Flight

Well, I have to admit, all my best flying this year seems to be well away from our Southern sites! I'm working this week in the Redcar area, so despite it being extremely overcast, when I finished work at 2.45pm, I rushed just a few miles down the coast to Saltburn, clutching my downloaded site guide. Despite the darkening sky, the droplets of rain on the windscreen, and the knowledge it would be dark in about 90 minutes, I was elated to see 3 PG pilots high above the cliffs. One was probably at about 800 feet near to the official take off site, according to the guide, whilst the others, much nearer to me, seemed to be just about 50 feet above where I pulled up, overlooking the beach below.  Wind conditions looked perfect, despite the failing light.  I found a perfect grass area with a fairly steep slope down to the beach about 70-80 feet below, though I suspect it might not be an official T/O area.  I quickly unpacked and DI'd my wing, pulled it up into the strong but rock-steady breeze.  4 steps and I was gently rising with elegant ease and quickly following the nearest PG a few hundred yards ahead. I turned left to the NW and found I continued to go up very smoothly indeed. After a few minutes I turned and headed back in the other direction, a good 500 feet above the pier, across the break in the cliffs and along the Hunt Cliff Nature Reserve. This was just so easy! Staying just infront of the cliffs gave me consistant lift, 150 metres further out over the wide beach towards the sea gently let me sink - and there seemed to be no variation anywhere along the cliffs.  The two nearest pilots had now headed way off to the NW so I decided to try and follow.
It was starting to get dark but I pushed on up the coast towards Redcar.  In the distance I could see the ugly towers of blazing flames from the Corus construction plant and some sort of chemical/?oil refinery next to it. One massive tower belched thick black smoke, the other pumping out bright orange smog. "Bet t