April
7/4/2025 Semer Water
Mobile phone broken! Imminent birth and a line to change. It was quite light, forecast SSE but as it seemed more east I opted for Semer and a short day.
On arrival I found Gary Stenhouse there and few minutes later two other NE lads turned up.
It seemed on the hill, light with thermal gusts coming through, but otherwise OK. The two NE lads carried on to the top whilst Gary and I opted for the shoulder ... where I spent the next 20 minutes changing a brakeline in the top cascade. Meanwhile Gary gave it a shot and scraped back onto the shoulder. After 10 minutes he was off again.
Shortly after I launched into good, lifting air and was surprised to see ... not a soul. Minutes before they had been level with the ridge top. It took a while to spot two gliders at about 3600' .... not easy in a totally blue sky. Gary had gone, or at least I never saw him.
The next hour and half was superb, light wind thermaling to 4500' and I was able to explore well to the south of Wether Fell and out front. It was tempting to set off on xc, but with no phone and a need to be back I resisted. This turned out a decent decision as those who left the hill found nothing ... odd, as the thermals in the vicinity of Semer seemed strong, well formed and regular. The wind speed very rarely showed much more than single figures (kph).
After a good hour and a half Gary turned up again, soared for a short while, but the wind had gone NE and the thermals had died away. We both landed together.
Went for coffee and saw a couple of glider soaring Whernside on the way back
A few photos LINK
8/4/2025 Semer Water (again)
Very similar to the previous day. Totally blue ...lighter wind, but the cycles started about 12.30 and got stronger. The first flights were a bit of a struggle in disorganised thermals - no ridge lift, just thermals so timing take off was always critical. Still no phone so completely in the dark about what others were doing or where.
About four flights that ended up on the shoulder, which was OK to get up from. The hill started working much better after 2.30pm, but best height was only 3,600'. Almost zero drift from the east. On my final take off from the shoulder I was almost down in the bottom field until a miracle thermal hoisted me to over 3000' .. I then had about an hour and a quarter.
I had the hill to myself until as I was leaving about 4pm Josh (from nearby Hardraw) turned up. Went for an ice cream.
10/4/2025 Wether Fell
Lovely spring day, but very inverted with light winds. Drove over to Hawes expecting little. Passing Dodd a few gliders were showing light-wind groundhandling - but no flying, however a mile later Wether came into view with three gliders doing OK. So ... that settled it.
It seemed OK at the roadhead - parked up, walked in a few hundred yards and took off. A nice enough hour, but no real, organised thermals and not going very high. Landed for a chat.
The second flight began as the first ... however, it then sprung a surprise. What seemed very localised, light wave(?) appeared ... super smooth and only about 0.5 to 1m/s. That took a few of us to around 3500' before petering out. (The photos are Tom's) ...I never had my gopro for once ... a pity.
Landed by the car .... whivh was quite rough for a spell, so I moved off to the side, waited and came in again to find smoother air. Packed and headed off for an icecream.
LINK (all photos are courtesey of Tom S)
12/4/2025 Grey Scars
John H and l went for a 'run out' just before 11. The aim being to check out Cotterside ..or maybe a coffee at the Moorcock (highly recommended with a licenced bar and coffee room). We thought it was likely to be too windy, so opted to walk part way up minus the sacks as John hadn't been here before. In fact the higher we got, the better it got and we regretted leaving the gliders behind. So ...back down and took the lazy option of settling into the cafe for an hour.
Back home in time for a football match. By halftime we were comfortably in front and outside it seemed to have settled down so l opted to go out ...just for a look. Within 5 mins drive l have Grey Scars ... it seemed quite light on the walk up, but OK on take off. I launched expecting a scratch and down session, but it was surprisingly lifty .... everywhere. Once l'd discovered how extensive the lift was l headed east to Clapham ..never that high, but not going down. I contemplated carrying on to Robin Proctor scar ... and maybe Moughton. I calculated the walk back, the effort and the reward. I turned back, had to fly well out to get down and landed in a light SSW.
The things you get when you least expect it.
Photo above: Geoff C landing the Photon Lyght
17/4/2025 Three Men
A sunny, but windy day until around 3pm when it eased off to leave a lovely sunny late afternoonevening. Unfortunately the cumulus disappeared and thermals were rather broken, occasionally rough and no great height was possible. By evening there was greater bouyancy and it was smoother ... but again mostly just some floating around.
A decent turnout of Geoff (trying the Photon Lyght - very floaty!), James, Rob, Tom and James. Later we went for a pint in the Barn.
20/4/2025 Park (E) and Semer
I'm finding the flying quite dispiriting at the moment and have virtually written off April as the worst ... ever!
Walked up Park shoulder in a breezy NE as Whernside seemed far too north and is always on the windy side. Laid out and the wind fell quite light and went SE ... off the hill. Tried twice with two short hops that were both sink. Decided to fly down and try elsewhere.
No one seemed to be doing much om Whernside so to save the walk I went (again) to Semer. No one there although it seemed OK on the shoulder. Took off and found it well off to the east and ROUGH! Stuck it out for an hour in increasingly windy, rough, angry air. Another glider arrived laid out but didn't take off for a long while. Having had enough I went and landed in a NE wind.
