17 May 2010 : Dunstable - Buckfastleigh - Alton - Bicester - Dunstable : 613 km

 

Our Logbook reveals; Nearly didn't fly as it didn't look good at LGC with showers and lots of spreadout. Gently went down track and conditions slowly improved, then good past Swindon. Short run on convergence past Lyme Regis then climb & glide into BUK. Picked up sea breeze again near Axminster then a great run along the south coast: got clearance from Bournemouth & Southampton between 4 & 5,000' and managed to stay between 4.5 & 5K all the way through many thanks to the ATC units. Glide into ALT rewarded with 6kts to 5.5K then a street to Newbury. Nice climb over DID to 6,300ASL then home. Fantastic views of south coast from an area we seldom fly in, great day.

As we approach the South Coast we are rewarded with a nice looking Sea Breeze front.

Unfortunately it stops at Lyme Regis, but sky looks pretty good anyway.

2pm and we cross the River Exe, 367 km to go.

Interesting line of cu over the sea, perhaps that's where the sea breeze got to?

Torbay, a great day on the South Coast. Notice we now have cloud streets aligned with the wind. Another sea breeze shows it's hand over Dartmouth.

Our TP, Buckfastleigh, with Dartmoor to the right. Sea breeze on the coast over Salcombe towards Plymouth and approaching cirrus from the West, a good point to turn back.

The sea breeze near Lyme Regis has got it's act together for a nice run over the cliffs. Then..

..for no apparent reason the sea breeze repositions 4 or 5 miles inland (?) and after a 90 degree turn to the left we restablish on a very strong line over Beaminster. It looks like a long run ahead.

A spot of sightseeing as we pass over Milton Abbas and Milton Abbey.

Meanwhile, the sea breeze has returned to the coast, this time over Bournemouth. The nice man in Bournemouth ATC allows us to transit the Bournemouth Control Zone. We don't circle and we CAN stay between 4000' and 5000' as requested. Wonderful.

A fairly unique view of Poole Harbour, well from a glider at least.

Bournemouth

Bournemouth Airport

Christchurch with the Isle of Wight and Needles beyond.

The New Forest, 12 knots tempted us into a 360, when we immediately got told off for exceeding 5000' !

The Needles

The Solent with Fawley in the foreground.

Radar hand over to Solent Radar and we carry on our circle free flight across Southampton Water. Magic.

Sothampton Water

Hamble. The old airfield shape still visible and a reminder of my College of Air Training days in the 70's.

Emerging from the airspace, soon after we turned away from the sea breeze which appeared to continue along the South Downs, towards our TP at Alton.

A rapid climb over Alton to 5500', left us perfectly placed to run this cloud street all the way to Newbury. A main climb over Didcot and task was in the bag.

One those special days and a couple of beers to round it off.