Perseverance Hill


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Red, no landing.  Purple, no overflying.

Hang glider alternative launch site for Pinnacle Hill.

ALL OF THE "Malvern Hills General Site Rules" APPLY TO THIS SITE
 
GRID REF
 
SO769435  (this launch has no NOTAM ref #)
 
WIND DIRECTION (for launch only, for hill see Pinnacle)
 
ENE - E  ( 60° - 90°)  Best 80°
 
HEIGHT
 
280m  ( 921′ )  756′  TTB
 
HAZARDS
 
The rigging area is in rotor so progress to launch should be taken with care keeping rear sail of the glider low.
 
Of the 2 potential launch points. a raised lump and a flatter are just a bit south, the latter has been known to be turbulent.
 
There is no immediate bottom landing and the field below. So you must feel confident of making progress south and landing in the conventional fields.
 
ACCESS
 
Via the B4232 (Jubilee Drive) at the northern end. Take path (See map)
 
PARKING
 
Plateau pay & display car park. WR13 6DQ. Annual parking passes can be purchased. Parking fees go towards hill maintenance including tree clearance.
 
TAKE OFF AREAS
 
200m south of the Wyche Cutting. 150m ENE of Plateau car park.
 
Read Pinnacle Hill East for other details of the site.

Black Hill


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Red, no landing.  Purple, no overflying.

Hang glider alternative launch site for Pinnacle Hill.
 
ALL OF THE "Malvern Hills General Site Rules" APPLY TO THIS SITE
 
GRID REF
 
SO767407  (notam site ref 4.002)
 
WIND DIRECTION (for launch only, for hill see Pinnacle)
 
E - ESE  ( 90° - 120°)  Best 100°
 
HEIGHT
 
267m  ( 878′ )  713′ TTB
 
HAZARDS
 
The edge of the hill has a path running along it so watch out for walkers.
 
The top of the hill has a sharp edge to it but if you start your run from lower down trees and their turbulence become more of a hazard.
 
If the wind is at all north of E the air flow across some more sizeable trees will create turbulence also will be significant obstacles to clear.
 
There is no immediate bottom landing and the fields below have a considerable slope (you will want to land on them down wind), are often in crop, and we have no permission to land in them. So you must feel confident of making progress north and landing in the conventional fields, usually requiring a minimum 10mph wind speed.
 
ACCESS
 
Via the B4232 (JubileeDrive) at the southern end. Take path (See map)
 
PARKING
 
Black Hill pay & display car park. WR13 6DW. Annual parking passes can be purchased. Parking fees go towards hill maintenance including tree clearance.
Car park has gates which are locked at 7pm.
 
TAKE OFF AREAS
 
At top of the ridge above the car park.
 
LANDING
 
PG - there is no official landing field close to here.
 
HG - as this is an alternative take-off for Pinnacle Hill East, please see that site guide for landing information.  However, it is a lower launch and further away from the landing field south of the Three Counties show-ground.
 
Read Pinnacle Hill East for other details of the site.

Builth Wells Site Guide


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Red, no landing.  Purple, no overflying.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS
Pay the farmer £3 per glider (Snowy Powell, she also does B&B 01982 552678)
 
One of the fields near the farm house has large numbers of free range chickens. Please do not over fly them under ridge height.
 
GRID REF
Builth Wells  SO081523
 
WIND DIRECTION
WNW - NNE ( 300° - 20°)  Best NW-NNW
 
HEIGHT
395m  ( 1300′ )  650′ TTB
 
EXTENT OF SITE
Just over a mile of ridge.
 
GRADE OF FLYING
All grades of pilots
All pilots must be current members of the BHPA or a foreign equivalent that also has valid 3rd party insurance.
 
HAZARDS
Can get rough flying and top landing in strong winds due to ridge on the other side of the valley. (more applicable to HG)
 
PGs are advised to top land near the front of the ridge to avoid rotor.
 
CAPACITY
Many on a good day.
 
ACCESS
Take the A481 out of Builth Wells, turn right after about 3 miles (by an egg stall). Follow lane to Tremaen Farm (pay £3, per glider, in the tin by the front door) Carry on about 330m and turn left though gate, saying Private, and follow track to the top. Then follow the ridge face going NE for a few hundred metres.
 
PARKING
In the field marked Private before next gate.
 
TAKE OFF AREA
Anywhere suitable along the ridge.
 
LANDING AREAS
PG field. In the field above the carpark field but NE of the track.
 
HG emergency field. A long field by the A481 towards the east end of the site.

 

Leckhampton Site Guide


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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.

Castlemorton Site Guide (Swinyard Hill)


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Red, no landing.  Purple, no overflying.

ALL OF THE "Malvern Hills General Site Rules" APPLY TO THIS SITE
 
GENERAL

Castlemorton is a rarely used site.  It is recommended that you post on the Malvern Flyers or the Malvern Coaching Telegram group (or via the contact information on the Coaches page) to try to attract a coach, or at least other flyers.

GRID REF

Swinyard Hill SO762386

WIND DIRECTION

ENE-SE (70-130 degrees) Best:- E (90)

HEIGHT

265 metres (865 feet) Top to Bottom 350 feet

EXTENT OF SITE

About 500m long

GRADE OF FLYER

All grades of pilots.

HAZARDS

1. Beware of grazing animals on the common.

2. If the wind is further north than ENE the northern end of the site can be turbulent.

CAPACITY

6 soaring gliders

ACCESS

Via the minor road across Castlemorton Common which runs between the A438 (Ledbury to Tewkesbury road) and the B4208 (Malvern to Gloucester road).

PARKING

At the top of the common in the Malvern Hills Conservators pay & display car park.

TAKE OFF AREA

Carry up is along the diagonal path to the southern end of the ridge and then walk along the top peak to the North end. DO NOT carry directly up the face. There are a couple of areas that can be used to launch and these are each about big enough for one PG or HG at a time. They are recognisable because they are grassy areas to the east side of the path where there is far less bracken.

LANDING AREAS

On the large common land below the hill that slopes gently to the East. The best landing for Hang Gliders is the strip of common along side the road. Do not over fly the farm at the southern edge of the landing area. Influential farmer has complained !

SITE RULES

There is no explicit ban on flying the hills during the lambing season. However, pilots should avoid landing near any sheep during February and March.

More Articles ...

  1. Pinnacle Hill West
  2. Pinnacle Hill East
  3. Cleeve Hill
  4. Malvern Hills General Site Rules