It was decided on the way home that Cross Fell is without doubt, rather quite good.
Photos and logs on the board...
Cross Fell..... The New Cumrew
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Cross Fell..... The New Cumrew
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John Wallis
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Cross Fell Some information
If you paraglider types 
are going to start flying Cross Fell I’d like to try and give you a little help for safety and a little history.
It was first flown by Gordon Proudlock in 1983. We turned up and the wind was around 20 MPH We didn’t have 4x4 so we rigged at the bottom and took off on the face a bit like yesterday. Gordon took off and within a few beats was above the top and heading for Wildboar Scar. Within ten min’s or there about he was 2500 above take off. You can imagine our excitement when we had been used to Titilington Pike for so long (Ronnie be quiet there’s no comparison)
It took a while to work out how long the usable ridge was and what the danger areas were so if you don’t mind I will try and give you what knowledge I have on the ridge system so none of you will come to any harm.
Get an O.S. Map or go to the O.S. Web site and follow what I’m saying you will be able to make a picture in your mind.
From High Cap you can fly south down to Great Dunn Fell and the sheep pens which were often used as a turn point in competitions without too much bother. The furthest south anyone has flow and returned was Andrew Maltby who flew down to high Cup Nick and back. To the north you can soar to the radar masts just beyond Miller’s leap and get back to take off. Some good pilots have made it to the Café at Hartside and back to take off.
The best direction to fly the range is W.S.W. the lift is so good you can have trouble getting down. The direction best for XC in my opinion is S.W. to S.S.W. This way you will miss the vast expanse of moorland behind take off.
Take off from the top of High Cap is usually no bother but beware if the wind goes off to the south as it rotors over Wild Boar Scar and can be lethal.
Looking south towards Great Dunn Fell there isn’t too many nasties to get you. But the one thing you must be very aware of on this range is the wind gradient. If it’s near the limit of your wing on take off “Beware” as the wind gradient on this site “WILL” get you. I have been pinned with my arms locked on a reasonably fast hang glider going nowhere. If you are caught behind the ridge on a paraglider you will be in trouble and probably hurt yourself. Beware of the gullies either side of High Cap they can give excellent lift but also have a venturi / funnelling effect which again can be dangerous.
Heading north there’s one area you need to be made aware of. Looking to the right off take off to the north you can see Man at Edge, a big southerly ridge that can work very well. Directly behind this is Cunns Fell (Spelling??) The lea of Cunns Fell is to be avoided at all times especially if low as there is a very bad rotor behind the steep face. Once you’re past that and on your way to Melmerby Bowl it’s plain sailing and no danger that I’ve come across.
If you are ever flying in very light winds and you get enough height to top land the summit 2900ft give it a go and have a look around. I’ve landed there a couple of times and on one occasion as I turned into wind to land I was missed by 100ft by a Spitfire that must have been to a display. 100.000.000 to one me thinks.
Anyway the cross was built by St Pauliness in the year 600 ad or there about as the fell was called “Fiend’s Fell” by the locals who thought it was possessed. St Pauliness went up and built a cross and performed an exorcism to rid the fell of the ghosts and ghouls. The odd one is still seen there flying an airwave sport with a large hump on his back. He was the one that got away. The track we drive up goes all the way to Garagill this was known as the corpse road. They used to bring their dead over the fells by cart to be buried in the church yard at Kirkland as they had no consecrated ground on that side of the fell.
Just one more point. If you do land on the moors watch where you tread as there are many un capped mines in the area. I work with a man who is in the cave and mine Rescue in the Alston Nenthead area he tells me even they still find un charted mines and deep holes that they have to make safe.
Apart from that it’s a fabulous place to fly and lets hope we have some fantastic flights there this season.
I’m sure John Miller and others could add to this please feel free to do so.
JW
are going to start flying Cross Fell I’d like to try and give you a little help for safety and a little history.It was first flown by Gordon Proudlock in 1983. We turned up and the wind was around 20 MPH We didn’t have 4x4 so we rigged at the bottom and took off on the face a bit like yesterday. Gordon took off and within a few beats was above the top and heading for Wildboar Scar. Within ten min’s or there about he was 2500 above take off. You can imagine our excitement when we had been used to Titilington Pike for so long (Ronnie be quiet there’s no comparison)
It took a while to work out how long the usable ridge was and what the danger areas were so if you don’t mind I will try and give you what knowledge I have on the ridge system so none of you will come to any harm.
