 |
|
 |
|
|
|
Christchurch and District Model Flying Club |
|
|
|
Sloping off on the Lleyn Peninsula by Alan Butterworth Late April saw me packing the car for my 20th (I think) consecutive Spring visit to the fantastic slopes on the Lleyn peninsula in North Wales.
I join 16 friends from one of my old clubs – Thames Valley Silent Flyers – to stay in a large farmhouse near Abersoch. Why do I drive over 300 miles to get a bit of flying, especially with the possibility of a week of rotten weather? Because, when the winds are right, the sea cliffs provide probably the best slope flying in the UK. And slopes from East round to SouthWest are actually on the farm we stay at and West winds are catered for about a mile away. North winds mean a drive of 10 or 12 miles and NorthWest about the same distance to the only inland mountain we use, Rhiw. NorthEasterlies are a problem but, if pushed, they can be found on the magnificent Great Orme at Llandudno, but it entails a long drive, but worth an occasional visit. When the wind – rarely - doesn’t blow, or on calm evenings, we can fly electric or thermal gliders at the back of house with superb views of Snowdonia.
Snowdonia from the rear of the farmhouse. Snowdon itself is the twin-peaked mountain in the centre of the picture Fortunately, the weather gods smiled on us this year as we had a full week of slope flying with just one afternoon rained off. Winds had been forecast NE in the weeks before we arrived and was still showing that direction for our first day on Sunday. Fortunately they were wrong as it was Easterly in the morning so we headed over the farm fields to a field overlooking the two St Tudwals islands just offshore. Not the best slope but good enough and a gentle start to the week with acres of sheep-shorn grass for landing. The adjacent photo from 2017 gives an idea of the slope and the extensive landing area. After lunch the wind became lighter and shifted to the North so the electric gliders had their only outing of the week.
Overnight the wind backed through the dreaded NE round to North. This meant our longest drive right to the tip of the peninsula to the site of a disused radar station on Mynydd Mawr. This slope generates huge lift but the landings are challenging with heather and gorse hiding some large rocks. Foamies are the order of the day except for the select few who can land on a sixpence. A great day flying with no serious mishaps.
Tuesday started overcast with a fresh wind from the South and a prediction of rain from early afternoon. Fortunately the wind meant we could fly from a slope overlooking Porth Ceiriad, a short drive across the farm. Below is an aerial view (from 2017) of the site with again flat landing areas, just needing to dodge the cattle and/or sheep and their deposits. Landing out possibilities are on a lower slope, or even the beach when the tide is out (it has been done!). The threatened rain arrived on time and curtailed play for the day.
Wednesday dawned bright with a good NW backing West wind which means a short drive off the farm to a site we know as Annie’s, the owner of a small farm. £2 for parking and short walk to the edge of Mynydd Cilan, which provides a wonderful view of the 4 mile long beach of Hell’s Mouth with Rhiw mountain at the far side of the bay. Hell’s Mouth is named because of its reputation for wrecking sailing ships, and is, apparently, the 7th best surfing beach in the World. The flying is just wonderful with reasonable landing on the heather or some cleared areas. And a shallow quarry provides a wonderful view of the 4 mile long beach of Hell’s Mouth with Rhiw mountain at the far side of the bay. Hell’s Mouth is named because of its reputation for wrecking sailing ships, and is, apparently, the 7th best surfing beach in the World. The flying is just wonderful with reasonable landing on the heather or some cleared areas. And a shallow quarry provides some respite from the wind.
The image above (2017 again) shows the massive slope with awesome lift, but nowhere to land out except the sea. But that never happens; well almost never The quarry can just be made out centre right in the picture and in the photo below.
The forecast for Thursday and Friday both promised brisk SW winds, so it was back to Ceiriad but this time round to the left almost looking straight down the beach. Thursday proved the better day of the two and enabled all the heavy stuff to come out again, including my maiden flight with a recently acquired original Alpina. It flew very well.
The week flew by (sorry) and it was Friday all too soon, but we were greeted back on Ceiriad by low cloud. Fortunately it dissipated by mid-morning and although the lift wasn’t as great as Thursday it still provided some excellent flying, including Andy’s R/C paraglider which eventually got airborne.
So ended one of the best weeks for flying that I can recall. Good winds, different slopes (shame we never got to Rhiw) and mainly decent weather. Great in-house communal breakfasts, decent evening hostelries for meals and drinks and a brilliant dining-in meal mid-week. And, best of all, I persuaded my wife that I could go again in October. Car packed I left about 05.00 Saturday morning to try and miss the Bank Holiday traffic – I had the usual great run across the middle of Wales, breakfast near Shrewsbury and even the motorways were fine until Winchester where I ground to halt with the rest of the grockles. To be expected. I guess. The Abersoch area is popular for holidays so if you can persuade the family of that, they could have great days on the beaches (or whatever “normal” people do) whilst you explore the great flying in the area. I can give you the lowdown (although much of it was in RCM&E not long ago) and the local club (Lleyn MAC
Sun setting behind Rhiw mountain, taken from Cim Farm |
|
|
|
[Home] [Chairman's Chatter] [Rosebowl] [RTP Report] [Hurricane] [Before I forget] [Malcolm] [Sloping Off] [Albatross] [Tailpiece] |