My 1st entry into the British Clubs Challenge - Sat 19 June

A last-minute decision to enter the comp late Friday evening after a long week in London led to a panic pack early Sat morning and long drive to central Wales (including getting lost a couple of times). The organisation was marginally sub-optimal and most of the entries only got up to the flying site takeoff Hundred House at about 1-ish.


It was beautifully sunny with perfect looking clouds, but it was also gusting up to 30 mph at times. A few brave/desperate/delusional pilots proceeded to fly backwards though some admittedly managed to make headway to be rewarded by being bounced around close to the hill - so perhaps they weren't so bad! It did gradually smooth off a bit and the strong gusts came less frequently giving me a chance to takeoff at about 1645 - rather a late start for a typical cross country flight (the goal being to get as far from takeoff as possible today), but the days are long at the moment...


I managed to hook into a few little thermals, but couldn't keep with them and get enough height to set off. That is until Simon who was hunting around a little below me and out in front of the hill found a core. I joined him and we shot up. Simon, (perhaps a little over-keen!) promptly headed off South, I decided to keep at this thermal though it was weak at times and eventually managed to get to cloud-base which was approximately 5300 ft, and 3822 ft above takeoff, drifting back from the hill all the while. Its cold up there - about 9 degrees with a constant breeze on my face (why is that!?) and my fingers and nose were getting a bit chilly, but the view more than compensated!


This being only my 2nd UK cross country flight, its a nerve-wracking moment when you need to decide either try to head back to the hill, or go with it. Dithering probably means the worst as you bomb out just a few km from the hill potentially faced with a long walk back! I hung on to the thermal for dear-life but it eventually died and after an agonising few moments indecision, I followed Simon, now below and South of me - now I'm truly on an XC!


It was hard work as the thermals were mostly weak (or I wasn't that good at coring them!) but perseverance was the key; try to stay in the thermal to cloud-base, when there, or having lost it, head downwind and towards a likely looking bubbly cloud on half speed-bar. And it worked! I watched a few other gliders doing better or worse but I was mostly on my own. Simon was scraping around what looked to be very low indeed over a wood, and soon had to land - in a lovely meadow I later hear!


Though weak, the thermals became wider and I seemed to be able to fairly reliably hop from one to the other, never getting really low. It's actually really relaxing now, I've no idea where I am or where Ill end up, but who cares with the fluffy clouds above to keep me up, and the beautiful Welsh countryside and river Wye below. The Brecon Beacons are gradually becoming clearer - that would be a nice goal (I don't think I've the guts to go over them!).


There is one solitary glider I can now see in the distance heading for the Beacons, so I vaguely and slowly follow, but ahead the sky is turning blue - nice and warm, but not lifty! I watch as the glider ahead lands just on the edge of the Beacons, and I also start to sink. With a fantastic view of Llangorse lake, I decide on a nice looking field by a village and land. 1 hr 15 min and 25 km - wow what a brilliant flight - next time Ill remember to turn on the GPS!


Greeted by a bunch of delighted children who were watching me land including one little lad dressed as Spiderman, I answer a myriad of questions; where I came from, how it works, is it scary etc. Once packed up, their Dad invited me in to use his phone - I did manage to land somewhere with absolutely no signal. Very convenient, but better still, once there I get to talk to an interested audience about flying, fed tea and scones (with butter and jam) made by the local head-teacher. And later when Dad's friend arrives and now safe in the knowledge that a lift is on its way (thanks Nick), some local bitter gathered from the pub in a plastic milk bottle - this has all worked out very nicely indeed!


Cheers, all guys in the SSC team for making it a great weekend!


Alasdair Jones
PG