August 

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2/8/2026   Windbank

A 5* rasp, but very light winds so tricky knowing where to go. I favoured Baugh Fell, but that would be a solo trip. Leaving it late I missed the bus so arrived as a few were climbing out and heading off - someplace. I arrived on top at 1.20pm to find not that many, about four pilots and nice to meet up with Brian Waller. This I believe was his first time on Windbank.

(I also met and chatted with the owner of the field's mother, and the arrangements we had re the printed notice. Everyone of our cars had them.  The rest of the field had the usual cars and vans plus tents further towards the plantation. She looked at the notice and instructions but had never heard of them and was actually in the process of renewing the sign on the post.  She added it was the National Park applying pressure to stop parking in the field.   Make of it what you will; it's for others to sort)

It certainly wasn't 5* and would have struggled to warrant 2* ... there was a lot of high cloud and this increased during the rest of the afternoon.  It didn't look hopeful. Rather than sit and sweat (I'd left my water in the back of the car) - I udged a little higher and off to the side. There was no more wind, but it was a nice pimping spot should anyone take off.

Eventually Brian and another took off ... both didn't do much at first but I sensed Brian had found something ... and in these tricky condiitions you need to act fast, take a punt and maybe it will work out. I headed to where he put in a low turn, found a weak something and followed suit.  From that point we climbed together nicely enough (video) to 3600' ... then it stopped. Rob tried but slipped out of the bottom and had to land.

I headed further up the ridge, Brian followed, but the sink was pretty consistent so I turned back  needing something - Brian was a lot lower and was more desperate than I.  I have a fair idea where climbs are found on this ridge and sure enough another decent climb came along that got me to 3600' - again it just fizzled out at this height. Base was a lot higher and I needed height to proceed - the sky was very ill defined and the top cover had thickened.

I tried going north but again met sink, turned and headed back really just to make take off would be tricky. A short -lived, broken something produced 400' and I got back OK. By this time the day had really shut down so I went and landed. At least I got an hour that I didn't expect given the conditions on  the hill when I arrived.

VIDEO LINK (very short couple of clips)