Gliding
Grassy fields and hilltops serve as take off and landing sites in the National Park for paragliders, hang gliders and sailplanes (gliders). There are great opportunities to try out these sports through recognized schools offering qualified instruction and space for those who prefer to watch from the safety of the ground!
Those already licensed to fly can join the local clubs (see below). Only recognised flying sites are to be used. Visiting pilots should contact the local clubs to find out where they are allowed to fly.
Paragliding and Hang Gliding
The Park and surrounding area offer some of the best sites in the UK for both paragliding and hang gliding. The north facing escarpments of the Park's mountains overlooking the undulating landscapes of mid-Wales, as well as other strategically located hills provide some near perfect take-off sites. Pilots can soar along hill ridges or share a thermal with a buzzard circling high overhead. Hang gliders and paragliders can also make cross-country flights exceeding 300 miles and fly up to 4 miles high!
South East Wales Hang Gliding & Paragliding Club has around 400 members and controls flying at several sites in the Park. Visitors are always welcome on their open sites, provided they repay their hospitality by observing site rules. Many flying sites are subject to agreements with graziers, landowners, and farmers, and rules are often imposed to comply with their requirements. Please help the club to hang on to their sites by behaving responsibly.
All UK pilots must be members of the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (BHPA). Visitors from outside the UK must be able to show that they have adequate third party insurance, and an appropriate FAI pilot rating.
Gliding
The Black Mountains Gliding Club operates from a farm not far from Talgarth. Nestling beneath the northern escarpments of the Black Mountains, amongst normal sheep-speckled fields, is a grassy runway with a windsock. Maybe it's the size of the field, the slope, the trees or the proximity of the mountains themselves, that makes this an airfield said to be for the more experienced pilot!
The local gliding club is both friendly and expert and will welcome you whether you are a novice looking for a trial, tandem flight or a seasoned pilot looking to enjoy the excellent conditions that the area often offers. For more information about gliding see British Gliding Association
