Cumbrian Slope Fly-In

[Shaun Brogdon]

I started a similar thread in the Shows & Events Forum,  but in hindsight, perhaps it is better placed here, so I'll start again.

I regularly post on RCG, and have a similar thread running in the slope forums there.  Just thought I'd try and generate a bit more interest in Copeland Model Clubs slope soaring fly-in.  The fly-in takes place on Saturday August 9th- Sunday 10th. We plan on flying up on St Bees Head on one day, and using a top access site on the other day.  Anyone familiar with St Bees Head as a soaring site will know how good it is in the right conditions. 

On the Saturday night, there will be camping available at Copeland Model Clubs main power site.  Camping night usually involves a barbeque, beers and a bit of night flight.

 Organisers plan to meet everyone on the Saturday morning, then decide on the most appropriate sites, based on conditions etc. We pray for a west-ish wind, but there are coastal slopes available for North-ish winds. If it turns out to be easterly, bring a power model  

I wont go into too much detail here, further information can be found at:

http://copelandmodelclub.org/events

[Shaun Brogdon]

Some pictures St Bees Head, one of our sloping sites, one of Andy Ellisons Erwin with the head in the background, and one of me deciding how to get my foamy out of a barbed wire fence.

[Erfolg]

I live in Greysouthen or Greysooon (to the locals). I do not fly slope but would not mind making contact with fellow electric flyers.

Make make the trip to St Bees, to watch though.

Where do Copland Model Club normally fly.

Erfolg

[Shaun Brogdon]

Hi, Im a wukinton lad,    used to pass through greysoon on the way to cockermouth every Friday night.    Copeland club fly at Moresby, near Whitehaven. The exact location of the main site can be found by searching for 'copeland model club' in GoogleMaps.  You're very welcome to come along to the fly in.  St Bees, btw, is just one of many possible sites that the fly-in could take place on,  there are also some good sites in Workington.

We have a decent electric following, myself being one of the fence sitters.

 Shaun

[Erfolg]

Shaun

I may have seen you on the Friday night stroll along main Street, from hostelry to hostelry. 

Erfolg

[Shaun Brogdon]

Its been a while since Ive been to Cockermouth for a night out, but our paths may have crossed. Im normally a bit worse for wear by the time i get into town though 

[Erfolg]

Shaun

May be this is the venue to awaken the outside world to the famous

"Cockermouth Performing Sheep"

everyday these magnificent animals can be seen performing on stage. Yes it is true a live animal and human act. In the past sheep acts have been the stuff of stand up comedians, about wellies etc. See the real thing.

I think the Cumbrian Tourist office would appreciate a  plug at your "Slope Event", Shaun.

Erfolg

[Shaun Brogdon]

I think, somewhere, in the fly-in do's and don'ts i wrote down, "Avoid disturbing livestocks, esp. sheep" was one of them.

[Erfolg]

Shaun

Something tells me you have not visited the Cockermouth "Sheep Centre". The hotel cum entertainment centre has been renamed, I think it is now the Wool Hotel.

Anyway they do a good bed and breakfast at attractive room rates at week ends. Just across the main road is the best "Ice cream"  in Cumbria at the farmhouse coffee shop, they have won lots of prizes.

Visit the "Fletcher Christian" or the "Bitter End" pubs in Cockermouth, or the John Paul Jones at Whitehaven (both men sons of Westmoorland.). Or the "Black Cock" in Eaglesfield, the local pub of John Doulton, his birthplace and home ,a hundred yards down the street. He discovered the atom whilst contemplating how many more pints to have.

The Royal Oak in St Bees is good for a drink to, but crowed at week ends. This is on the trail of the blessed Saint Beed.

Erfolg

[Shaun Brogdon]

You are right, only ever drove past the Sheep n Wool Centre to get to where im going.

Is the Travel Inn open yet? Just wondering because if people dont want to camp at the power site, they could get a room there also. 

Following the recent spate of UFO sightings, think our night flying on the main site may cause a bit of a spectacle.  Were a couple of miles from the nearest house, but they always manage see the camp fire and phone the fire brigade.

We have slopes to fly ranging from SSW to NW.  Im currently investigatin some North facing slopes on St Bees Head, just need to follow up with some landowners. If the wind decides to blow from the other side of the compass, we can always head inland.  Access down to the main site is excellent, one club member normally brings his caravan down and stops the night.  So if anyone wishes to do the same, please do.

There are no facilities at the power site, but we are looking into hiring a porta loo for the weekend.

I dont know what else to say really.  If anyone has any questions please feel free to get in touch by using the Contact Address at http://copelandmodelclub.org

[Slopetrashuk]

I'm going to miss it...

[Shaun Brogdon]

Slacker

[Shaun Brogdon]

You fly here nearly every week now anyway  

[David Ashby - Moderator]

On t' holiday Mr E ?

