Sunday 17th Feb Wicklow head

[joe]

So we have Fred, David, Peter and myself so far. Will mail Garry Keogh from Shankill club and see if any of them fancy it.

[Fred]

Cool !  

Where is the Lighthouse exactly ? Is it in the Wicklow village ?

I'll try to setup a map...

[Fred]

Ok, found a map !  
This is after the golf club !
I'll post that tomorrow

[Peter]

Yes I think you drive through Wicklow Town and on a couple of km to reach the lighthouse.  In terms of other slopes, Bray Head used to be a favourite locality in an easterly but I don't know anyone who has flown it recently.  It certainly looks good - there is access from a road off the Bray-Greystones road - it probably requires a short walk in.  I must recce it and see if there is anywhere to park.  Parts of the Head are very rocky, but others heather covered.

[Fred]

Yeah, I saw some hang gliders flying in Bray head while I was flying in Dalkee.
Drove to Bray, but I never found the way they took to go up the hill... :?: Looks like a very good East slope !

Btw, the forecast is SEE wind for sunday... And sunny !  
I'll take lots of photos of this slope for future references  and add the info to the slope list

[Peter]

This is a potential slope on Bray Head - you can access the Bray coastal path from the road you can see, but not sure where one can get parking.  Also looks like it will work in a south-easterly.

[joe]

I'm happy to try out Bray. Garry Keogh has flown Wicklow head a good bit and says it doesn't work in south-east. WindGuru(http://www.windguru.cz/int/index.php?sc=1910) is saying east to south-east wind 10-15 km/h. That is light! We may be better off at Bray in case the wind is more southerly. I don't mind walking a bit. Especially if its a nice day! Will ask Garry bout Bray.

[garrykeogh]

Hi There.
I am thinking Wicklow might be good (because I have to pick my kid up from a birthday party in Wicklow this Sunday!!!) but the wind might be a little too southerly.  In my experience, NE through to E is brilliant from Wicklow.  Slightly south of East is not relly a problem because it is a straight enough ridge and the last thing the wind saw was Wales, so it is not too bad.  Again my experience is that SE is a bit too much to ask of this site.  There are cliffs south of the lighthouse but I have only bad stories from here :cry:
Directions for Wicklow head...

Follow all directions for Wicklow

Drive straight through Wicklow main street

Take road signed "Brittas Bay" past Wicklow Golf Club

About 120M after the sharp right-left-right chicane, look for the red gate on your left hand side (new bungalow development on the right)

Take the path through the red gate, over 2 cattle grids

As you swing round towards the lighthouse, pick a spot & go fly!

With regard to Bray head...
You can approach the flying spots on Bray head from both sides of the headland.  For this weekend, the best spot is probrably from "Windgates" half way between Bray and Greystones.  

Drive off the south end of theM50 south, take M11 (south) onto N11 south and continue for 1km.

Take the left turn signed Bray/Greystones North

Take the southern cross road off the N11 (the exit before Woodies on the roundabout

Take the Greystones road past Bray Golf Club (uphill)

As you crest the hill, turn left into "Windgates" opposite the cattery & kennels

This cul-de-sac ends at an apartment block with limited number of parking spots

You can clearly see the cul-de-sac and the apartment block at the end of it in Peter's photo above

WARNING:  The ideal spot to park is right at the end of this cul-de-sac (ideal for us!) but the apartment owners here are VERY POSSESSIVE about their privacy and parking.  Find a discreet and sensible spot to park before you drop down into the apartment complex, be sure you are not inconveniencing anybody... for our collective good :clap:

You can walk through the apartment car park and climb over a 5-bar gate and walk all the way around to Bray from here.  I have not managed to fly from here but have spent many hours walking around wishing I had any form of plane with me :cry:

I will keep in touch with this thread to see if we can meet up this weekend.  Of course it goes without saying that if you can't find enough lift to fly off the hills, there will be plenty of hot air eminating from the Shankill Club field beside the Great Sugarloaf, maybe enough hot air to thermal on  so feel free to drop in to the lads...
Talk soon

Garry

[Fred]

Thanks a million Garry for the input  :clap:  :clap:  
Hope to see you on sunday !

And if you allow me, I'm going to put all the slope info in the slope page and update it on monday with photos.

Fred

[garrykeogh]

You are welcome to use the directions and any hints or tips, post them wherever you feel they will be easy to find.

Maybe edit them on Monday after I you find I have sent you on a "Phileas Fogg" adventure :roll:

They (directions) should get you there

Hopefully we will get to meet up again Sunday

Garry

[Fred]

That's great !
Thankd Garry

Ps : I love your avatar !    

[IceWind]

Is this only for top notch rc pilots?
Or some beginner can join the experts too?

If everything goes has planned i'll receive my main radio tomorrow!

[Peter]

Thanks Garry for the details about Bray Head access and parking - really useful.  Are we going to try it then on Sunday?  I am aiming to get there about two I guess but could make it earlier.  Icewind - the more the better so do come along.  The wind is going to very light I fear but the slope looks good and there's a chance of a sea breeze.  Failing that - that offer of some thermal flying off the Shankill field sounds great fun.

[joe]

Hello all. So winds look really light for tomorrow. Windguru is saying 7-10 km/h east to south-east. Hopefully we can get some lightly loaded models to fly. Wicklow head doesn't work in south-east so maybe we should try Bray head? or Glencree even. What are ye all thinking? I haven't flown Bray head so I don't know. I am willing to head up and give it a try!

[Peter]

I was going to try Bray Head tomorrow - I was there today on the northern part of the Head (not gliding!) and there was a light but steady breeze from the SE that the gulls were able to use - so it may be possible.  What time were you thiinking of Joe?