22/4/2025 Tow Scar
No one seemed interested in flying, the various sm comments were quite negative and the sky looked 'messy'. I left it until 12.30 when PT showed various pilots doing well from Parlick. I hadn't flown Tow for a number of years ... but it was handy and I thought give it 10 minutes, get a thermal and get away. Didn't work out that way
The wind was well off to the W and it took some doing to get onto the main edge. A gaggle of buzzards ... about five came along so as they started thermalling I joined them. That put me down on the grass slopes above the field. For a while there was no wind at all .... quite calm. When a light breeze wafted up I took off really planning to go down and end the day.
However .... I went up and managed to climb above the edge, I got a climb and followed it over the back ... the drift was from the west. I thought just maybe ... but it died and I pushed forward to a cloud that gave nothing. A bit of a sky wander I I landed back at take off as Tony Johnson arrived.
The sky now looked pretty bleak, a broad rain shower was heading in and four Typhoons flew across the front of the hill. A lengthy chat with Tony and I took off for my final flight. The lift was better, a lot smoother, but the rain was minutes away so I soon landed and packed in light rain. Tony took off and it eased a bit.
That was it .... dispiriting. My mojo is pretty low at the moment.
24/25/26th April - BPCUP (Dalesbridge)
Task 1 Whernside SE. A good forecast co-oincided with the first day and a handy site.
After a troubling night (stomach) and little breakfast it was a bit 50/50 that I could 'stomach' the walk up ... let alone fly. But as with many things, once you get going you carry on regatdless.
The task was set to a goal at Ings, about 38k and elapsed time. The sky was developing nicely and base was a tadge over 4200'. I spent about 30 minutes on the ridge before leaving with a loose gaggle of about five gliders. The first stretch over first Gragareth and then Barkin went quite easily and mostly at base. The climbs were good and there were many marker gliders spread out ahead. At this stage there wasn't a lot of need for forming gaggles.
Once crossing itno the Lune valley it got a little more tricky .... the Lune can be a bit sinky until the rising ground on the other side of reached. True to form we got lower as the ground rose ... not seriously so, but a climb was needed. A small gagle formed and we sowly climbed and passed over the M6 and Killington Lake. Ahead lay Kendal and as the ground fell away the thermals got a bit more sparse. Againa small gaggle eased the way over Kendal and towards goal.
I arrived over goal with reasonable height, joined a small group circling in light lift and videoed pilots arriving into goal. A very relaxed and pleasant bit of flying. After a while I decided I may as well continue toward Ambleside, then Grasmere, maybe Keswick ... all being on the bus route back. Over Sour Howes I struggled ... nothing but broken lift so I headed out and was close to landing when a bit of lift came through. It was light at first until it got organised and soon I was back at height. Passing over Wansfell, with Ambleside below, two things struck me. Firstly, was how good the Lakes looked to the north, the sky was a pilot's dream (see photo); secondly stomach cramps. I decided the ground was a better place and headed over Heron Pike to a landing on the Grasmere showground.
A very enjoyable task and flight .... pity about the end.
25/4/2025 Barkin (S)
An awkward wind day - the forecast suggesting SSE and maybe a bit more wind, but still no problem. We don't have really any SSE sites suitable for a big comp ... so a little improvisation helped by Tom Shuttleworth and very supportive farmers.
I walked up before the main group and assessed thing for an hour or so. Wind on the hill more like SE (good for the ridge). A bit gusty, but it seemed to be settling as forecast. By about 1pm I thought it very flyable, but wings remained in bags ... to puncture the bubble I took off and radioed back that it was smooth with light thermals. Shortly after the task began with a goal at Shap.
I flew for a while on the ridge with John H, then just set off over the back. It was OK and again I found a climb near the M6 and headed north ... it was going so well until it wasn't. I landed beneath Grayrigg to be joined shortly after by John. Our field then becane an excellent vantage point to watch lots of gliders streaming over ... and often following very different tracks to east and west. The central group found themselves stuck on Grayrigg Pike from which few would escape as the cloud cover increased and cut off the sun.
A good task with about four or five in goal except I wasn't in the task ...duh!
26/4/2025 Cotterside (a free flying day)
A nice walk up to find the wind on and a nice strength ... but no sign of Rob and James. Easy take off, hop the wall and onto the main edge to see Rob and James laid out. At least I had company. We spent about 30 minutes boating atround and, although the sky didn't look great there were thermals. Best height was about 3000' ... so not great.
