Golden Ball - paragliding only

Status

Available all year round but this site may be closed due to farm activities so please check before you fly.

Restricted to Pilot Hill rated pilots who are Full TVHGC members only.  Please see Restrictions.

Wind Direction / Details

SE-S.
South facing escarpment.

Restrictions

Restricted to Pilot Hill rated, Full TVHGC members.  

Reciprocal are currently not allowed to use this site however guests who temporarily join can fly This site is restricted by our agreement with the landowner to members only (Full, Reciprocal or Guest) so non-members wishing to fly the site should obtain Guest Membership status. To procure a 7 day flying membership for guest pilots click here..

XC League

To help police the site – any flights logged on the XC League from Non-TVHGC members will be removed.

Sensitivity

This is a very sensitive site – The agreement can be revoked at any time.
There are lots of horses in this area, often ridden by inexpert riders.  As horses are easily spooked by low flying gliders. Never fly low over horses.
It always helps to take time to stop and talk to other people using the tracks, preventing problems developing.

In summer this site is only to be flown with the intention of going XC (cross country), in order to minimise impact on the hill and to comply with the landowner’s wishes. 

Location

OS Grid Ref SU 127638, Landranger 173, Pathfinder 1185.

Directions

Take the A4 out of Marlborough towards Chippenham/Devizes.
After approx 3 miles turn left to Lockeridge and follow the road for about 3.5 miles.
Turn left into carpark .

Parking

In the Golden Ball / Knap hill public car park.
Be aware that car thieves have operated in this area.

Access

No vehicular access beyond the public car park. Walk to take off using the footpaths and access points provided

Take Off

Approximate elevation 260m/765’ AMSL
Setup and take-off area limited to Golden Ball - the first field beyond the access gate at Knapp Hill

Landing

There is no designated top landing area.
There is no designated slope landing area
There is no Bottom landing.

Hazards

There may be paragliders tow launching from the field behind this site.

XC

Please study your Air-map carefully; you are close to Lyneham airspace but from August 2011 the class D airspace and ATZ has been deactivated and the ATZ temporarily. Check NOTAMs for Lyneham to check if any aspect of the airspace or ATZ have been reactivated. Previously as a rough guide when the airspace was in operation a common route is to fly towards Marlborough; the hills just north of the town are the best bet. At its eastern end the CTR conveniently runs right along the A346 Marlborough to Swindon road, and its southern extremity meets the road about halfway between two obvious villages, Ogbourne St George and Badbury. Stay on the right hand side of this road as you go north and you are clear of airspace. After this, climbs can be found at the golf course north of Marlborough and east of the main road, Whitefields, Liddington or the continuation of Sugar north of the M4.

Uffington Castle has proved to mark a reliable thermal source. The crux is getting back up after the long glide from cloudbase over the chalk ridges near Uffington into the low ground in the Vale of the White Horse.  After that the Thames pretty much marks the Brize Norton airspace - stay south of the Thames, and the airspace becomes much easier after Oxford.

Golden Ball Site Map

© Crown Copyright 1998. All rights reserved. Licence no. AL 100037720