Tuesday 18th - beautiful day today after it hammered with rain all night. Many hours were spent cruising on the Bishop in good lift waiting for the elusive wave to set up. Sadly it never really did with the only success by Ron and Woolly in 711 getting to 4k just East of Benarty late in the day but during the afternoon it became thermic as well enabling forays across the loch to Kinross and Glenfarg resevoir. Bonus was the gin clear viz and cloudless skies which meant there were plenty of sights to be seen - you could even see Ben Nevis from Portmoak. Lots of gliders on the ridge including 3 vintage Slingsby gliders adding a bit of colour.
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Looking South from the Bishop, the Firth of Forth glinting in the sunlight |
Wednesday 19th - a light Northerly wind meant a trip to the Benarty ridge was the order of the day. Again many hours were flown by us(230, 711 and KMV), and the other visiting pilot from Aston Down as well as many locals. A busy ridge in light conditions meant accurate flying and a sharp lookout were required.
Thursday 20th - Flat as a dab as they say, the SGU K21 just flying 4-5 minute circuits. Woolly fixed something else that Ron had broken while Ron watched and gave instructions(which Woolly gave a damn good ignoring), Pete and Martin did the mandatory walk round the loch to the RSPB cafe for lunch followed by a mass de-rig ready for the trip home.
I'm often asked if it's worth going all that way for relatively little flying. Trust me - the first time you feel that surge of lift on Benarty or the Bishop and see the views, it is!
Some rewarding flying despite the lack of wave and the evening beer, food and banter in the pubs is the real reason for going anyway!
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| Some of the visiting gliders before the mass de-rig on a flat calm Thursday |
