THE HIGH LIFE
IS IT WINDY? THEN IT’S JUST THE DAY TO GO
FLY A KITE, AND SEND IT SOARING...
P
icking my way through
the sand dunes, I’m a little
apprehensive. I’ve not done
this since I was a kid. Will
I remember how to f ly a
kite? On the beach, the wind
is steady and fairly strong. And, it turns
out, f lying a kite is rather like that other
childhood pastime: riding a bike.
It’s remarkably easy. Simply unwind a
length of line, stand with the wind at your
back, spool in one hand and the ‘bridle’
of the kite in the other. Hold it up and let
the wind catch it, then let go and slowly
unspool the line. The higher the kite
goes, the more stable it should become.
Anecdotally at least, windy days can
leave us feeling a little... unsettled, anxious
perhaps. Teachers sometimes remark that
children tend to play up on windy daysand, around the world, winds are blamed
for irritable moods. But it’s certainly an
ill wind that blows no good, and a stiff
breeze makes for good f lying. Britain
(specifically Scotland) is the windiest
country in Europe and blessed with
plenty of open places in which to f ly.
Although it’s March and a bit nippy
outside, launching, chasing after and
f lying a kite soon warms me up. As well
as giving me a feel-good boost from being
out in the fresh air, I found that f lying a
kite can be creative, as I learned to make
it dip and dive, stall and loop. It’s also
surprisingly meditative – there’s a moment
of peacefulness as it reaches its zenith and
hangs in place. And there’s just something
about its bright colours and clean lines
against the blue sky or racing clouds
that makes your spirit lift.Words: JO MAT TOCKPHOTOGRAPHY: PLAINPICTURE; GETTY IMAGESTHE HIGH LIFE
IS IT WINDY? THEN IT’S JUST THE DAY TO GO
FLY A KITE, AND SEND IT SOARING...
P
icking my way through
the sand dunes, I’m a little
apprehensive. I’ve not done
this since I was a kid. Will
I remember how to f ly a
kite? On the beach, the wind
is steady and fairly strong. And, it turns
out, f lying a kite is rather like that other
childhood pastime: riding a bike.
It’s remarkably easy. Simply unwind a
length of line, stand with the wind at your
back, spool in one hand and the ‘bridle’
of the kite in the other. Hold it up and let
the wind catch it, then let go and slowly
unspool the line. The higher the kite
goes, the more stable it should become.
Anecdotally at least, windy days can
leave us feeling a little... unsettled, anxious
perhaps. Teachers sometimes remark that
children tend to play up on windy daysand, around the world, winds are blamed
for irritable moods. But it’s certainly an
ill wind that blows no good, and a stiff
breeze makes for good f lying. Britain
(specifically Scotland) is the windiest
country in Europe and blessed with
plenty of open places in which to f ly.
Although it’s March and a bit nippy
outside, launching, chasing after and
f lying a kite soon warms me up. As well
as giving me a feel-good boost from being
out in the fresh air, I found that f lying a
kite can be creative, as I learned to make
it dip and dive, stall and loop. It’s also
surprisingly meditative – there’s a moment
of peacefulness as it reaches its zenith and
hangs in place. And there’s just something
about its bright colours and clean lines
against the blue sky or racing clouds
that makes your spirit lift.Words: JO MAT TOCKPHOTOGRAPHY: PLAINPICTURE; GETTY IMAGES