| Flight details: | Catherine kindly invited me on FB to the BCC at Hundred House this weekend, and although I was in two minds given the distance I decided to drive down to my Dad's in SW Wales last night.
There by 00:30 and up at 07:00 today it has been a long weekend.
After eventually finding the place, and getting a BCC briefing it was a steep walk up to the top and along. I missed joining the first gaggle, but was set up for the the tail end of the second. After getting 500' ATO I pushed back out front and lost it all, eventually going the West side of the ridge when I saw some activity there. The wind had picked up, and I got drilled in compression, landing on top for a 1km walk back.
My second go saw me only briefly above TO, and then skimming the Japanese Knotweed infested ridge, slope landing and cursing the climb back to the top. That paid for missing my weekend jog at least.
Third time lucky, and two gaggles had got away. More ridge soaring, but then pushed to the East side of the ridge where Nick Roberts (SWWSC) and two others were very slowly going up. It was 0.5 m/s average for a while, but after a while and drifting over the back it got better. I eventually topped out at base, well in base at just over 5 grand with Nick. Big Ears to stop going up worked (though they needed work to get out), and I was still with Nick.
It was v lifty just under base, and very very cold. I spent quite a bit of time over 4 grand, wondering whether to go East with one chap, or due South with Nick I opted for the latter in the end, got a few more climbs and arrived near Brecon still high to see Nick head over the big mountains there. By that time I was frozen, having lost contact with my hands some time back, so with 20 odd k on the clock, decided to call it a day and glide out. East seemed like the best option as I had better drift (the mountains were directly south), so off I went. It was a struggle to get down next to Talybont-on-usk, though at least I got to take in the pi |