Get an O.S. Map or go to the O.S. Web site and follow what I’m saying you will be able to make a picture in your mind.
From High Cap you can fly south down to Great Dunn Fell and the sheep pens which were often used as a turn point in competitions without too much bother. The furthest south anyone has flow and returned was Andrew Maltby who flew down to high Cup Nick and back. To the north you can soar to the radar masts just beyond Miller’s leap and get back to take off. Some good pilots have made it to the Café at Hartside and back to take off.
The best direction to fly the range is W.S.W. the lift is so good you can have trouble getting down. The direction best for XC in my opinion is S.W. to S.S.W. This way you will miss the vast expanse of moorland behind take off.
Take off from the top of High Cap is usually no bother but beware if the wind goes off to the south as it rotors over Wild Boar Scar and can be lethal.
Looking south towards Great Dunn Fell there isn’t too many nasties to get you. But the one thing you must be very aware of on this range is the wind gradient. If it’s near the limit of your wing on take off “Beware” as the wind gradient on this site “WILL” get you. I have been pinned with my arms locked on a reasonably fast hang glider going nowhere. If you are caught behind the ridge on a paraglider you will be in trouble and probably hurt yourself. Beware of the gullies either side of High Cap they can give excellent lift but also have a venturi / funnelling effect which again can be dangerous.
Heading north there’s one area you need to be made aware of. Looking to the right off take off to the north you can see Man at Edge, a big southerly ridge that can work very well. Directly behind this is Cunns Fell (Spelling??) The lea of Cunns Fell is to be avoided at all times especially if low as there is a very bad rotor behind the steep face. Once you’re past that and on your way to Melmerby Bowl it’s plain sailing and no danger that I’ve come across.
If you are ever flying in very light winds and you get enough height to top land the summit 2900ft give it a go and have a look around. I’ve landed there a couple of times and on one occasion as I turned into wind to land I was missed by 100ft by a Spitfire that must have been to a display. 100.000.000 to one me thinks.
Anyway the cross was built by St Pauliness in the year 600 ad or there about as the fell was called “Fiend’s Fell” by the locals who thought it was possessed. St Pauliness went up and built a cross and performed an exorcism to rid the fell of the ghosts and ghouls. The odd one is still seen there flying an airwave sport with a large hump on his back. He was the one that got away. The track we drive up goes all the way to Garagill this was known as the corpse road. They used to bring their dead over the fells by cart to be buried in the church yard at Kirkland as they had no consecrated ground on that side of the fell.
Just one more point. If you do land on the moors watch where you tread as there are many un capped mines in the area. I work with a man who is in the cave and mine Rescue in the Alston Nenthead area he tells me even they still find un charted mines and deep holes that they have to make safe.
Apart from that it’s a fabulous place to fly and lets hope we have some fantastic flights there this season.
I’m sure John Miller and others could add to this please feel free to do so.
JW
Last edited by John Wallis on Mon Feb 12, 2007 9:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Livetrack24 wannyjollis
“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”
“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”
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John Wallis
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chrisfozz
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- Full Name: chris foster
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cross fell
Thanks for the info John, lots to take in, I really fancy the idea of a top landing but can you get off again?
The picture is a screen shot of yesterdays track log. I can see what you mean about Cuns fell, while working to get some hight on Man At Edge I spent some time lookin at this bugger and trying to work out the best way to Melmerby bowl. I decided my best option was to get as much hight as pos out front before tring it, I almost gave up but found a load of lift an decided I had enough to get there OK. Looking at the flight on google earth, I got little topup from Cuns fell on the way and made it below ridge hight onto the bowl ok.
For me the most "interesting" part of the flight was getting back, especialy as I've never done it before. Gary an I tracked along a small rige up behind man at edge, brown hill. Ground speed was almost zero not because the wind was strong, it was a bit, but because it was 45 degrres out of wind. I thought we would both end up on top of man at edge. It was an interesting flight and as ever something to learn.
For me it was dealing with cloud suck and as I keep reminding myself patients is the key.
I've no doubt your advice and information will be well recieved by other members of the club, keep it coming.
chris
The picture is a screen shot of yesterdays track log. I can see what you mean about Cuns fell, while working to get some hight on Man At Edge I spent some time lookin at this bugger and trying to work out the best way to Melmerby bowl. I decided my best option was to get as much hight as pos out front before tring it, I almost gave up but found a load of lift an decided I had enough to get there OK. Looking at the flight on google earth, I got little topup from Cuns fell on the way and made it below ridge hight onto the bowl ok.
