We were hopeful that we could get a flight in (and maybe go XC) before the cold front came in from the NE. It was all looking good for Corndon and we set off at 10.30am with cumulus in the sky and a gentle breeze blowing. In preparation, we dropped off a car in Church Stoke to make the retrieve easier and even there it was all looking very good. Downwind of Corndon were cumulus and haze caps galore.

In the 15 minutes it took to drive up to launch, the spreadout had started and there was wall-to-wall cloud upwind. We had a fly anyway, but Geoff got low, while I managed to top land. The air was lumpy and I had a small frontal, just over the rocks, which isn’t really what you want to happen at Corndon.

The sun started to break through the gloom, and there were swifts everywhere, so I took off again and managed to get a bumpy thermal to 850′ ATO which was about 100′ below cloudbase. I considered going with it, but where to? Downwind was a mass of clag and with base only approximately 2600′ AMSL, it didn’t seem worth the effort. I headed back to the front and then couldn’t get down. Lift was everywhere and I narrowly escaped being hit in the face by a rogue swift who turned at the last second. I’ve never come so close to one in flight.

After about 20 minutes I landed – I didn’t really like the air and I was a bit knackered from yesterday. Corndon is worth the effort if it is possible to go XC or if it is a nice evening boat about, but roughish conditions just for the sake of a bit of air time at that site isn’t for me. There’s always another day and another hill.

Geoff had another flight, but we decided to head home and do some work. After looking at the forecast for the next couple of days we changed our mind and went to do some archery instead, since it might be our last chance for a few days, what with possible flying and the predicted rain.

Congrats to Mark’s student on the Hook who successfully top landed and got his CP.

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