Topic: DS Slopes - Causey Pike?

Anybody know if Causey Pike, west of Keswick has been DS'ed or slope soared, would suit this weekends forecast of South winds as Catbells needs a Westerly or Easterly.

Cheers

Tom

From the pick it looks ds able, i personally havent flown there but have flown cat bells which was good but lots of walkers even in winter

Nice looking ridge but no doubt a BIG walk as most are in that area.

The bigger the walk, the less number of walkers

If the wind and weather is right, I will check it out this weekend 

Tom

Yeah let us know how you get on and what the local foot traffic is like.

Nice bit of spotting, Tom.
Certainly looks very promising.
Look forward to your comments.

just had a look.
The thing that I am never sure of the the hills in front (Windward for a north or a south).

There seems to be a nice shoulder at crag hill going over 650m (Where the hill in front is only 400m) and the shoulder may protect it and keep the back side clean.

Anybody been up there. Whats the parking and access like? about a 4h drive from the Midlands. That further than south Wales, but interesting non the less. Weekend away kind of thing.

Another one to look at in that area is Ullock Pike on the west side of Skidaw, would be good for a SW (sat forecast).  Parking in Dodd wood not too far away.

I walked up there before Christmas and it looked very promising.

Only tried DSing the once before but keen to try again soon - when the mini dragon ballast update is complete.  Unfortunately got a wedding the flatlands (south) this weekend 

Paul

Will find out on Saturday and report back 

Tried another new frontside slope after work this afternoon, Weatherfell  just above Hawes, fantastic lift even in light winds, even better you can drive to the top, park and fly 

Only downside was when I stupidly flew my Artist F3F into me on landing, put my TX aerial through the wing and dislodged a flap servo as I only managed to get one hand on the nose to stop it driving itself through my heart like a stake  Oh well better break out the carbon cloth and resin  Must practice catching gliders more 

Tom

Found another pic of causey, looks like the other side of the ridge of roosters origional pic.
Looks similar to catbells to me.

Cool, I think that's Catbells in the background, really looking forward to tomorrow. 

Tom

Looks like a world class site to me - as long as it gets some good clean wind. A couple of spots like that with drive to the top access and we'd be giving the Americans a run for their money!

Steve

Looks fantastic Tom. Go fast!

Z

I was thinking this was somewhere else I'd been and thought that it might be good for you DS types.  Turns out that the place I was thinking of was Longside Edge, here's a picture I took of that place on the way up Skiddaw:



It's a fair walk mind and it would need a south westerly I think.

Well I'll do a full reccy tomorrow and check out both sites and see what they are like, will probably be on my own but thinking of taking a tripod so might be able to catch some video, just have to see 

Cheers,

Tom

Here is a map of Longside Edge

Turning out to be a very good thread this, uncovering some very promising ds sites, hopefully not as many walkers as some of the more popular ridges.

Looking forward to flight reports, walk times etc.

I was thinking this was somewhere else I'd been and thought that it might be good for you DS types.  Turns out that the place I was thinking of was Longside Edge, here's a picture I took of that place on the way up Skiddaw:



It's a fair walk mind and it would need a south westerly I think.

Looks like a section of Causey Pike (see last photo above), must have the same parents.
Hopefully these sites won't be too arduous for the near-elderly.

It does look very similar, that's what confused me when I read this thread. 

The way I got up there was via a really quite steep path from the road near to the Ravenstone Hotel, although looking at the maps it does seem as though a shallower (but inevitably much longer) ascent may be possible. 

If the wind was right one day I might even lug my M60 up there and chance some DSing myself.

I can text you tomorrow when I get to the top if its any good 

Tom

PM your Moby No. if your interested

I'm busy this weekend but I'll be interested to hear how it goes.

Info on time taken for the ascent & degree of difficulty (related to weight/no. of planes hauled up) would be greatly appreciated.
Hope it works out fine

Well the news is not great, yes you can DS Longside Edge, but it is a hell of a walk, took me 2 hours to get up there. The slope is scary steep and if you lost the model there is no where to land so it would disappear into the abyss. The LZ on the front is tight, although it is rock free and springy heather. I carried up two models (Vector 3 and a M60) and a rucksack and my shoulders and legs are killing. Plenty of people up there as well, walking up steep hills appears to be quite popular 

Didn't find the DSing as easy as Rushup Edge, but I did manage a few laps, more of an experts DS slope. Still at least I can cross it off the list 

Tom

Thanks, Tom.

Looks like the hike is a bit too much for me, but there are many more fit who hopefully will try it too.

The last photo you posted makes it look inviting, but unless it's a very long ridge it's possibly too convex-curved to be particularly user friendly except perhaps when the wind is dead-on. Likely the wind would spill round into the back.

Did you lug up a compass? What direction does it face?

The slope was dead onto the wind which was coming from the South West, the ridge is in a straight line but undulates, the bit I tried was the lowest but this makes you feel a bit cramp although I felt too exposed on the high bits but this would open the slope up and make it feel bigger. Its just getting you head around these high peaks they are awesomely steep.

Good effort for trying it.  Where did you set off walking from?

