UK -4 (Malvern: Worcester Beacon); Malvern: Worcester Beacon

Sun (15.6.) It would have been the right place, except that the wind (again) has been too strong.

The North-South Competition set at task with goal at Ipswich (240+km to the East at the Channel coast). Many launches have been 'interesting'- to say the least; kind of xAlps-Style; luckily nothing major happened.... But conditions have been way beyond my abilities and even some very good UK-pilots didn't find them too inviting -among them Jim (who had won the task of f Milk Hill) and Jocky Sanderson... But several pilots actually made goal in about 6.5hrs (average speed > 38kmh).

Worcester Beacon: Pano looking East

Pano looking North

Pano looking West

Mon (16.6.) Again back to Malvern, but this time with less wind. I could make 2 flights, although on the first one I sank out rather quickly. The second flight has been much better: my first real Cobra launch (I think; and not only when gnd-handling;) then I managed to center these small thermals low on the hill much better than on the previous flight :-)

The 'comp guys' have been here as well and they flew 210+km to the East: it's amazing what they can do with an airspace ceiling of 'only' 4500ft/ 1500m.

Many thanks to Eddie who had carried my pack up twice (and twice his own gear

Malvern: Worcester Beacon

excellent Thali in Malvern with Eddie

After dinner I have driven 90km North to a hotel near Longmyynd (Church Stratton), where we hope to fly for the next 2 days...

UK -3 Eddie's Place, (Milk Hill); Sightseeing: Gloucester/ Brecon Mountain Railway

Thr (12.6.) Rain and wind again; I spent most of the day at Eddie's place working on my photos and blog... In the afternoon I then moved North to Ilminster, a small village near 'Milk Hill' where we hoped to fly on Friday.

Fri (13.6.) I met Eddie at Jim's place (Jim is a renowned PG pilot) and Eddie had stayed with his camper in his garden.

A shiort drive and walk brought us to Milk Hill, where a task of the 'North / South Comp' was being held: goal about 230km to the NE (direction Oxford). Actually Jim won the task with about 130km. As I didn't intend to leave the hill, I offered Eddie to partake in the comp (he flew about 96km). Conditions on this 100m hill have been very strange. strong winds at times with long lulls; good thermals with long 'nothing'. In the end I only ground handled a bit, but didn't fly in these (for me) unpredictable conditions. It has been a 130km drive to Brackley in order to retrive Eddie; on the way back we also picked up Jim.

Sat (14.6.) Eddie had said that there would be a very small chance of flying at the coast, but on Sunday it should be then good up North (near Gloucester). As it didn't make much sense to drive for more than 4 hours (out and return) for a 'very small chance', I decided to do some sightseeing: first Gloucester (Cathedral and docks), then driving to South Wales to ride the 'Brecon Mountain Railway', a museum steam train running on about 10km of tracks left from a line which originally went all the way to Newport on the coast.

Gloucester Catherdal

Gloucester Docks: weight lifting comp

Brecon Mountain railway

UK -2 (Eype / Cogdon), Bell Hill, (Mere)

Mon (9.6.) Today I have been meeting Eddie Colfox, my guide for the next 12 days - he already has guided me kast year. At first he 'warned' me that the wx fcst for this week would be very tricky. as the region would be under the influence of low pressure systems, providing lots of wind as wêll as rain :-(

Eype

Our first try was at Eype (which I could fly last year), but not a chance due to the strong wind. So we changed to Congdon, about 15mins away but much lower. Here a few pilots flew, but for many it has been still  too strong.

Cogdon

Hoping the wind would get a bit weaker, we visited Abbotsbury Garden in the meantime. But still no chance, when we got back.

Abbotsbury Garden

Later we had a look at another 'low' site: Seatown, but again: wind...

Seatown

Tue, (10.6.) Finally a flyable looking day, but only after 1500. That's when I met Eddie on Bell Hill's launch. I could make 2 flights in steadily improving conditions :-)

I flew this site already last year and it's astonishing how little sun was needed to release some thermals.

Bell Hill

Wed (11.6.) According to Eddie, there should have been a chance for flying at 'Mere' in the morning, but when we got there at 1000, the wind already had ecome too strong; but at least 2 hangies could still fly; some sightseeing in the afternoon (Isle of Portland)...

Mere

Isle of Portland

UK -1 Travel

I have left home on Thr, 5.6., driving to  Ardres (near Calais in 10hours) with just 2 stopps. I had hoped that on Friday some flying along the Normandie coast would have been possible, but the wind never dropped below 40kmh. So the day was spent sightseeing, as this whole coastline here 'oozes' history; not only WWI and WWII, but going back much longer in time.

Fort Vauban at Ambleuse (constructed in 1680)

'Batterie Todt', the gun could fire 380mm shells up to 30km

Cap Blanc-Nez

Sat (7.6.) after having crossed the Channel from Calais to Dover (1.5hrs) I visited 'Rye', a very nicely preserved town near the coast.

Rye

Sun (8.6.) Having spent the night on the coast at Worthing, I visited Arundel and its Castle and Garden; later the 'Chapel' at Lancing College. Both are absolutely breathtaking!  (> more pix on my Flickr page; link on the right side)

Arundel

Arundel Castle

Arundel

Lancing College and Chapel