Geoff writes: the forecast was windy for the Long Mynd, and that’s how it turned out. Great sky, strong thermals, but too windy for PGs. However, there were a lot of hang gliders there, and, not having flown the HG all winter, I was determined to go too. However, I didn’t have any intention of going XC (just in case it dropped early enough to go on the PG, stupid really), so we ambled out relatively late. As we arrived, we saw three HGs going over the back, and there were probably others before and after. Inevitably, I was a bit nervous, but did a fine launch, flew for over an hour, and had a good landing in the strong winds. The thermals were very strong, but not particularly rough, base was pretty high (though I left before base) and with the drift I’m sure the HGs who did go, went a long way. If we find out how far, I’ll append it to this post.

My thermalling on the HG was rusty, and I ache a lot from keeping my head up – paragliders are much easy, physically, to fly, and do have the huge advantage that you can see the clouds all the time, without doing neck contortions. I’m certain that does give them an advantage when flying XC.

It was nice to see so many hang gliders out, not seen so many for years, outside a competition.

So I enjoyed the flying; just a shame it didn’t drop off enough (until quite late, by which time we had gone) for Judith to fly on the paraglider.

Update: it is rumoured that Carl Wallbank did 190 km on the hang glider from the Long Mynd. For paragliders, the south was the place to be today (because it was so windy further north) with Liddington being the site, good in strong winds, with the best from there so far being Jim Mallinson, 126 km, landing at the coast at Worthing.

See photos of today.

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