Leckhampton Site Guide
Interactive Map - drag, zoom, and click on items for descriptions.
Red, no landing. Purple, no overflying.
IMPORTANT
There is currently no bottom landing field.
SPECIAL NOTE
The Bath Gap airspace, to request opening see the Avon Club guide.
GRID REF
Leckhampton SO955185 (notam site ref 4.054)
WIND DIRECTION
NNW - NE ( 315° - 045°) Best N - NNE
HEIGHT
250m (822′) 450' TTB
EXTENT OF SITE
Just the one bowl which is about 750 metres across.
GRADE OF FLYER
Pilot rated because of the difficult take off and landing options.
All pilots must be current members of the BHPA or a foreign equivalent that also has valid 3rd party insurance.
HAZARDS
Sharp edge to slope making glider inflation difficult.
Lots of trees and shrubs along the top making top landing difficult.
The slope is very steep even to walk on let alone land on.
The bottom of the slope just before the road is not so steep but is covered in trees and shrubs.
This area is a common (and SSSI) and lots of other activities take place – horse riders do go along the top and please be considerate towards them as horses do not like paragliders. If on the ground do not launch till they are clear and if in the air, try to stay away.
CAPACITY
In ridge lift only 6 or so. In thermic conditions, more, as most will go XC.
ACCESS
From the A436 or A 435 (see map)
PARKING
In the Quarry car park. (see map )
TAKE OFF AREAS
Main Launch
In the middle of the bowl is a gap in the shrubbery with a park bench to the East side. This was cleared to make a good take off and landing area. This work was commissioned by FOLK (Friends of Leckhampton and Charlton Kings Common). The escarpment edge has also been cleared by sub-contractors.
East Launch
If the wind is well west of north, you can launch at the east end of hill: Best near a memorial bench on the uneven ground.
LANDING AREAS
Top Landing:
There is a small grassy area near the east take off but it takes precision. The other grassy clearings along the top are affected by rotor from trees. Further back there are large fields but they cannot be used if in crop. Alternatively use the Quarry area by the car park.
Bottom Landing:
There is currently NO bottom landing. Due to a change of ownership of Mulberry House, our previous agreement is no longer valid. The field should not be used except in an emergency.
2018 Update from Rob Davis (Site Officer): Following a lot of bottom landings at Leckhampton in August, the farm owners have asked me to try to get the word out, that there is NO BOTTOM LANDING. They have recently got 2 horses on the farm, which are likely to be in the fields that pilots have been using to land in. As well as the livestock already there, the horses easily get spooked by paragliders. Leckhampton has the peculiar phenomenon of the wind just suddenly switching off. As soon as this happens, if you are in the air, it is vital that you either top land immediately if you have enough height, or if not, slope land straight away. Slope landing near the bottom is hazardous because of the power lines. Do not "kick out" from the hill as you are then committing to a bottom landing. Unless you are sure that you will stay up, do not launch. Remember it is a small site and that if a significant number of gliders all have to slope land at the same time your options will be very limited. Please think carefully about this before you launch. Thank you.