Managing club: South East Wales Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club · Access: open
Site briefing
Planning information for Blorenge
Take-off
Vehicular access to take-off is restricted to approved permit holders only. Access for all other pilots is by foot only (a long carry up).
IMPORTANT: If taking off from the bowl, it is possible to feel the wind on your face, when in fact the prevailling wind is coming over the back and you will launch into rotor. Please use the weather station to ascertain the wind direction aligns with what you are taking off into.
The SE take-off is shallow. There is a risk of not clearing the ledge. The NE Bowl is a committed take-off, for paragliders there is a significant risk of not clearing the ledge below and so the flat take off area should be avoided. When windy it is often turbulent behind take off. Beware of being dragged into the Hut, or parked cars! