Monday was a perfect autumn day with a light soaring breeze with just enough thermic activity to make it really interesting. I went to Yeavering Bell just over the border near Wooler – on the edge of the Cheviots. Its an area with stunning scenery of steep hills and complex valleys, which leads to really interesting airflow especially as its near the E coast.
Its also one of the densest areas for visible archaeology , with nearly every hill having an iron age “hill fort “ and in the valley, the Palace of the 7th century Anglo Saxon king of Northumbria (which included Edinburgh ).
There were quite a few good looking Cu, and some breeze from about half way up, so I launched there and soared up to 1300 ‘ and played at going well forward and using the weak thermals to drift back. I did get one 3 up climb to 1600’ and considered drifting back with it, but the valley and surrounding hills looked more promising, so I dropped back onto Easter Tor, which is about 300 ‘ higher. (And had some fun herding some wild goats about the hill while soaring up ). The next hill along is Newton Tors, higher again with a really craggy top, and the terrain becoming a bit wilder and closer to the main Cheviot summit.
There had been a line of Cu consistently forming in the valley around Kirknewton, so I decided to head out and explore (helped by another buzzard family ). Id guessed they were forming from the sheltered and sun facing lee slopes of 2 small hills in the valley, and the thermal was right where it should be (always very satisfying ! ) . Not enough to get up so a nice landing beside the College Burn at West Newton.
First flight Ive had in October, and most enjoyable too !
