November

9/11/2026   Kingsdale Round (hike & fly)

This was a day I'd been looking out for. A nice easterly that was the optimal direction and strength for the Kingsdale Round. I'd tried it back in late summer when everything about the day was wrong - and I paid the price with an 11 hr gruelling session ending in the dark without making goal.  Heading into winter and with the days being shorter and the thermals weaker means every hour you have has to count .... so the conditions have to play ball or it doesn't work.

I got dropped off at 10.15am, set all my loggers/trackers running and was pretty hopeful as the day looked really good and the sun shone from a deep blue sky ... even the first cu's were popping. Liam had intended to join me, but illness meant he pulled out - so, yet again, alonesome trail.

Approaching the lower slopes I was encouraged by the sight of a glider flying - not high, just scratching and the wind at this stage was fairly light with  bit too much NE. A check on PT showed it was 'Scraggy' .... so guesiing he was intent on the same plan he prtovided a useful trail breaker.  I headed onto the lower slopes and Scraggy seemed to be just doing small hops, but slowly progressing.  Gragareth never seems to work the same at  both ends. Would I struggle too? I thought my timing was about right given the forecast - in retrospect maybe 15 minutes too late. But close enough for the window.

My usual lower launch  I judged  OK ... maybe, but opted to add another 100' to be sure. When  almost ready to go James Maxwell arrived, we  spoke  briefly and at that time his intention was just to fly the ridge. I took off in a nice breeze and easily climbed out. This section of ridge resembles a ENE bowl, almost a collecting point so it worked well .... but the rest of the ridge?  Having gained maximum height I set off north.

The ridge worked well and basically I straight-lined, often on bar tagging two turnpoints en route ... but approaching the tricky, out of wind section into Great Coum itself I was scratching below the top.  The goal became get into the bowl and I'll shoot up. But .... the ridge is often different at both ends. So it proved. 

I entered the bowl in sink and once in it got worse until I was aiming for the far side and maybe a low shoulder I could land on and walk up.  The grass/rushes showed no movement - flat calm. Then, the lift started, gentle but consistent and with a bit of patience I climbed out until over the top. Phew! Close call - the wonder of winter thermals. I didn't have the height to make the Kingsdale road and save some waking, but clouds out front held a possibility - even in November. So I just went for it.

I landed short, packed, watched James on the ridge then set off walking. Now ... I hate the walk up the back of the Magnet onto Whernside. It's wet and boggy at the bottom and tends to drag. At the midpoint I turned expecting no one - only to see James powering up 20m behind. How the hell!  We exchanged words - which amounted to , " you're the hare, I'm the tortiose ... I have 50 years on you ... plough on".  And he did .... soon he was way ahead and I resumed my leisurely progress.

Reaching the normal Magnet take off I could see several gliders flying Whernside - an encouraging sight. I could have gone direct, but opted for the longer, more sedate way along the NW bowl before cutting up to the east face of Whernside. I knew there was a nice take off there and a gate leading through the wall to it. TP 4 was still about 700m north along shallow slopes. Given the conditions felt good I opted to gain height on Whernside and tag it from the air.  I managed it OK ... got back to my original take off spot/height and carried on south to the bigger slopes. At first there had been several gliders flying - and doing OK. Returning south they had gone? Then I saw several on the mid slopes and everything said the ridge had switched off. I gained a few hundred feet over the top  and set off south, passing directly through TP 5 with a slight tail wind - no point hanging around. I knew I needed another 200' to 300 ' to reached to next TP6 - the last, so it didn't look on. Just go as far as you can ... there's a good dry path to land alongside. 

At first the glide was really good ... about 17:1, and it suggested I'd make it at 14:1. Then, as I slid off the south end of the ridge onto the flats it dropped nearer 10:1. The next TP is high. In the end I landed about 700m short. It was a stunning late afternoon and the final easy walk into TP6 was lovely. Then down the steep slopes and into goal.

Having no car I was faced with some road waking into Ingleton .... then the Gods smiled on me. I met a farmer repairing a wall and we chatted a while. Minutes later he left the walling and gave me a lift into Ingleton. Lovely guy (Ian) who farms in Chapel le Dale. I was back as the sun set after a great mini adventure.

That is what hike and fly gives you ... real satisfaction, a sense of achievement, yes, some pain as it pushes you physically .... but it also challenges you into planning and  decision making beyond the usual day paragliding. 

I wish I was younger.

VIDEO LINK .... not very good , lots missed out but it's all I found time for.,