If unsure, check with one of the club coaches before flying.
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Height 280 ‘ asl. top to bottom 270’.
Nice gently-rounded field for launch. Can be covered in bracken & brambles at some times of the year, so PG’s beware snagging lines and check extra carefully before launch. HG’s may need to clear some space for a run.
Not difficult for PG’s in moderate winds. In strong winds it can be difficult to lose height on the take off area because of the compression on the top of the hill. The field immediately behind the barbed wire fence is top landable if not in crop. The trig point field is also landable, but has claimed a few uprights.
Easy for paragliders and essential if there is no beach and you are getting low.
On green to north of village, or on beach at low tide.
In a true easterly, given a little height, it should be possible to make the green just beyond the swings. But there is often some north in the direction and this may make it impossible to reach the green.
SEE THE COMMENTS RE BEACH LANDING IN HAZARDS
Landing at the green, lose height just behind the road, but if too far back you may end up in someone’s back garden if blown back!
It is a long glide across the village to reach the L/Z at the green.
If there is any north in the wind it may not be possible to make the green l/z, so a beach landing will be necessary. At times the beach has been badly eroded and there may be no beach as far as the slipway which will leave no easy bottom landing options. Check the beach before flying and if getting low an early decision should be made to slope land in front of take off.
Beware of obstacles on the beach: it can be crowded in the summer, and there are usually fishermen and dingies at any time of year. Beware of masts.
The field immediately below the NE corner can be used in an emergency, but beware power lines and possible rotor.
In summer there may be bracken on take off, be careful to clear risers before launching. An accident occured some years ago after an accidental take off with a snagged riser. There may be dinghies on the beach, beware of masts. At some states of the tide there may be no beach. Landing in the sea is a real danger as the beach shelves steeply. There is very limited bottom landing to the south of take off except at a very low tide. If forced to land behind the terrace of houses, beware rotor and power lines.
Best direction easterly.
The NE corner of the hill is also flyable, but a short beat. When conditions are suitable, with a true easterly it’s possible to fly to Hallsands and back and several pilots have crossed the Hallsands beach and flown the Start Point ridge.
There are very limited bottom landing options along the coast and Start Point ridge is a spine back with the sea beyond and no bottom landing. ENE can help you across, but makes getting back difficult.
See note re bottom landing in a NE’ly.
Approach via the A379 Kingsbridge to Dartmouth road, turn off at the mini-roundabout at Stokenham. Follow the road towards Start Point and take left turn for Beesands. There is an unofficial one way system which can be helpful to avoid getting stuck in narrow lanes. Into Beesands take the road straight on from the left turn mentioned, but coming out take the left fork signed Kingsbridge.
There is top access for hang gliders from the road leading to Middlecombe Farm.
From Beesands travel a mile west to a T-junction, turn sharp left for a short distance to the top of the hill and then check the notice on the gate to a track leading across the top of the hill to the coast. Usually cars can drive across the edge of the first couple of fields to a gate on the left hand side, into a field with a concrete Trig point in the centre. Turn into this field, and drive parallel to the hedge keeping to one track only through the grass to minimise damage and then park by the gate.
Pass hang glider unrigged over the barbed wire fence by the gap in the hedge.
In front of cottages, the car park by the swings, or dirt track alongside the green. (l/z)
Take the coast path from behind the last cottage along the sea front. 50 m beyond the gate take the second track on the right and follow it up and around the base of the take off hill. On the right there is a gap in the bushes which will take you to the top of the hill. Not an easy carry for a hang glider as it’s a narrow steep path. As mentioned there is top access for hang gliders.
Sat Nav directions to parking.
Dial 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.
If you cannot make voice calls, you can now contact the 999 Emergency Services by SMS. Note: You must register this prior to an emergency.
You will need to provide the following information:
