MHGC site guide, Pinnacle Hill and Black Hill

GRID REF
Pinnacle Hill (Kettle Sings): SO768422 (Click to show map or aerial photo. )

Black Hill: SO768407 (Click to show map or aerial photo. )

WIND DIRECTION
East side: NE-ESE (45-120 degrees) Best:- E (90)

West side: WSW-WNW (240-300 degrees) Best:- W (270)

HEIGHT
357 metres (1200 feet). 850 feet TTB

EXTENT OF SITE
To the south you can soar the ridge as far as you like. Near the southern end is another site at Castlemorton, with its own landing field on the common. To the north, flying in ridge lift is permitted only as far north as the top of Worcestershire Beacon, since beyond the next saddle is North Hill where the Malvern Soaring Club fly model aircraft. It is only permitted to continue beyond Worcester Beacon in this direction if you are flying a paraglider and are thermalling up from Worcestershire Beacon towards North Hill, or flying a Hang-glider with adequate safe height above the models. Otherwise do not go north of Worcestershire Beacon.

GRADE OF FLYER
Hang glider and Paraglider pilots must be CP rated and have at least 15 hours experience since qualifying, and must be registered with the Malvern Hang Gliding Club. The registration gives the MHGC a way of vetting pilots, letting them know the rules and helping to avoid incidents. Registration is shown by the MHGC Helmet Sticker.

HAZARDS
1. Below the eastern side of the ridge are extensive built-up areas of roads, houses and trees, containing few emergency landing areas. Be very careful not to get too low when over these built up areas.

2. The Malverns are in an intense military low flying area. If flying midweek then pilots must notify Military Air Traffic on 0800 515544, preferably the previous evening. Quote them the grid ref SO767406 or site ref 4.002

3. There are frequently large gatherings of people at the Three Counties Showground. When such events take place you must comply with the Low Flying Prohibitions of the Air Navigation Order. [Summary: no overflight at less than 1000 feet no landing or takeoff within 1000 metres except with CAA approval]

4. The fields below Black Hill to the East are sloping and are crossed by power lines, some of which follow the hedgerows and are very difficult to see from the air. Beware if attempting an Emergency landing.

5. The Malverns Hills are a "Spineback" ridge so beware of flying your glider in strong winds; getting blown back could be fatal. NEVER GO OVER THE BACK AT LESS THAN 500 ft ABOVE TAKEOFF, IN ANY WIND, DUE TO ROTOR.

6. Note that the site rules do not permit landings on the top of the ridge. Reasons for this are A). Safety: you may get blown back or rotored in on approach, and B). Safety: members of the public generally walk, cycle or ride horses on or near the ridge and you must give them a wide berth in case of pilot error or dragging after touching down.

7. Horses can be ridden on many of the footpaths over the Malvern Hills, as some of them are also bridle-ways. This potential hazard is brought to the attention of all pilots, as horses are easily spooked. All pilots must be extra vigilant when flying, as the paths are not all visible when on the ground.

CAPACITY
East side
This is a large site with 6 miles of soarable ridge, capable of supporting many gliders on a good day.

West side
Only the portion of the ridge between take off and the Wyche Cutting is normally flyable giving a limit of about 10 gliders.

ACCESS
Via the B4232 (Jubilee Drive) running North-South on the West side of the Malverns between the Wyche Cutting and British Camp.

PARKING
In the Malvern Hills Conservators car park over the road from the Kettle Sings cafe for Pinnacle Hill. A second car park one mile further South for Black Hill.

You must purchase and display a parking ticket (Malvern conservators by-law).

East side:- Black Hill. Take off is from the ridge above the car park. It is only suitable in winds E-ESE.

West side:- From the top of Pinnacle Hill only. The Northern hill as you walk up from Kettle Sings car park.

LANDING AREAS
East side:- Since 15th March 2008 the field we have used for many years has been closed to us by the farmer who rents it. This field is identified in the picture to the right. A new landing field has been negotiated to the north of the old field and a little further out from the hill. It is not nearly as easy to reach the new field as it was the old one, especially if you are a bit low, and there are houses on the way to it. Access is via Wood Farm Road, and parking in a lay-bay at the entrance to the field. If you have Google Earth on your PC, click here for a map marker. (Save the marker, then "Open with" Google Earth.)
Since we have started using this field, we have already had concerns expressed, by householders on the flight path, about pilots flying too low over their houses. Therefore, please treat the air over the whole of the built-up housing estate as a no-fly zone unless you have plenty of height. If you are losing height to land, please do NOT do this over the estate, but do it at either end of the field as indicated in the picture. (click it to enlarge). Another point to remember is that this landing field is not "remote and secluded", but is overlooked by about 500 houses. It's not just your landing they may be watching, it's what you might do after the 3 hours in the air that will be observed as well.

The best flight plan is either to slope land back on the hill, or leave the hill with ample height to reach the new field, or go XC.
In emergency, it is suggested you land in the old playing fields diagonally adjacent to the old landing field, to the north east. Should you be forced into using this smaller but closer landing field, access is via a track from Oaklands off Green Lane. Do not obstruct entrances at the end of Oaklands or park on the grass.

The HG landing field is to the South of the Three Counties Showground. The Malvern Hang Gliding Club has been given permission to use the field in an agreement by letter, a copy of which can be found here

West side:- This is not an easy site to fly and the qualifications required are the same as for the east side.

There are two landing fields available, the nearer one can be seen from the hill behind a wood with a barn in the right hand corner. Access is from the South via the track from Evendine Lane. Cars must not block the drive or be taken past the first gate.
Due to the line of trees upwind a severe wind gradient is normally encountered when flying into this field. The other field is easier to land in when the wind is off to the south. It is further out from the hill and to the North, bounded by the railway line and a orchard.
Access is through Upper Colwall via Broadwood Drive. Carry glider out to track under the railway bridge. Do not block the track with vehicles.
DO NOT LAND IN ANY OTHER FIELD, ESPECIALLY SOUTH OF EVENDINE LANE, WHERE INFLUENTIAL LANDOWNERS ARE VERY ANTI HANG/PARAGLIDING.

XC POTENTIAL
Many flights of 70+ miles have been made to the coast, south of Aberystwyth. Often good on ESE or E "blue" days. Maximum distance of over 120 miles to Pembrokeshire has not yet been achieved.

OTHER INFORMATION
Often good in the evening on light wind sunny days, especially if it's not too stable.

Has provided some good thermal flying in unstable nil-wind conditions.

TELEPHONE
At "The Kettle Sings" Cafe.

Follow this link to the full site rules and an application form for a helmet sticker.