Dodd wood, it starts off with easy forest tracks, then it turns into rocky single track as you start the climb up to Carl Side, this then becomes a grassy nano track until you intersect the main drag up to Carl Side, which then goes up Skiddaw. Turn left for Longside Edge, you will then start thinking how big everything is, but feel the fear and fly anyway 

I then decided to carry on along the ridge and then find a concessionary foot path back towards the road (A591) and then wander (with aching legs) back through Dodds Wood towards the car.

The main car park is pay and display so I parked in one of the free lay-bys off the road, if I was going again I would park near the Ravenstone Hotel and approach from the North as this would cut down on the walking as it is more direct. Still if you like walking, knock yourself out

Tom

Ah.  I was wondering why it had taken you two hours to get up there.

Here is a sketch of my route

Well the news is not great, yes you can DS Longside Edge, but it is a hell of a walk, took me 2 hours to get up there. The slope is scary steep and if you lost the model there is no where to land so it would disappear into the abyss. The LZ on the front is tight, although it is rock free and springy heather. I carried up two models (Vector 3 and a M60) and a rucksack and my shoulders and legs are killing. Plenty of people up there as well, walking up steep hills appears to be quite popular 

Didn't find the DSing as easy as Rushup Edge, but I did manage a few laps, more of an experts DS slope. Still at least I can cross it off the list 

Tom

Thanks for report Tom

That still leaves Causey-pike and Ullock-pike to try now then?
A friend of mine has mentioned Ullock to me in the past, said the walk wasnt so bad, will have to make further enquiries.
When the days get a bit longer/lighter i hope to get up that area and check out a few of these sites, anybody else interested

The slope was dead onto the wind which was coming from the South West, the ridge is in a straight line but undulates, the bit I tried was the lowest but this makes you feel a bit cramp although I felt too exposed on the high bits but this would open the slope up and make it feel bigger. Its just getting you head around these high peaks they are awesomely steep.

I'm guessing the lower section you flew was that in the foreground of the second of your last posted photos?
Certainly looks to me more much promising on this one, since the frontside appears less rounded.
Could be a mega site with a fast mouldie, & looks like there's some decent landing on the front.

Yeah but my legs are still aching today

Causey Pike next, Ullock Pike is part of the Longside Edge so don't need to go back up there. Looking at the map Causey Pike won't be as long a walk, lets just hope its a suitable slope 

Tom

Yeah but my legs are still aching today

Causey Pike next, Ullock Pike is part of the Longside Edge so don't need to go back up there. Looking at the map Causey Pike won't be as long a walk, lets just hope its a suitable slope 

Tom

Hi Tom

Im going to be in the lake district for 4 days from the 25th April and was wondering if you would be about to check out causey or any other of the ridges you have mentioned, wind permitting of course.

I have a "antique" Prospeed radar gun arriving any day and if it works ok it would be good to try it out.

Chris 

Good luck with the clockwork radar, Chris.
Let us know how you get on

Was up Catbell's yesterday looking across at Causey Pike, looks like a mega site if you don't mind the walk up and have some serious DS skills,  as soon as we get the correct wind direction will check it out.

Catbell's was superb yesterday, blue skies, strong Westerly wind light foot traffic and me with a brand new D60 to maiden  - wow what a fantastic day out! Life is good 

Review here http://www.modelflying.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=49729&p=1

Cheers

Tom

Tom

Just read your post on the D60 maiden, excellent write up. I guess you are well pleased and you should be, its a monster of a plane and the fact it flies likes its on rails really helps the confidence thing !

Cat bells is a fantastic Ds location but i ds,ed it in late autumn and the number of walkers was staggering, hopefully causey might prove to be a little quieter with regards foot traffic not Ds whistle

Cant wait to get back up the lake district in a couple of weeks and get in a few "laps", just hope the wind gods are on my side.

   Chris

Thats the problem with this DS lark, all the good sites are a haven for walkers, all our local frontside slopes never see any walkers and only the occasional paraglider. What we noticed about Catbells yesterday is all the walkers vanished about 16:30 so we had the ridge to ourselves, walkers must get hungry and thirsty, slope soarers are made of sterner stuff 

Good luck with the clockwork radar, Chris.
Let us know how you get on

Not good news on the "clockwork" radar gun
Fastest speed it has managed to pick up is only 122mph so its allready redundant, but for 20quid it was worth a gamble.
However!!! As a ds gun for someone chasing weasel ds records it may be ideal, know anyone G ? 
 

Not good news on the "clockwork" radar gun
Fastest speed it has managed to pick up is only 122mph so its allready redundant, but for 20quid it was worth a gamble.
However!!! As a ds gun for someone chasing weasel ds records it may be ideal, know anyone G ? 

Not really; the only idiot I know endeavouring to lap a Weasel stuffed it into the backside a few weeks ago at a radared 95 mph
Now repaired best possible without a full stripdown, but probably no longer stiff enough to go any faster:(

Anyhow, the Stalker Pro is more than adequate for my needs.......

Cats Bells should be quite good today.

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/nw/keswick_forecast_wind.html

Anyone going?

Yep, hundreds of walkers

All being well Tom and I will be heading up there tomorrow afternoon, hopefully the tourists will all be on the M6 southbound by then....

Hopefully the wind will stay Easterly 

Tom