I thought, as the wind was coming more SSW, to head over to Stags further east. The crossing was fairly easy and I arrived with a bit of height ... but not great. A number of gliders laid out, but one at some height well out front. Now in a 'shit or bust' mood and with a goal set at Leyburn I decided to carry on. The temptation (hope?) was a long line of dark clouds across Wensleydale. They worked a treat and I bypassed the mid ridge to arrived at ridge top height on Nappa. Elliott Browm was there, flying the NCS task so a useful marker as he seemed to be finding lift off the ridge. I spent little time there, carried on and found another climb to that same modest base. I know the next crossing is long, to Low Prseton Scar, so hoped for a bouyant glide. The entry onto the scar needs a little care as there are trees, a valley and powerlines to cross first. It actually went OK and I managed the main scar about 50' above the main edge. The edge was working, the wind on and the quarry behind interesting. After a while it becomes a long tree covered slope, before another crossing to more trees as the ridge gets smaller.
Leyburn was ahead and I should have thought about the approach to goal ... but having got obsorbed with the flying I forgot all about it. I landed at the rugby club about 2k from goal.
Oddly, it was one of the most interesting bits of flying I've done .... never high, but constantly keeping you on your toes and having to manage every foot of height. Had we had permission for Cotterside it would have been an ideal task.
STILLS LINK to all days
29/4/2025 Moughton
It had all the makings of a good day. Parlick seemed the popular choice but the idea of getting a retrieve back to there has always put me off. So Chris and I thought Moughton a good local option. Rob U joined us along with Viv Fouracre who had stayed the extra days after the BPC. So .... a small group of four .... also Tam initially.
A hot, sweaty walk up, not that long, but enough. Chris and Tam were already in the air so it was working and put a positive spin on things. Then Tam went down which took the shine off. We were soon in the air - decent thermals and good looking sky with a goal set at just past Durham.
After 20 minutes we got together and were on our way - three of us Rob, Viv and I - Chris had left a short while before and was maybe 5k ahead. The climbs were good, base already getting towards 6000' (eventually 6600'), which helped as a blue hole was the first obstacle to negotiate. Not much to say really - we progressed steadily from cloud to cloud, always staying high,. First over Wensleydale, then Swaledale and across the moors towards Barnard Castle. It was after this the problems started .... or rather the excellent clouds disappeared. It appeared the SB had come in a lot further than forecast and shut off Durham 30k ahead.
The last section was one long glide of trying to find anything going up ... the odd circle in weak anything's but the inevitable happened, the height steadily bled off and I landed at Crook (been here before) for 80k. Actually feeling a little disappointed.
Getting back? Things started well ... probably too well. Out of the landing field to a road ... bus immediately to Bishop Auckland. You don't really want to go there ... whatever they say.
Got off another really slow bus to Darlington at Newton Aycliffe as the driver said it had a mainline station ... it hasn't. The transport police arrived having been told my pack looked a suspicious package and may contain explosives. They were very nice. Train to Darlo with Rahul ... and then Pete L joined us to Leeds (a mega station sprint) to catch a Skipton train.
Finally, Rob (far faster at getting back) collected us from Skipton ... thankyou)
It was also the maiden flight on my new Flow Mystic + .... which was nice.
30/4/2025 Windbank
Geoff, Westie, Chris and I arrived at Windbank to find a promising light breeze and the first gaggle climbing out slowly. This was comprised of the super A team. Not a cloud to be seen.
By the time we arrived on take off it was both quiet and windless. A few others arrived and we suffered too many clothes and too much heat .... it was HOT! Chris had a few abbortive attempts that resulted in short walk ups. We lay in the sun like maddogs.
Then, after an hour, it switched on .. not a lot of wind, but a thermal in front of launch and we all piled off into it. We had shared a FAI of about 40k and had to tag the first TP off the end of the ridge. We did ... then I got split from Geoff and Chris by haring off, getting low up the valley and fighting to get back up. By then they were gone and working together on the radio. I struggle for an age to get above 4000' and some thermals were on the rough side!
Eventually, well behind, I took a climb to 4000' lost it and decided on a new approach to TP 2 - straight over the back crossing Yockenthwaite. Lots of sink, but I headed for a place I've alawys found a climb. Despite being low I managed to get a weak something that improved and I was back in the game - just well behind. Geoff was at 7000', Chris at 6000' heading the other way (for TP 3) as I crawled along at 4000' to TP2. I got there just as a cloud formed in front and that was great timing. It didn't take long to be at 7000' plus. At this point and having failed on this FAI several times before (including the BPC in '24) I thought I had it in bag. On to TP3. The sky and air felt different now ... the climbs dried up, no cloud this way (good over Wensleydale) but I pressed on with height. I tagged the TP at almost 5000' to tuned back towards Buckden. I now had a combination of sink and a fair headwind and with height winding off I didn't think I could make the front of Buckden (which I'd always done before). Instead I tried to cut the cornet to Great Whernside. It's a long way and I came nowhere close ... the height simply evaporated and I landed on the moor near the Coverdale road. It was simply hero to zero in one horrendous long sink out.
Geoff made it round, Chris didn't ... and I came third. In far worse conditions I'd previously got much further ... but today it dumped me out of the sky.
Quick lift back to the car by a nice Aussie couiple who thought the area, the buidlings, villages, etc were fantastic ... but so much sun and warmth - in the UK? I said it was quite normal, but we like people to believe it rains a lot to keep them away,.
Very few pics, I was on my own most of the time. LINK
Print