SLOPING OFF...

...Christchurch and District Model Flying Club’s Magazine for August 2023

Here’s a brief update on the status of Bulbarrow & Ibberton slopes as at 26/07/2023

Bulbarrow

Bulbarrow is currently occupied by a friendly herd of calves (no Bull present). I waited until they were at the far end of the field before entering & walking to the centre of the top of the bowl. Wind was WSW 10mph. I had an enjoyable flight with my Phoenix 2400 for around half an hour  without needing to use the motor. I managed to speck out the 2.4m plane against the clouds. If I’d been flying on 35mhz, the plane would have  been hidden behind the bobble on the end of the aerial!

The cattle returned to near where I was, so I headed up to the fence at the top of the field and then walked past them eastwards across the bowl to land the model. I then spent 5 minutes trying to stop one of them  licking my wallet out of my back trouser pocket, and another one from  eating my coat! They followed me all the way back to my car and  remained by the fence watching while I packed up as rain stopped play.

The field gate has been wired with a loop of barbed wire, so I hopped over  it. I think the farmer has probably got tired of walkers leaving the  gate open. The next field across is owned by a different farmer who  keeps sheep, so the gate needs to be closed.

Still the same parking and access as reported before. I parked right by the  public footpath gate at the west end of the field. As the wind was a bit more westerly it probably would have been easier to have parked at the  east end of the road above the field where you can squeeze 2 cars in by  the gate entrance.

Ibberton

On the way home, I stopped at the Ibberton W facing site. While I was  there the farmer was in the process of cutting the hay, so the parking  areas are clear to use now. There are width restriction posts, so don’t  try entering the parking area in anything wider than a car! The field  that you fly over is unobstructed as long as you stay clear of the trees to the right of it. A model with landing aids helps in the limited  space available.

David Bicker