For me the most "interesting" part of the flight was getting back, especialy as I've never done it before. Gary an I tracked along a small rige up behind man at edge, brown hill. Ground speed was almost zero not because the wind was strong, it was a bit, but because it was 45 degrres out of wind. I thought we would both end up on top of man at edge. It was an interesting flight and as ever something to learn.
For me it was dealing with cloud suck and as I keep reminding myself patients is the key.
I've no doubt your advice and information will be well recieved by other members of the club, keep it coming.
chris
Last edited by chrisfozz on Tue Feb 13, 2007 7:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
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John Watson
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Wallis gets a thumbs up for this excellent description and good advise, I’ve spent a night up there, it really is a spooky place, I have lots of fond memories of Cross Fell, --- Like carrying Miller’s crashed glider down from the summit while he flew mine down, --- top landing the summit and having a cuppa with some walker’s,
I don’t think many people will know about the narrow gauge railway track leading from the lime kiln at the bottom of the valley up to Man-at-edge.
Another strange thing that Cross Fell is famous for is a fierce phenomenon called the Helm Wind, or the Helm Bar, which comes at its best in a NE wind.
Then there’s Cocklock Scar, just below the track we drive up, --- a very noteworthy glacial formation, famous throughout the world. The whole place abounds with history and workings from long ago; just take a look when you get high.
There have also been quite a few broken bones on Cross Fell, not to take heed of the Wallis would be very unwise indeed.
I don’t think many people will know about the narrow gauge railway track leading from the lime kiln at the bottom of the valley up to Man-at-edge.
Another strange thing that Cross Fell is famous for is a fierce phenomenon called the Helm Wind, or the Helm Bar, which comes at its best in a NE wind.
Then there’s Cocklock Scar, just below the track we drive up, --- a very noteworthy glacial formation, famous throughout the world. The whole place abounds with history and workings from long ago; just take a look when you get high.
There have also been quite a few broken bones on Cross Fell, not to take heed of the Wallis would be very unwise indeed.
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John Watson
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Its not called 'beep'lock scar, I'll spell it backwards --- kcolkcoc scar, Phew that took me ages.
Yes Chris its fine to take off again, but the rotor goes back quite a way, almost back to the cross. Ive done it qiute a few times and landed level with the cross, if you overshoot and land infront of it you will probably get dumped hard (as did John Miller) Its a very rocky take off on the edge so forget nill wind.
Yes Chris its fine to take off again, but the rotor goes back quite a way, almost back to the cross. Ive done it qiute a few times and landed level with the cross, if you overshoot and land infront of it you will probably get dumped hard (as did John Miller) Its a very rocky take off on the edge so forget nill wind.
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gary stenhouse
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fantastic report there john, this is what is great about the message board. i must say that it took my a long tine on sunday befor i was happy with my height to jump to the back ridge as i couldsee all the pottential problems of rotor if i was not. mind once at the bowl it was pretty lifty on the way out as i was at almost 1300ft ato and climbing even though i was pushing out and by then in thick cloud. once around towards millers leep it was not working that well and as i had clocked up 5 k i decided time to turn back. at this i thought the wind should of been helping me back, but i soon realised as did chris the wind had changed to the sw to ssw making it a slow run back. i could feel myself leening forward desperate to make it back, a bit like overtaking a car on a b road and you leen forward thinking it will make a differance. crazy i know but you cant help it at times expecialy when you think you are going to bomb out and have the walk of shame. but patience paid of which is something that i have learnt allot his year. it takes a patient man to get high and if you get high you can go far and looking at how everyone is performing this year so far then i think you will see a bumper year for xc.
see you out there gary
see you out there gary
Sounds great, can't believe I still have not flown it. However is the real challenge though to get to it from the Lakes on a good day, thermal up and carry on flying until you reach the coast? Made it from Ullock Pike to just past Alston about 10 years ago which was nice. Longest posable route would be from Swinside, now there's the 'gauntlet laid down'.
One thing to be aware of as I am sure you all are is the Airspace restriction around the Warcop Ranges near Appelby. The airspace starts a few K's south of Great Dunn Fell............bewair!
