Wanting to get some extra flying hours and to escape Englands wet and windy winter months, I went to Tenerife last week. I was a bit unlucky in that we had more wind and rain than usual at this time of year, but I still had a fantastic time and added a few hours to the log book. We had a great group of other pilots and when not able to fly we went go-karting, sailing, swimming or played volleyball by a beach bar.

We stayed in the hills above San Lorenzo in a finca run by Mike Theiss who looked after us all very well. Some of the bedrooms were in caves hollowed out in the soft rock underneath the old farmhouse buildings, and we spent a lot of time in the evenings playing table tennis or pool in the huge “bat cave” whilst having a drink and discussing that days flying.

The highlight of the trip has to be a late evening flight from Ilfonche, a high mountain launch. After scraping over a low ridge we soared the evening thermals before landing in the approaching darkness and watching the stars coming out whilst waiting to be picked up by the van and going for a well-deserved beer.

Landing fields bordered by sharp rocks, spiky cactus and power lines certainly concentrate the mind when you are used to the huge grassy fields of English sites. I returned last night much more confident in the air and looking forward to much more flying in the future. Thank you to Tim Cox and Jonny Fox of Sussex Paragliding who ensured that all of us returned safely whilst offering all sorts of help and advice.