North Hill
SITE TYPE | COASTAL | LOCATION | 51.2196 / -3.5008 | |
SITE ACCESS | OPEN | GRID REF. | SS952477 | |
PILOT RATING | CP | TAKE OFF | ||
WIND DIRECTION | N - NE | PARKING | ||
BEST | NNE | HEIGHT | 624 feet (190m) | |
XC POTENTIAL | UNLIKELY | TOP - BOTTOM | 624 feet (190m) |
Site Rules​
-
If bottom landing below take off avoid cropped fields and livestock​
-
​If HG and PG present ensure adequate communication on take off
Hazards​
-
If top landing, never fly South of the road, as you will probably be blown over back of hill into rotor.
-
Beware of steep wind gradient as launch is low on the hill
-
The hill is spine backed. Do not get sucked over the back low
-
Limited bottom landing options further along the ridge
-
True wind direction may be hard to judge especially if off to the East
About​
A magnificent site with the potential of a 40km ridge run for the experienced pilot. The site is open to all levels however LAT pilots should ensure they have a thorough site briefing from a pilot who is familiar with the site.
Coastal soaring is often considered to be safer than inland, thermic flying however the club sees more accidents on the coast than inland each year. Robin Wallace (Wessex HGPG) has produced an excellent guide to the dangers and pitfalls of coastal flying which should be essential reading for all pilots:-
Access & Parking
Drive along the High Street in Minehead and follow signs for North Hill. At the top of the hill, on the right, is a campsite. Soon after, on the right, take the concrete track and turn left to the car park
what3words - ///messy.suave.daffodils
​
Carry down the path from the car park to the large cleared area which is take off
what3words - ///goodbyes.cropping.explain
Guidlines
A relativly easy take off for PG and HG. True wind direction can be hard to judge as the shape of the hill may be making it feel more on than it actually is and this effect is more marked as the wind moves towards NE.
This site is usually only flown during the winter months, October - late March, as the Bristol Channel exerts a considerable influence on the wind direction during the warmer months.
​
The take off is small and good communication is essential if both PG and HG pilots are taking off. As the take off is lower than the main ridge the wind may seem lighter than it actually is. Take care to properly assess the wind speed before attempting to launch.
Bottom Landing
There is little or no bottom landing to the West of launch. If getting low ensure you can reach one of the bottom landing options
​
The PG bottom landing is at Greenaleigh Farm, immediately below take-off,
what3words - ///bluntly.puddings.darkest.
This is also the emergency HG bottom landing. All the fields slope towards the sea. To retrieve, go half way down North Hill to sharp right hand bend with stone cross. Turn left there into track to Greenaleigh Farm.
A second bottom landing option is the narrow grass triangle just to the NW of Minehead Harbour. Retrieve is straight forward from where the road ends past the harbour.
what3words - ///tomato.champions.snippets
​
Possibly the best bottom landing option is on Minehead Beach in front of Butlins holiday camp. The beach may be narrow on high tides and will be crowded in the Summer requiring good spot landing skills
what3words - ///pitching.succeed.perfected
Top Landing
HG - Around the car park in the V in the road near Bratton Ball, West of take-off.
​
PG - There is now a sizeable stand of birch trees immediately to the West of the take off area making a very careful assessment of the wind necessary if you intend to land in the vicinity of take off.
It may be possible to land further to the west in clearings in the vegetation but assess carefully first.
XC Potential
Soaring from Minehead to Bossington Hill. Jump gap west to Porlock Hill for a 26 mile coastal ridge run to Ilfracombe. This is a technical coast run with limited landing options if conditions change and should only be attempted by experienced pilots.​
Airspace
None
All pilots using Devon & Somerset Condors HGPG sites must be current BHPA flying members, hold a minimum rating of CP Hill and obtain a site brief from a pilot who regularly flies the site.
The information contained in this document is provided purely as guidance. It is not intended to be an exhaustive guide to the hazards that may be encountered and it is the responsibility of individual pilots to carry out their own assessment of the site and weather conditions before making a decision to fly.
Neither the Devon & Somerset Condors Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club, authors of this guide, editors of this guide, any official or member of the club in any way accept liability for any accident, injury, or loss, to any person, resulting from free flying activities or the use of this guide.