Taking off from Selsley Common

I spotted a paraglider in the distant sky over Selsley Common whilst driving to the supermarket. I immediately knew I'd be heading up there after I'd finished the shopping. After parking on the common I walked north-west  into the strong breeze across the short grass on the common to the edge of the steep escarpment of the Cotswold hills.

I chatted to some dog walkers at length with both the sound of skylarks singing as they took off, flew up high and then landed again close by us. It is such a delight to have them in such great numbers all over these commons.

I walked on the last few hundred yards to where I could see a number of paragliders in the air as well and others being prepared for take-off or being folded up in to bags on their return.

The sun was mostly hidden behind large black clouds overhead but did break through for short periods to warm the very cold air. This glider launched off the edge of the scarp slope into the wind blowing from the north-west. On the horizon are the Malvern Hills with the River Severn in the middle distance, and the city of Gloucester spread across the flat flood plain.