibility for your own actions; respect the interests of other people; care for the environment.

Loch Lomond National Nature Reserve is a fantastic wildlife site - a real biodiversity "hot spot" and a place where visitors are welcome and have a good opportunity to find out about its wildlife. SNH, the National Park, the landowners and the tenants are all involved in managing the site for wildlife and for people and for maintaining all the buildings, infrastructure, vehicles and equipment on the Reserve in good order.

Lagganbeg Holiday Park is situated within a five minute walk from the shores of Loch Lomond, part of the beautiful and magnificent, National Loch Lomond & Trossachs Park. The Park is perfectly situated as a base, to tour the surrounding area. The Local amenities include a shop, post office and restaurant. Lagganbeg's luxurious & spacious chalets are finished to the highest standard. Sylvia & Phil Allan welcome you to Lagganbeg Holiday Park [ www.lagganbeg.co.uk ].

I couldn't wish a better location. It was high enough for antenna with a very wet field for its ground radials. This time I have used the Halfords Power Pack 200 to power CG-5000 antenna coupler.

With only 8 ground radials the 9 m vertical antenna performed very well on all bands above 80 meters. It worked reasonably well on 80 meters. For better performance instead of the aluminium ground plate I would suggest to use a copper one.

This is a better view of my location at the separate attractive area for tents. A 15 meters long RG8 coaxial cable was enough to link my station to the antenna. No one has disturbed me during 5 hours of operation.

The site was within the territory of West Dunbartonshire (EPC European Area SC31). West Dunbartonshire (Scots: Wast Dunbartonshire; Scottish Gaelic: Siorrachd Dhùn Breatainn an Iar) is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland. West Dunbartonshire Council is part of the Glasgow and Clyde Valley Green Network Partnership, an ambitious 20 year programme which will link parks, walkways, woodlands and countryside along miles of path and cycle routes, bringing a range of social, economic and environmental benefits to the region.

You may use the material from this website for radio amateur publications without my permission. Any non-amateur or commercial use is prohibited. The sponsor of this mini DX-pedition is Radioarena www.radioarena.co.uk Thanks again for everybody who called me. I am looking forward to activate another GMFF New One shortly. All the very best from Scotland and warmest 73!

Written by MMØDFV © SRARS Copyright 2010