Geoff writes: a very light wind forecast, some component of South. So after much discussion, we finally opted for Bache. We had thought about going to Elan Valley again, but people who went there said it was too far off to the east, and arrived at Bache later.

It was light wind, but basically on, except when dragged off by the thermals. Not really enough ridge lift, so it was just launching into thermals. I tried three times, and got very little, each time slope landing, whilst others did get up, but the best height they were getting was around 1600 ATO, then they hit the inversion. Some people went down to the bottom too. Eventually, everyone left in the air top landed for a while. After a break, a few people launched and it seemed to be better, with them (including Judith) climbing right in front. I launched, and got in the thermal and went straight up, to about 950 metres ASL, with three or four others in the same thermal. Judith had already gone on a glide, and was getting low (and eventually landed). I glided off too, though the others went back to the front.

The climbs were reasonable after that (though it was blundering into them since the day was blue, rather than any proper plan to find them) though my best height gain was around 2100′ – again, the inversion was the problem. Very little drift meant progress was very slow. After a couple more thermals, I finally lost it and landed just NW of Knighton, for a straight line distance of just over 12k – not a lot for an hour and a quarter in the air, but an enjoyable flight, if a bit rough at times.

And it did get me up five places in the League! Track log on XC pages as usual, link on right.

Judith writes: I launched early on after seeing two buzzards thermalling. Wayne, Alex, Steve and I went for it, but all of us struggled. Steve flew into the gully and got up to the higher take-off height while the rest of us slope landed. It was a hot slog back up to a ledge, but I wanted to be in a good position to be able to reach a thermal once I saw a good reason to launch.

Watching James, I saw that the thermals were definitely getting more frequent and stronger, so after 10 minutes of searching for a bird, I decided to take my chances and just lobbed off. I had to fly all the way back to take-off, getting lower all the time, but this seemed to be the place people were getting good climbs from. I got into a thermal with Geoff, Paul and Frank and it took me to 1300′ ATO. There I hit the inversion. All the clouds seemed a long way away and I wasn’t sure where to go over the back, so I decided to come back to the front with Steve and wait until a group of us could go together. Each of the two times I came to the front, I hit a thermal at exactly the same place, and got to exactly the same height (1200′ ATO). After the second time coming to the front I got into big sink and landed with a few of the others. A chat, snack and comfort break later, I decided to get ready again, despite the fact that it had now blued out completely. I was a bit mad with myself for not going XC earlier, so was determined that if I got another chance I would just go for it.

Smiley Steve!I got ready and waited for a sign, which Dave Thomson provided by helpfully finding a thermal and marking it for Frank and me. After amusing the crowds with what has to have been one of my worst launches in years, I got into a core just downwind of Dave and Frank and I started gliding over the back from 1400′ ATO. Dave came along, but was lower and he spotted the perfect chill out field in the Cascob valley and landed there.

I managed to get into the LLangunllo valley and got a scrappy thermal which just wasn’t working properly. I headed for a ridge beyond a ploughed field instead. That didn’t work either, so I landed. 4.35km! Still, I was pleased to have at least had the chance at an XC, and you never know til you try how far you are going to get. Steve Lowe landed in the same field as me and we watched Geoff fly over us and then find two more thermals. Well done that boy!

In the evening, we had our first BBQ of the year, chatting with Dave and sitting out in the garden watching the Mynd turn pink in the evening light.

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