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The West Highlands- Stronenaba 1997 First Day Mum, Dad and Geoff all went walking, but I was so keen to get some decent stick twiddling in I elected to stay behind to fix some minor damage on (good old) High Sierra (One greasy landing too many on Arran!) before heading off to the Stronenaba site that Geoff had tried out the previous day. |
Stronenaba - Its quite a hike to get up here, but well worth the effort. That's Ben Nevis in the background. No I haven't crashed High Sierra...It's placed artistically in shot! |
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Inland - Stronenaba - A82 Near Spean Bridge (& Fort William) About 2km from Spean bridge there is large lay-by on the left next to the entrance to the Stronenaba caravan and campsite. Get your boots and rucksack on, pack your models up and go through the gate on the opposite side of the road. There is a sort of track which is just discernible through the heather and bracken. I flew first of all from about 350metres up the slope, and the slope side landings into the thick bouncy heather were not a problem in the 10-12mph SW (240 Degree) wind that was flowing up the valley. Higher up (450M) there is a flatter landing area but you have to go over a gate at the top. It was tied up and so I had a mild panic attack trying to clamber over it whilst still flying, great for the adrenaline levels though if you're not used to cross country! Buzzards are very inquisitive aren't they? I had three with me at one point all circling in the same lift and screaming at the model, until one by one they all disappeared again. It was so hot that day, I am sure I got caught in more thermals than I was in slope lift. It was very useful though in terms of building up the 'thermal lift memory' i.e. being able to detect and use thermals by observing how the model bounced around and shot vertically upwards at a rate of knots ! At one point I had so much height I was afraid of loosing sight of it, so I decided to try to spin the model...Out of about 5 attempts I got it right once! All the rest of the times resulted in spinning dives...Still practice makes perfect. Good, but not consistent & The first inkling of a lesson to be learned. There was excellent lift that day, I think I was very lucky really, and sure enough it was followed up by two much more disappointing days. The wind was still forecast as light and variable, and both times it was! 'Hello, I've seen you the last couple of days.......' On the third day that I went there (ever optimistic!), I was approached by the owner of the Stronenaba Caravan Park. It turned out they own the land and the sheep grazing on it. The gate at the top is so the sheep can cool off on the higher part of the hill without getting free to roam off into the wilderness. I explained what I was doing, explained I had insurance, hoped that she had no objections to me flying there etc. The ladies' main concern was that the gate at the top was kept closed. They had in fact tied it closed due to walkers leaving it open in the past. They had apparently lost a couple of sheep that way earlier in the year. Unfortunately for her, the little Bo-Peep yarn about 'leaving them alone and them coming home' was a complete load of hogwash,......You can see her concern. Always remember your country code. Anyway she (sorry I didn't get her name) consented to me flying there but hoped that 'I woodni bee bringing my 200 friends next teem' I didn't actually go there again, but l think that I'll be asking her permission before flying there another time. 1998 - A return visit ...and in fact I did go there again the following year, this time I asked (Mrs MacDougal - I think it was) if it was okay, and it was. Mum & Dad had rented a cottage in Fort Augustus this time, and I had arrived a day earlier than Geoff, so the next day I went there on my own. The wind was a bit further round to the west this time, which meant it was on the steeper section of the hill. I had several hours flying, In fact I flew the Sunprobe until its battery went flat and it performed a graceful arc to the left and 'landed' in a clump of thick bushy heather...with remarkably little damage. Good Old Sunprobe. |
View from the west slope at Stronenaba. The wind making ripples on the Loch is well useful for gauging wind speed and direction. |
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Mailed Information "I own the land you mention in your article, the flat plato etc. and would be happy for you and your gliding friends to use it. I also have self catering and b&b properties on the farm which may be of some use to your club. the address is springburn.net" |
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