Talybont BCC Mini Triangle flight

I planned a trip to Wales to see family and friends, and decided to join the BCC gang on the Sunday before heading back to Sussex. After picking Pete up from Brecon, we were a bit late, and although I didn’t have time to register before the briefing, I had the company of many pilots making the trek up Talybont. It’s not my favourite activity with a less than lightweight pack but well worth it if it’s working, which it was! I needed to pick my wife up from Gatwick at 8pm, limiting my available flying time this day and having first hand experience of retrieves in Wales, I opted to stay within walking distance of my car. I launched about 15 minutes after Pete, by which time the nice steady breeze had dropped off, so I was grateful to a newly arrived pilot lifting up the centre of my wing for an easier launch. I kept close to the ridge for a couple of beats and started sinking out, so pushed out front when I saw a pilot thermalling above the trees. This was enough to get be back above the ridge and fly with a red and white Ozone who’s flown from around the corner and climbed up from quite low. Getting higher it felt odd not flying over the back, but I resolved to be the odd one out and push into wind. Tom Wycherley joined us in the thermal. He was on the red and blue Zeno 2, and we were soon at about 4000’. After my push into wind, they joined me for a while, but were soon off to the North. A couple of climbs later and I was over the car park and got to watch a steam train coming in. I didn’t notice any smoke, but could hear the whistle a couple of times as I thermalled up to base again. I crossed the valley to the south west, pushing until I was just over 5km from launch, but didnt connect with anything after the tree line. Running out of altitude, I turned to the south and headed to the into wind ridge, which worked well and got me back into the Talybont bowl. Another climb saw be back at base, with height to close my small triangle, and then flying over the BCC’ers ridge soaring below. My time was up, so I had a boat around, but made sure to cross the stream for an easer walk back. I really enjoyed making the most of my limited time, with the challenge of staying with in walking distance of my car and was very happy with my 20 point triangle. Tom did a lovely 50km out and returned to Hay Bluff, and Pete flight to north of Monmouth. It took him five hours to get back to Brecon, so I was right to not risk it.