Saturday 27 July

Got up early this morning to make chopped tomato and onion side salad and cucumber, mint and yoghurt dip as off gliding at Buckminster Gliding Club for the day and group curry in the club house afterwards. Nice sunny day with a gentle breeze but turned out great for flying. Last year I had an air tow but this year thought I’d try a winch tow. Once hooked up the glider really accelerates down the runway then soars up at a really steep angle until the tow is released. We went up to around 1000 feet, dropped a bit then found a good thermal and circled back up to 2000 feet. The views out over the Vale of Belvoir were great and the flight lasted about 30 minutes. I had a go at flying and climbing in the thermal but think I need more practice! I could get quite hooked on this flying though as it’s a perfect alternative to sailing when the winds fall too light.

It looks like we were really lucky with the weather as it started to rain and then poured as we were having our curry afterwards and there was thunder about when I got home. I would imagine there were more than a few people listening apprehensively in Southwell and the villages to the thunder and rain last night after the flash floods last week.

The Gliding Wayfarers getting ready to mount their magnificent flying machines

Tea and coffee whilst waiting

Wing Commander Beardy (retired) getting ready to take to the air

Off up into the blue yonder

Looking out over the Vale of Belvoir

Sunday 28 July

Back home now after a day sailing over the lake, what a glorious day, sun, wind and warm I surfed myself silly and I'm shattered now. Did two races and had a real long play on the formula board blatting about and falling in as I got tired or the gusts just came through to too strong and awkward to handle but feeling tired, chilled and great.