THERE IS A SITE NEAR YOU.

OK. So winter is here. Days are short, thermals are in short supply and you cant get very excited about ten minutes soaring at milk hill. Yes, I know the feeling - but flying at this time of year can be a challenge! Why not fly a site near your home?

I live in Reading and there are something in the order of thirty sites or potential sites within an hours drive of my home. Now I'm not talking big mountains, but soarable hills, none the less! Well you are lucky then, I hear - but have you looked in your neck of the woods? Maybe you live in Alton, Basingstoke, Camberley, Dorking, Ealing, Farnham, Guildford, Henley, I, J, K or London makes no difference. The hill may be only forty feet high but if it is steep enough it could be flyable.

The first thing to do is go to your local library and get some Ordianece Survey maps out. There is a new Explorer series available now, which is great, covering two and a half inches to the mile, or the old Pathfinder series at the same scale. These are perfect for our purposes. Open the map lay it out on your floor and start looking for closely packed contour lines. Don't be put off by indications of trees! Chinnor ridge (a Dunstable Hang Gliding Club site) in the Chilterns is long and covered in trees but there is a take off area half way along it!

Once you have found a few likely looking places on the map get in your car and go check them out. Is there good access? Is there a good take off area? Bottom landing area? If the answer to these questions is positive and the ridge is free of cables find out who owns the land. Here lunch in the local pub and you will find out who you need to approach for permission.

Go along to see the landowner or tenant farmer with a positive attitude. Make it clear that you only wish to try one flight from his hill and that you fully respect his wishes, if he should say no. Chances are that for a one off he will say yes.

After that initial flight, if it looks promising then thank him profusely and offer to walk his dogs, cot the grass or what ever.

All you have to do then is let the club sites office know all the details and leave it up to him. It's his job to do the negotiating on behalf of the club.

Finally if you are a fairly inexperienced pilot then ask your instructor to come along and try it out on your behalf. There may be factors about the site that you hadn't realised that could create dangers. If you are experienced, make sure you fly with a fellow pilot and enjoy the thrill of being a site pioneer.

Good hunting!

Mike Hibbit