Wave on the Mynd.The forecast was for a breezy day, but people were flying the Long Mynd early on (8.30am). We packed for all occasions, and went up, only to find it gusty and completely overcast, with cloud base about 350′ ATO. We went down to Church Stretton to do some archery and within10 minutes the sun came out and it was hot and sunny. Within an hour cumulus started to form and the wind seemed to be dropping. Wendy confirmed this, so we rushed off back to the Mynd. On the drive out of Church Stretton we could see that the sunshine was very, very localised. Driving up the Mynd we were actually in cloud!

Once at the front, it was indeed flyable, but an air ambulance was on its way for a pilot who had broken his ankle, so we had to wait a while and the wind started to pick up again.

I was test flying an Aspen II, but was having the devil’s own job trying to launch it. I need to get used to Gradient gliders again. I’m sure it launches like my old Golden, but my Zoom launches so nicely that I have become very lazy. A couple of attempts and then a spectacular head-over-heels dragging and being whipped into the air later, I was airborne. Not dignified, but entertaining. Who says paragliding isn’t a spectator sport?

Cloud base was about 250 feet, it started to rain and conditions were getting stronger, so I landed after 40 minutes. We went home for a cup of tea with Helen and occasionally looked out of the window to see if it was worth going back up. At one point there was blue sky but a wave bar stuck on the ridge just like orographic cloud. Once it cleared, and people started to fly again we went back up and got to fly again. Cloud base was even lower by this point, somewhere around 200′ ATO. Lots of people were popping into and over the clouds. There were massive wave bars and the sky was spectacular. Interesting flying.

See photos of today.

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