One thing to be aware of as I am sure you all are is the Airspace restriction around the Warcop Ranges near Appelby. The airspace starts a few K's south of Great Dunn Fell............bewair!
Gary, I had a brief flight at Millers Leap with the Wolf saw you come across in our direction although it had gone off to the South it was still very lifty, you should have continued I think it would have been possible to make it I had to fly well out front over the road to get down. Nice flight though. More of Cross Fell in the future ![:[]:](./images/smilies/BigSmile%28LBG%29.gif "Big Smile")
I turned up at Millers leap about 2pm, and took of 20 minutes later. The wind was already of to the South, although it was still flyable, and as Chris says quite lifty. I was well out over the road at about 170ft ato.
Wind continued to back, so that it was almost blowing straight along the hill....
I didnt even try to fly down, because of potential rotor near the gate. Top landed, packed up and walked down.
Millers leap is fine as a jumping of point. It really needs to be bang on West, at about 12-14mph for it to work p[roperly. Then you can get a couple of hundred feet ato and jump onto Melmerby low scar. If the wind is of to the South at all this just isnt possible, as the approach to the scar faces WNW
Wind continued to back, so that it was almost blowing straight along the hill....
I didnt even try to fly down, because of potential rotor near the gate. Top landed, packed up and walked down.
Millers leap is fine as a jumping of point. It really needs to be bang on West, at about 12-14mph for it to work p[roperly. Then you can get a couple of hundred feet ato and jump onto Melmerby low scar. If the wind is of to the South at all this just isnt possible, as the approach to the scar faces WNW
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John Wallis
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Spot on Chris! If not enough height go around the front then dive into Melmerby bowl and on the way back keep on the ridge well behind Cuns Fell. If you are high of course none of this matters you just fly direct.
Gordie. Roger on the airspace.
Well as I said it would have to be light winds. You can get off on a hang glider so I can't see any problem with a paraglider. If the wind was a little stronger you could always walk down a bit. Strange thing is the very top is large and like a bowling green unlike the surroundings...Must be coz it's blessed?I really fancy the idea of a top landing but can you get off again?
Gordie. Roger on the airspace.
Livetrack24 wannyjollis
“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”
“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”
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ron freeman
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X fell
For first time PG's fly early morning or late evening to get used to the vast area and site awareness, remember there is no escape route other than over the top 3000ft asl ! so practise your 'B ears' and 'speed bar' work becuse you will get caught out in the gullies and sucked into low cloud at times if you are not careful.
Study the area with a fine tooth pick (ordinance survey maps) for different weather & wind directions.
Always NOTAM for midweek flying (cumrew area - AIAA)
Take a mobile phone & fluid (vast area) and dont fly there alone !
Happy flying.
Study the area with a fine tooth pick (ordinance survey maps) for different weather & wind directions.
Always NOTAM for midweek flying (cumrew area - AIAA)
Take a mobile phone & fluid (vast area) and dont fly there alone !
Happy flying.
Maximise your time & dosh do both Hanggliding & Paragliding
To add to what John Wallis has already said about Cross Fell, St. Pauliness was on his way to Ireland via Stranraer - so it is said, and stopped off at Alston on his way. He was asked by the people of Alston if he could drive the demons from the Fell, as the demons were making their animals ill.
The people of Alston made a wooden Cross, formed a pilgramage and carried the Cross to the top of the Fell and erected the Cross there, - hence the name CROSS FELL.
I have heard from people who go there and stay in Gregs Hut and partake of the flora, they then insist that the demons are still flying about.
The wooden Cross fell down long ago and a huge horizontal stone Cross has been made, where you can shelter no matter what wind direction prevails. Strangely enough just to the North of the Cross a fresh water Spring emerges at the top and cascades down the mountain.
If ever you wish to land and top up your water bottle this is the ideal place to be.
RonDon
The people of Alston made a wooden Cross, formed a pilgramage and carried the Cross to the top of the Fell and erected the Cross there, - hence the name CROSS FELL.
I have heard from people who go there and stay in Gregs Hut and partake of the flora, they then insist that the demons are still flying about.
The wooden Cross fell down long ago and a huge horizontal stone Cross has been made, where you can shelter no matter what wind direction prevails. Strangely enough just to the North of the Cross a fresh water Spring emerges at the top and cascades down the mountain.
If ever you wish to land and top up your water bottle this is the ideal place to be.
RonDon