Walking
Archived posts from this Category
Sunday, 13th September 2009
Posted by Judith on 14 Sep 2009 | Tagged as: Flying, Walking
The BPC briefed at 8.30am and asked everyone to get a move on and go straight to Moel Berfedd as there was a forecast of increasing winds. We got there and saw the carry – it’s a stiff climb, especially with 4kg of extra ballast. On getting to the top, the wind was increasing, so we got ready. The task was to fly to the beach via Moel Hebog, which required climbing off the pump and then up the side of the Snowdon horseshoe. I launched early (as soon as people were maintaining), but it got busy and scratchy and it isn’t a big face. I looked around the corner, but people at the pump were faring even worse than us, so I slope landed and took off again when conditions allowed more people to be in the air. It was getting windier all the time, so it was tricky to take thermals back, but the lift out front was getting better so I started pushing out to get a climb. It was all going up and looking good when Calvo cancelled the task due to strong wind.
I wasn’t in the comp so could do what I liked, but given that I don’t know the area and that the comps guys had seen a forecast, I did the sensible thing and landed.
It was such a nice hot day, we decided to make the most of it, so took the tent down fast and headed for the slate quarry on the other side of the lake at Llanberis. It’s amazing. Massive in scale and with a lot of the equipment, quarry houses, etc. still there, it’s like a museum. We spent a happy afternoon there just marvelling and chilling out.
Well done to local lads Richard Chaffe for coming second in the BPC and Dave Thomas fourth. I don’t know the rest of the results, so well done to everyone else too!
Sunday, 12th July 2009
Posted by Judith on 12 Jul 2009 | Tagged as: Walking
The forecast for today was shocking, so we agreed with Dave T and Dave J-H to cancel the second day of the comps here. Although it was a little cloudy in the morning, the day turned out beautiful. So nice that by lunchtime we couldn’t bear to be indoors any longer. We did something we have only done once before… walk along the Long Mynd.
When we got there we saw a couple of paragliding and hang gliding optimists, but it was howling. We just missed a sailplane bungee launch and were bitterly disappointed. We’ve always wanted to see a sailplane launch like that, but are never up there when the wind is strong enough.
We walked along to Black Knoll and got out our sandwiches and flask of tea and were entertained by an acro show by a sailplane. On our return they were just getting a glider ready to bungee launch again. Yipee. I got the camera ready. I was imagining them fastening the bungee rope to the nose of the glider and then using the land rover to tow the glider back and releasing it with a massive twang. You would, wouldn’t you?
Instead, they got three people to hold the rope, take up slack and then pull the glider off the hill. It was very sedate. Probably very exciting for sailplane enthusiasts, but childishly I was hoping for more bangs for my bucks.
Nice day out and I managed to mow the lawn before the big rain did start.
Saturday, 21st March 2009
Posted by Geoff on 21 Mar 2009 | Tagged as: Walking
Geoff writes: After yesterday, which was a bit of a stressful flight, and the good flying we’d had earlier in the week at Berga, we decided last night to have a day off, and to go for a long walk with Judith’s parents. On the drive up to their house this morning, it became more and more clear that this was going to be a great flying day (obviously that would happen once we’d written the day off for flying). By the time we left their house for the walk, the cumulus were regular, and nicely spaced; and winds reasonably light. The sky looked epic – a much over-used word, but accurate in this case. Our walk took us up the high ridge of Aiats from where we could see Belmunt, Puig d’Afrou, Santa Brigida and Roca Corba. On top of the ridge we got a call from Roger saying he’d just flown over the area in his Ryanair plane to land at Girona, and seen lots of paragliders flying between Puig d’Afrou and Santa Brigida. Sure enough, a few minutes later, we saw about eight in total, in different gaggles, well on their way to Olot. Some turned round and headed back towards Santa Brigida – the rest continued, were very high, and could well have gone a very long way! No doubt we’ll find out tomorrow.
Despite seeing them, we had an excellent walk. We climbed up Aiats, had a picnic and then traversed the ridge to climb up the steps to the mountain of Cabrera. Stunning scenery, and, as ever, very few other people around, except when we came to the cafe in the church on top of Cabrera. There seem to be churches on top of most mountains here, not all of them with cafes, but quite a lot of them (Belmunt and El Mont also have churches and cafes). It was a wonderful walk, one of the nicest I’ve done here.
Wednesday, 7th January 2009
Posted by Judith on 07 Jan 2009 | Tagged as: Trying, but failing, to fly, Walking
We woke up to find a winter wonderland outside. We were going to go skiing today, but the forecast was for -11C at 2500m and with windchill they were saying it would be -20C. Too cold for a pair of wimpy fair weather skiers like us!
Instead we decided to go out flying. It was looking sunny with low cloud here, but cloudier in La Selva, which is where Santa Brigida is. Right enough, we got to Amer and it was cloudy, nearly no wind, with the odd waft from the north. The hill itself was clear of cloud, but as we procrastinated a little, cloud started to envelop it. It’s the first time ever that we have seen Santa Brigida clagged in.
We decided not to bother and went for a walk around Els Hostalets instead. We were hoping for a coffee next to a big log fire, but the bar was closed, so back home to work on the next conference. We open in two weeks. Yikes!
Wednesday, 31st December 2008
Posted by Judith on 01 Jan 2009 | Tagged as: Walking
Folk round here have a thing about flying on the first and last day of the year. We managed to fly on the 1st January this year, so we were determined to fly the 31st December as well.
The forecast was identical to yesterday. Sunny southerlies and looking good on paper. I had my doubts though and thought it would be a complete repeat of Tuesday, and lo and behold, 11am the winds started. We went out to show willing, but on getting to Olot, we could see the duvet effect and it was howling, so we wrote the day off. We headed up towards Rupit and looked at the 500-odd trees that have come down along the road.
We bumped into the family in the village and had a snowball fight and a play in the local playground. Afterwards Geoff and I went for a walk along the river. We only had limited daylight left and we got trapped between two sets of fallen trees and had to shift them in order to get back, but it was a nice little adventure.
Then off to my parent’s for food, silly games and lashings of Cava. Happy New Year!
Friday, 29th August 2008
Posted by Judith on 30 Aug 2008 | Tagged as: Flying, Walking
The forecast was for no wind and lots of cloud, so we decided to do something sensible with the day and went for a walk on Wenlock Edge. It was hot and humid and in a few spots the sun did come out and it was boiling. Halfway along the walk we got the news that Bache was closed for the weekend due to a car ralley. Horror! The BCC was supposed to be going there for the comp, so we had to think of an alternative site, which was provided by the NWHGPC, in the form of the Gyrn.
We got home and had a cup of tea in the garden when the wind picked up, so we went for a quick fly.
It was light, but I gave Corndon a good scratch, at one point getting to the dizzying height of 34′ ATO! We packed up and headed for the BCC BBQ in BC. Once home, we found out that the Gyrn was going to have a motorcross ralley, so might also be out of use.
Monday, 11th August 2008
Posted by Judith on 12 Aug 2008 | Tagged as: Walking
We went for a walk today. It was going to be an early day for doing anything, with rain forecast for the afternoon. We hiked up Caer Caradoc, along and back. A really nice walk, although it was bracing in the wind on top and we did get wet walking back. We were going to do some archery, but the field was busy and it started to drizzle again. Graeme and Nigel flew at Hope, but it didn’t sound much fun in strengthening winds.
In the evening we went to the open mic night at the Horseshoe Inn at Bridges. Fantastic performers and well worth the trip.