I was out late today since I had a social engagement – which was vey enjoyable, seeing old friends and colleagues, even though I did cut it short when I saw the birds thermalling and started getting all the 3jam messages, saying it was flyable at Llangollen, the Wrekin, Corndon, Sarn ….

I eventually got to Corndon about 3.00 pm – and predictably the sky had overdeveloped, no sun at all. Michaela and Frank also turned up. As usual at Corndon during the day, there was little or no ridge lift, so we – actually Frank – kept trying to give it a go. I did launch once with some birds, got up 120′ or so, then lost it. Finally, around 5.00 pm, the sky started to clear, the sun came out, the cumulus appeared, and Frank and I managed to launch and get straight into a thermal, which took us over the back. Didn’t get very high, 1700 or so ATO, Frank landed at Church Stoke, I got between Bishops Castle and Clun – the conditions put me off a bit and I didn’t fly very well. It was rough, and I had quite a few small collapses, which distracted me. And the sky had quickly filled in again. Anyway, I was very pleased to get away, but really should have gone much further. See the XC page (link on right) for the short tracklog. Thanks to Wayne and Michaela for the retrieve.

Well done to James Davidson for getting 70 or 80k from Cemmaes in mid Wales. Also to the pilot who landed near Sarn from Llangollen – 50k or so. It was a day to be out and in the air early (mind you, that’s nearly always the case).