Where and when we've been flying
Five fearless Wingbeat souls put on their michelin padding, braced up the balaclavas and put one leg in front of the other towards our first fly hike of the winter season. It all started innocently enough: First, an urge to get outdoors again; then, THE IDEA, followed swiftly by a plan and a call to action, duly answered by the infamous five: Barry, DaveH, Derek, Jamie, Tommy.
Another good afternoons flying at witchie. Wingbeat gargoyles turned up in there droves swapping brooms for para gliders 10 in total. With Rob and Dave being there 1st and myself they where just heading off to the SW bowl conditions where a lot lighter than the day before and you had a less likely chance of having pellet perforation holes in your glider flying at the bowl end of witchie. Myself waited a bit to see if the wind would pick up and I was introduced to New Zealand IAN by Selkirk Chris which he decided to do a bit of ground handling, While chatting to Ian D2R2 and CP3O turned up from the Dumfries way.
Tinto South was the venue for today. Setting of from Ettrick in low cloud I decided to go over to Tinto via Talla, it was socked in until Meggat Stane, then totally blue.
Arrived at Tinto at 11.30 and waited a few minutes for Fred and Neil to arrive. Clouds were beginning to develop as we walked a third of the way up Greenhill.
A little run of Easterly winds gives us the opportunity to go to one of the more picturesque sites round at St Mary's Loch. Its a fairly easy walk up. I was working on the Friday so I cant comment but folk flew.
I arrived on the top on the Saturday and launched at midday into a wind that was picking up, over the first 20 min flight I watched the wind speed pick up from 15mph to 21 on my skytrax so I decided to top land whilst I still could.
A flyable saturday. Really. Nah. Don't believe it.
Lovely morning in Lockerbie but a long list of things to be done before I could make my escape.
By 2 the sky was starting to fill in and it was a wee bit dark to the north. Rumors of showers were ignored and off to Bridgend I go.
Arrived on the top of Witchy around 4pm, Rob appeared minutes later. Rob hinted at going round to Singlie hill, the day was wearing out so we stayed.
A wander over to the S/W bowl and Rob launched into a stiff breeze, after a couple of beats he shouted down that it was lovely, thats good enough for me.
Up early for a change I made more of an effort to decide where to go, looked at the forecasts before checking alternate opinions and Eildons it was. Oops, a big group going to the little pointy Eildons and someone getting married on top that day. OK plan B. B for Broughton that is.
I do like a day that ebbs and flows and you just let it happen, and the inevitable slog up the hill became leather seats, tinted windows and traction control in what I assume is one of the Wingbeat fleet of off road rides so the first four of us arrive fresh and smiley and happy up the hill and the day is looking better than those cheap forecasts.
