This looked hopeful as we passed the solway with winds still howling and it wasn't much better when we got to brigsteer where we arrived minutes before the aberdeen crew (matt, jules, scott, adrian).
After some banter with local pilot ben k we reluctantly got our wings out and prepared to launch in a lull. Brigsteer is a small ridge facing sw just to the sw of Kendal. Ben k went first and got a good cycle as he pointed into wind and went up nicely and it wasn't long before he selected a thermal and left.
Encouraged by this Jules was next to select a lull and also hit a good cycle managing to climb steadily out from launch although in the gusts during thermals he was going steadily backwards before regaining forward speed and getting high above the hill in front before getting what looked like a good climb out
I am trying to train myself not to fly in strong winds and partly because of this I took about an hour to take off after jules waiting and trying to judge the length and frequency of the lulls. But eventually i could bear it no longer and went for it to find much different air than the other two. Wind was still strong but not outrageous at maybe 25+k but there was very little lift almost as if the sea air (sea visible only 10 for 15k away) was now dominating and I spent a long half hour trying to scope some decent lift at or below take off height. This low altitude meant i couldn't explore the bit of the site that looked the best and that local pilot ed c had highlighted as the best.
Eventually some better bits came through and i was able to get 3 turns in taking me up to the top of the ridge before pushing forward and getting back into the same thermal further forward and going with it in a good 1.5m/s climb. I didn't have a great deal of height when going over the back but it felt good and i kept climbing as i drifted towards kendal.
As i got to the town i lost the thermal and from there it was a swift 3.5m/s descent to a farm on the small hills just past the town. Hey ho. Never bad to be down safe on days like this.
Jules and ben did 40-50k each going n of whitestones and on towards wardcop. Both reported wind increasing and landing going backwards...
Here are a few pics of the take off
 |
| From 2009_05_02 brigsteer |
ben gets ready to go
 |
| From 2009_05_02 brigsteer |
low base
 |
| From 2009_05_02 brigsteer |
