Uffington White Horse

 

NB.  ALL our flying sites are MEMBERS ONLY!

 

Please make sure that your membership is up to date. If not, kindly join now and become a new member of Thames Valley Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club.

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Status

Limited Access. Site is closed during Bank Holiday weekends and all the weekends during the school summer holidays. Restricted to BHPA Pilot or Advanced Pilot rated pilots (Hill) only.  The car park at Uffington White Horse is managed by the National Trust.  Please check the National Trust website for further details and follow their guidance.

 

Wind Direction / Details

NW - NNE

 

Restrictions

This is a sensitive site with the National Trust.  Please only park in the official car park.  Only take off and land back at launch or bottom land in the campsite field.  Do not slope land anywhere else, especially on the horse or back towards the car park.  This has been explicit in the rules given by the National Trust.  If you have any questions ask a member of the committee.

 

Sensitivity

The National Trust owns and regulates our use of this site. There are lots of horses in this area, often ridden by inexpert riders. Horses are easily spooked by low flying gliders. Never fly low over horses. This is a popular tourist attraction.

 

Location

OS Grid Ref: SU 302 868 

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https://what3words.com/grove.painting.intelligible

 

Directions

Follow National Trust signposts for “Uffington White Horse”

 

Parking

Park in the main National Trust “Pay and Display” car park. The license for this site restricts us to only parking in this car park. Do not park in the disabled car park unless you are eligible to do so, on the side of the road or in the passing places, even to unload gliders.

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Access

From the main NT car park take the footpaths to the White Horse.

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Take Off

Approximate elevation: 250m/820’ AMSL. Anywhere along the slope to the East of the White Horse (NNE wind) or from the summit area well clear of the footpath (NW wind).

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Landing

Top landing should be restricted to the take-off areas only. The bottom landing field is the big grassy field to the east of the road. 

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Hazards

Beware of rotor from the spur leading down to “Dragon hill”.  Do not attempt to use the NW take-off if the wind is east of north or the NNE take-off if the wind is west of north. This is a popular site for flying model gliders – please have a friendly chat with them before flying; they have as much right to fly there as we do.   When approaching the bottom landing field avoid turbulence from Dragon Hill.

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XC

If you plan to go XC from this site get as high as you can before leaving the hill.  There are few roads in the first 10 kms or so towards Lambourn, which is one of the largest centres of racehorse training in England, so be very careful selecting a suitable field in the event of having to land out.