Dartmoor Gliding News - John Allan's First Cross Country

Saturday 3rd May 2024

John's Flight Trace

This was a possible day for my Silver Distance 50Km, although the forecast for a Brentor wasn't really that great. Initially cloud base was low, but I got away straight off a winch launch. There was a bit of a wave induced blue hole, with rotor thermals and lots of sink north of Brentor, which made it difficult to go north to Okehampton, and rather low to head off NE over Dartmoor. 

Burrator appearing under the edge of the cloud

I went to play around Yelverton, then later after a 3rd attempt going a little further west, I made it to Okehampton - gulp - committed now, and radioed to say I was doing a 50Km attempt to North Hill, however it then started to look a bit devoid of clouds past Crediton, so headed north where things looked pretty good over Exmoor. 

Exmoor with Wales in the background.

Another Exmoor view

I then did a wide turn around Molton, which I knew to be 50Km from Brentor, giving me just over 57Km. Lovely views over Exmoor and the Bristol Channel to south wales in the distance. 

6.4 knot average climb rate
A good day

So now; does it looks reasonable to get back to Brentor, or just fly off to North Hill. Brentor it is, so followed the nice looking clouds as it got better and better past Eaglescott, and I added Roadford, after a lovely 6.5Kt average climb over over 1300ft with a buzzard (see photo) as I had plenty of height for my final glide.

Sharing a thermal with a buzzard

John Allan