Another unsuccessful flight but one that will stick in the memory for many years! Wales once again lured by predicted cloud bases of 7 to 8000'. Initially planned an out and return to the Menai Strait. A turn point that we have been hoping to 'bag' since its introduction a couple of years ago, but because of the nice forecast we added a 2nd TP in mid Wales to extend the task out to 524Km. The only issue with chosing Menai is that it on the other side of Snowdonia.
Slowish progress up to the top of Wales due to the clouds not providing the types of climbs we expected, all rather scrappy with problems finding the solid cores which we felt were close by. A 7kt climb north of Bidford indicated that the air was good but a low scrape away near Telford let us know that care was needed.
Approaching the Welsh mountains, the sky improved with solid looking clouds and what looked like an easy ride in to the turn point. But as we pushed in to the mountains the signs ahead said, sea air, sea breeze, sea breeze front, scrappy climbs and a dis-organised sky
Snowdon in the distance, our first TP on the other side, unfortunately the Sea air was lowering the cloud base and making it difficult to find a nice 'line' through the mountains.
Note in the distance that the cloud is down on the hill tops, clearly Snowdon has its own weather effects caused today by the NW wind blowing off the sea on to the hills. Now in the mountains, over a 'moon scape', we needed a safe route out, pushing on past Snowdon through to Menai was not on due to the cloud base.
We knocked chance of' 'bagging' Menai on then head 20km short and headed off south for our next TP Cray Reservoir, 120km south, just west of Brecon. Turning south, the sky still looked all over the place. We had to track well inland to stay ahead of the sea air, but as we ran down the side of the sea breeze front it was easy to maintain height, if fact, we didn't turn for about 40km, then only for a 6kt climb which took us back up to 5200' - then on again for another 40km without turning, We left the front on track at 6400' !
Only taking 6kts it was a great run down from the top of Wales through mid wales down to our 2nd TP. Cloud Bases now were 6400'. Reaching Cray Reservoir we connected with the sea breeze front that had come up from the south coast of Wales! This took us up to 7000'!
It was only a matter of getting the 140km home now. we glid out toward Hereford, the sky looked good, only 2000 below glide. Malvern, tracked south, down to 3000' needing a climb, we found nothing solid, oh not again! Sea air coming up the Severn Estuary? Climbs were not the strong ones we had been used to, Slow tip toe onto final glide at Tewksbury and home for 484Km and 5hrs 30.
Home
Tomorrow looks good ......in Wales!
