Chris takes off half way up the spur and hops the wall onto the NE /ENE face.
Others slowly arrived and seemed less convinced - but still hop the wall. Later the wind went more ENE. It was always just soarable with decent thermic cyles.
I was lucky my low take off and climb out, Chris and I made 1000'ato to a moderate base (3200').
The school was out on Simon's which seemed to work well later than Park. So ... all dressed up with nowhere to go at this early stage - it didn't seem that convincing.
After many short flights, few decent thermals I went over the back at 400' with a thermal I lost immediately. Arrived very low on the pavements beneath Whernside and into a rough beast of a thermal.
Pleased with my low save I watched Dave come across higher and connect. Great ..company :)
He worked it for a while, seemed to be climbing and then .... shot off towards Gragareth.
Like most climbs they began weak and strengthened with height. Patience was a definite virtue.
Dave didn't make Gragareth and is the dot above the escarpements at the bottom end of Kingsdale.
Kingsdale - a day to fly the clouds. Not a high base (4000') ... but they worked well.
Whernside ridge - more N in wind than expected so mostly cross winding after each climb to push north around Bay. Always very light - 7 -8 kph but very blue to north
Three Men and Johnies. Great sky - but holes too.
Kirkby Lonsdale from near base
Farleton gap. Surprisingly blue to the north - but a line of clouds across the mouth of the Bay. Usually the other way around.
Dodging along under the darker bits of cloud. The inclination (usually) would be to head more NW ... but the clouds dictate otherwise. I think some weak convergence at work.
Typhoon passes to the N in front of Farleton.
No sign of any sea breeze, but it probably did influence the lift line.
Stunning views
North, towards Kendal.
J36 on the M6. I got a bit low over the showground, but then got a superb climb to base. It was a long glide to that cloud.
Looking east towards Farleton from 4000'
Beginning the crossing of the Lune valley ... way south and close to the mouth of the estuary. But that's what the cloud are saying.
Low tide on the ebb.