[Erfolg]

As far as I can see, it is not open.

I have walked over the top from Sandwicth (or Sanath as the locals call it) to St Bees (with my wife). It certainly can blow up over the cliffs. I did see the odd spot that I thought was possible to fly with landing area. But being a cowered I have never tried, or seen any one else fly.

All the same you lads obviously do fly, is it nearer Hannah moor/lighthouse or Rottington.

Ever tried the spoil heep at Workington, seems possiblbly a good site?

Erfolg

[Shaun Brogdon]

We normally walk up onto the head from the caravan park, to an area known as the Tomlin, see OS Maps. We also fly the golf course slopes at St Bees,  Kells Mining Mueum slopes, Ive flown off Bransty alone, we fly Lowca, Harrington Pillbox in Workington, & Salterbeck slopes, also in Workington. All of these slopes are top access, and they all more or less face West.  We are looking into a north ish slopes on the north side of St Bees Head that is top access. 

I have tried  the slag bank (Spoil heap), in both an east-ish and West ish winds. Easterly, it is poor, West, it gets better, but the depth of lift in front of the slope is shallow. A clubmate test flew a 2.5m scaley off the top, so it is flyable. Just not my first choice of local (<2mile) slopes.

Some time next year I'm planning a one day cross country fly in, where participants can come along and fly 4 miles of coast line in one go. We'd start off at Lowca, and walk to Harrington, flying all the time.  The logistics of this sort of thing are a bit of a pain, but I'm determined, so I'll pull it off.

I need to do the cross country myself first, just to make sure its possible.

Shaun

[Erfolg]

I am aware that some fly from near the "Castle Inn" outside of Cockermouth nearer to Bassenthwait. But I have never gone.

I have flown Long Barrow at the back of Egremont, but had great difficulty in landing.  The sites that you mention such as Lowca put me of, because of the cliffs.

If any body has difficulty with accomodation the Sheep Centre is good, the place is good, plus the access to all the resteraunts and bars in Cockermouth. Or the Melbrake could be considered.

In the past the BNFL Hostel (Moor Row/Cleater Moor) gave good week end rates, I have known mates who stayed there. They said the place is good, pity about the location

Best Regards

Erfolg 

[Shaun Brogdon]

North Lakes Soaring Assosciation meet at Castle Inn for their bi-annual fly-ins. I know all of their flying sites well, having used them extensively before realising that coastal lift is much better, and that i only need drive a couple of miles and I'm on some excellent hills.

Cliffs shouldn't scare you Erfolg, coastal sloping is fantastic.  If you actually went down onto the beach at Lowca, you'd realise how far out the lift band actually goes. You could always keep the model close in until you get used to it.

 What sort of sort of slope models do you tend to fly? If your a scaley, i can understand you being put off. If you fly foam, you've nothing to lose. 

Shaun

[Slopetrashuk]

Try this place for cumbrian adventures: http://www.cumbriasoaringclub.co.uk/SiteManagement/CSC_SiteIndex.php

And don't forget Cat Bells for DS!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catbells

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Erfolg]

Eric

Tchh, Tchh, it is a traversty to call the Workington Great Fell  (or the Howe) a slag heap. The views seaward are outstanding, yet the views to the east towards Mosser Fell and beyond lift the spirts to a point where mere words fail.

In the near distance are majestic views of  the Derwent as it sweeps through the town to the sea, clay flats with its cornucopia of retail outlets and beyond the great town itself. It was hear that Bessemer buit his Converter to revolutionise the production of steel.  Yes gentle the rolling grass sword is a delight to behold as one climbs the Howe.

Eric  I am so disappointed that you compare this wonder of the modern age to a slag heap, It is not built of second rate coal dust, but billets of steel that did not achieve the highest of standards that Workington demanded of its steel. Sheffield, and Solingen may have thought it good enough, but not Workington.

Yes a mountain of iron, steel and a little slag.

Erfolg

[Shaun Brogdon]

Its a slag heap, and in a few years it'll be gone, made into lightweight breeze blocks for the building trade by Thomas Armstrong Aggregates. Pic attached of slag being tipped.

It may be a part of my heritage as a Workington resident, but it doesnt fly well. If they were pouring now, we could petition them to pour it with modellers in mind. Preferably a big octagon to cover all directions

[Erfolg]

Shaun

I do think that at least the views are terrific. I have seen the mining/excavating on the seaward side and wondered how far they would go. How stable are blocks made from the Howe, as they must contain some really nasty chemical compounds in addition to the great blocks of steel/iron slag?

I have wondered how the place looked before the steel works spoilt the beach, may be I will know one day.Personally I would not compare the Howe to a slag heap, it is not quite in the right place.

Any plans to remove the spoil heap from Harrington, near the harbour? 

Erfolg

[Shaun Brogdon]

Hope not, Harrington is one of our better flying sites

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]