Thank you to Mary and EGQL1964 for your kind comments. I'm certainly no expert or a definitive authority on such matters - just a bit of hard won experience from working in and around the mountains. Hopefully rnzoli continues to enjoy his flying and is to be commended for seeking feedback in such a public manner.
Mary - I did fly in a glider from Sutton Bank once; the lack of noise/vibration was somewhat disconcerting!
EGQL1964 - as an expat Scot, I'm certainly used to the weather being less than CAVOK!