The weather for the week wasn’t looking too brilliant, not classic Denbigh, but with Saturday looking like a decent ridge day myself (202), Pete Startup (230), Andy Davey (JB), John Allan (KP) and Phil Hardwick (HME) travelled up on the Friday. Saturday delivered with an 18kt wind and enough westerly component for the ridge to be working. John chanced a 4000ft aerotow to some wave only to climb a further 400ft before resorting to the ridge with the rest of us. Andy benefiting from Chris Gill behind the wheel of the tug got dropped into better wave and climbed to 9000ft. The rest of us enjoyed a good few hours ridge soaring no doubt providing some entertainment for the weekend hillwalkers whilst they rested at the Jubilee Tower. There was also some weak low level wave to the front of the ridge for those that found it.
Phil Morrison (DD3), Alan Rappaport (FWH), John Pursey and Nick Harrison rolled up on Saturday followed by Nick Jones on Sunday. Sunday was a late start courtesy of some low cloud and rain. John P and Phil M in DD3 along with Pete, Nick H in 202 and John A nevertheless took to the ridge late afternoon for an hour and a half before beating a quick retreat back to the airfield either just ahead of the rain or for most after the torrential downpour had started making for doubly challenging landings … and Pete getting very wet!
Monday was a very pleasant thermal day, sufficient for some XC flying, with all the North Hill fleet enjoying better than expected lift, taking in the delights of the North Wales scenery including Lake Bala, Snowdon, Conway Valley and the Rhyl/Prestatyn coastline. Some of us were even treated to an aerotow behind LX Aviation’s new Dynamic tow aircraft (soon to pay a visit to North Hill).
The forecast for Tuesday was ‘a bit sporty’ in the words of Chris Gill at the morning briefing. A strong SE wind would provide wave for the Lake Bala to Barmouth run so long as the low cloud dissipated and the crosswinds didn’t prove too challenging on take-off and landing. By 3.00pm we had all pretty much decided to give flying a miss even though by now Chris was well on his way to Barmouth. After a last minute chat with the tuggy John A decided to take a tow down towards Corwen and so benefitted from a 2 hour flight past Lake Bala in wave to 7700ft.
Wednesday was a bit of a repeat of Tuesday save for there being not so much cloud and the wind direction being more southerly so as to generate limited wave. Nick H nevertheless tempted a launch along with a few of the Burn Gliding Club pilots and was rewarded with a couple of hours local soaring for his efforts.
Thursday saw the arrival and departure of a Cessna Caravan first thing in order to facilitate some noise monitoring ahead of normal gliding activities being commenced. A mixture of ridge, thermal and wave enabled the North Hill fleet to rack up nearly 20 hours of flying, the actual weather being better than forecast. Pete won the ridge running the most badge for the day and John P and Phil M in DD3 the most height badge getting to nearly 9000ft over St Asaph.
So in the end and despite a slightly dubious forecast for the week we had some decent wave, thermal and ridge flying and flew on every day. Compliments as always to our resident expedition chef John Pursey as well as the Denorben Arms for keeping us well fed. Thanks as always to our hosts. Roll on April 2027! – Shaun Dayman
