A plan was hatched by border clan chieftains for a local skirmish on the border, The Hawick man has been waiting many a year to tempt the neighbouring tribes who are far a field throughout the border lands some needed prodded, The Ettrick raider was alerted who summoned and attracted six warriors. HAWICK: KELSAE : WALKERBURN; SELKIRK: And the small hamlets of BLAINSLIE and CLOVENFORDS.
Witchie Knowe 19th and 27th March 2023.
I've been an invisible Wingbeater for almost a year. Baby Angus was born on 2nd December 2022 so much of my free time over the last year has been swallowed up either with general baby preparation or damage limitation in the nappy department. I'd pretty much filed paragliding in my mind under 'fun whilst it lasted'. But then early March saw a family wander up on Lauder common. A large gaggle (sorry flock) of herring gulls were thermalling over the moor. I felt like I was watching wonder of nature. Mesmerising. Every now and then one would point a beak at the horizon and break from the top of the circle heading off in a straight line with a beady eye fixed on oblivion. If there’s a better sight to stir a dormant paragliding passion in someone I’ve yet to see it. ‘It’s amazing that you could do that,’ says Steph. ‘Correct,’ I think. Back home and inspired I got the phone out and opened telegram to deluge of messages. People had been out. And there was one from Fred ‘Sunday is the next chance to fly I reckon.’ He's usually right about these things. I was free on Sunday with Angus and Steph out on a playdate. Game on!!
An adventure.... Fred and Rob
Did all the usual stuff as you do to go flying. Pondered it the day before, watched the changing forecast updates, and generally tried to second guess the fickle forces of the universe, a billion pounds of tech in use but still only had cheese in the fridge for sandwiches. On the drive north I kept looking up and saying to Rob ‘what do you think, where should we go’ and he kept saying ‘don’t know, you know the hills better’. Then at the critical decision time of ‘Coe or Tarmachan’ he was busy with his errant phone which is a short step from being in the gents at bill paying time. My instincts said Tarmachan and since I was driving, Tarmachan we went.
A hat trick of winter hike and fly adventures.
17 / 18 / 19 December 2021.
You could see the settled high pressure coming on the forecast from about a week before it arrived. Surely there would be some flying to do. With super light winds and an inversion coming with the high pressure, it looked like hike and flys might be the order of the day. Fine with me! I love hill walking and I love being in the air!
Plattenkogelspitze 16th December 2021
