Saturday morning and only one survey today. This one is for a friend in Nottingham and anytime of the day will do.
So, it’s a light breeze from the south and clear skies – Paragliding time!
I arrive at Rushup Edge in the Peak District at 8.30 and by 9.30 I’m airborne. In paragliding, spring is the start of the main flying season, after the long layoff over winter. I flew a fortnight ago in the Lake district, but Rushup is where I learnt to fly, five years ago, and I still love it here.
I’ve borrowed a new glider from my friend, Peter, who is recuperating, after breaking his back in a flying accident last summer. The crispy new wing is a state of the art model – just released and far superior to my old wing.
I’m soon acclimatised and soaring back and forth over the ridge, looking for more lift. Spring days, after cool nights give small fierce thermals, which punch up from the ground all over the place.
The new wing and me gel immediately and I’m soon at 2017 feet and starting to laugh out loud. The Peak district looks fantastic from my harness and after an hours or so I do wingovers down to the landing field, where my mates are packing their wings up – the wind is getting strong.
Back to Earth, elated and ready for that survey….