Ahhh, Sunday. One of the best day's flying I've ever had. Due to various bouts of illness I seem to have made increasingly shorter trips recently, so I vowed to spice up my life and go for some serious XCs. Sunday did indeed dawn grey and overcast for us Londoners, leading to much ummming and aahing over METARs, TAFs and metforms. Finally, the 1019 forecast came through - and it was a go.
Map and bits and bobs strewn across the floor, the decision was made to head west young man and bimble over to Shobdon. The decision was helped by the simplicity of the route - just two legs from N.Weald over the 115 miles or so.
Got to N.Weald and checked out the probably the best C152 in the world...maybe - G-BZWH - only to be confronted with ops on 31, complete with 5-7kt x-wind/tailwind and a hefty downslope along its not overly generous 650m length. Cue more umming and aahing and watching how everybody else was getting on. Despite one or two VERY close shaves, decided that being 1 up in a two seater gave me a decent margin, so off I went.
The early stages of the trip didn't give much cause for optimism...grey and overcast with some lumps and bumps, it wasn't great. And then, just beyond Oxford, the clouds parted in an almost biblical manner (no, that in that sense..
), the sun came out and blue skies appeared. Just like that - amazing. This allowed me to enjoy the Cotswolds in their true beauty, Moreton in the Marsh and the River Severn passing lazily by.
Further on, the Malverns beckoned (a place which I have fond memories of). Unfortunately my track took me directly over the HIRTA with its 4000' ceiling - after considering a detour, I remembered that I was no longer constricted by the ever-present controlled airspace which us Londoners have to contend with. Well, what the heck - I was quite close to the HIRTA, so cue a turning climb. Didn't really have a planned height - so I just kept going until I felt like it
At about 5500 I levelled out to be faced with the most amazing sight I've ever seen since getting my PPL 4 years go - just above a clear inversion layer, I was floating above a sea of lightly scattered fluffy clouds ("fluffy" being a technical term, of course). Can't go on about it enough - anyone who is having a tough spell getting their PPL HAS to know that this kind of thing awaits them if they persevere.
After that it was barely less joyous - a long and leisurely descent into a sunny and friendly Shobdon. After a unexpectedly good fish and chips and a refuel for 'WH too, I was lucky to experience another sublime moment - a lull in the traffic when all that could be heard was birdsong across a golden expanse of immaculate grass.
A fine trip home, sadly with a little more haze and cloud, and even Luton had time to give me a FIS. Back to N.Weald and a 5kt tailwind still down the runway, but 30 deg of flap and a decently judged flare got me on the ground with a satisfying firmness in good time to avoid a drama.
Routine for some people. Childs play for others. For me, the immense satisfaction of a job well done and memories to treasure.
