Following Tom (4): Wasdale
- Graham Kendall
- 4 hours ago
- 2 min read
This is the fourth and last video in a series, called FOLLOWING TOM. It is a series of "reconnaissance" or training videos for the 2026 X-Lakes, based on trying to repeat the most tricky sections of Tom Hodgkin's run & fly Bob Graham round in June 2024.
In this video, I learn about the "Scafell to Yewbarrow" section, focused on finding a takeoff in the rocky scramble of Scafell summit and then flying over the back to the 4km glide to Yewbarrow. The terrain here is technical and deserves respect. Sadly, my first climb ended in snow at the top of Lords Rake. So I walked back down!
A week later, I tried again. This time, there was a light (8mph) Easterly wind spilling over the crags, at 3,000ft, so my only option was to bomb off Scafell and then fly back over the coll at Slight Side, directly into the lee, in a slightly vainglorious effort at gliding to Yewbarrow downwind. I almost instantly hit -2.5m sink and at times that vario was showing -3m and even -4m / second. However the wind was behind me! So I managed to reach Yewbarrow at 1,000ft and there were a few slope-landing options. These low slope-landings are very committing however, on Yewbarrow... It would be better to arrive higher, at the flatter parts of Yewbarrow near the top.
It's relevant that I was flying a second-hand mountain wing - the Phi Sola - which glides at roughly 6:1. I believe that this crossing would be more efficient with thermic air or a newer XC paraglider that will fly at more like 8:1?
The rest of the Wasdale valley can be slogged up and walked around - but this crossing cannot be avoided. For the 2026 X-Lakes, race director John Westall has said that the 2-day event will be based broadly on the Bob Graham round, as a race to goal. We don't know the exact rules yet, or the final turn points that John will set, although there is an indication on AirTribune of an example route with 400m cylinders. These details will probably be set by John closer to the time, and based (probably) on the weather conditions and safety factors.
But, I thought it would be good training - and fun! - to repeat the hardest "transition problems" from Tom Hodgkin's magnificent round. If nothing else, I hope that it might encourage pilots to come and try the X-lakes in 2026, in this new format, and to help pilots who don't live locally / don't have time to practice in the Lake District through the year.