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Longridge Site Guide PDF Print E-mail
Written by Administrator   
Thursday, 14 June 2007
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Longridge Site Guide
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OS Ref: SD 644 406 (Sheet 102)
Wind: NNW - NNE (clockwise)
Rating: CP
Height ASL: 1000ft (300m)
Top - Bottom: Varies
NOTAM: Give OS reference
   
Directions:

From Longridge follow the signs for Longridge Golf Club. Pass the golf club and continue to the public car park at SD601402. From Clitheroe take the B6243.

Access:

Park in the car park area and go through the gate at the east end of the car park. Follow the track until a path turns towards the ridge at a stone post. The rigging and launch area is the edge of the grass field just before the heather and next to the edge of the ridge.

Airspace:

The airspace above the hill is at FL55. Behind the hill the airspace drops to 4500ft ASL at Blackburn, 3500 ft ASL at the M65, and then to ground level beyond the M62

Picture:

Taken by Simon Scott flying a powered hang glider with Phil Bradshaw (in shot) on his class 2, also with power. This shot clearly shows the east end of the ridge that is forested.

Safety:

As the name suggests this is a very long site and has a large top landing area. It is prone to wave and due to the effects of the Bowland massif in front this can give very rough and variable wind conditions. At the east end of the site the area behind the hill is wooded and care is required especially on a paraglider to avoid being pinned by increasing winds. When top landing land well back from the edge to avoid rotor.

The bottom landing field slopes and is unsuitable for hang gliders unless very experienced and capable of a downwind upslope landing in light winds. An area of increased turbulence is found between the take off area and the car park due to the tall trees upwind

Hang Gliders:

Longridge is an excellent site for Hang Gliding with much more ridge to work than Winter hill, however there is no 'suitable' official bottom landing field at the time of writing. Pilots should only fly if soaring flight is possible and even then be confident that they are able to land at the bottom safely if conditions deteriorate whilst in the air. Top landing is easy, but be aware that the slope can result in an 'overshoot' if the approach was made too close to the edge. The slope is worse closer to the car park end of the field. Always approach with plenty of speed to counter the wind gradient.

Paragliders:

Landing is possible on the side of the hill above the fence but care is needed as the slope is steep. Avoid landing in the heather areas to the east of take off as this area is farmed for grouse. The wind can increase quickly as wave sets in so care must be taken to avoid being pinned. This is especially true as the wind backs to the west, as commonly happens when the sea breeze starts to take effect during summer months.

The bottom landing field is the large triangular field, which has a gateway onto the roadway at the 90-degree bend. The landing field slopes but is long enough to safely land a paraglider. Be careful not to stall the glider by slowing too much trying to fly down to the slope. There are power lines in the bottom of the field.

Restrictions:

The site will be closed when grouse shooting is taking place on the moors along the hillside.

The site must only be used by members of the Pennine Soaring Club.

XC Potential:

As the hill takes northerly (unstable) air flows and slopes away gently to the south it can be relatively easy to get away from on a cross country. It's potential is limited by Manchester airspace, but flights have been made to Winter Hill and beyond.

Site records:

HG: not known

PG: John Murphy, 43.2km, ending up at Skemersdale, height gain 4000ft, duration 3.25h, 2002/03/02, glider: Airwave Magic

 



 
Latest Message: 2010/08/26 Thu 14:08 - 1 week, 3 days ago
  • Dale Pickard : Congratulations to Richard Butterworth, a member of the PSC and our Membership Secretary, who has won the British Paragliding cup 2010. An excellent result.
  • John Roddam : Anyone lose a radio at Pendle yesterday - call me on 07967107593
  • Matthew Cassidy : Is anyone heading out tommorrow? I might make it an early one at edenfield before the girlfriend wakes up!!
  • Austin Pinkney : Can someone please text me the number for the gate on Winterhill 07743351696 thanks
  • Dave Evans : Excellent, use your PGforum logon to put them onto Leonardo too.
  • Andrew McLoughlin : I'm gonna get me some of them der loop flights :roll:
  • Dave Evans : If anyone else uses "Leonardo" «link» please let me know, I'll link to your flights on the loop league. It's free and very easy to use, login and password is shared with paraglidingforum
  • Dale Pickard : 37 min flight at Parlick today, to Fairsnape and back before the rain started. Good to be in the air again.
  • Dave Evans : Nice work by Graham Jones, up to 4th in the loop flight league. 19 flights entered so far, nearly all from Parlick.
  • Dave Evans : Dales round of the N54 this weekend. please see «link» for more information.

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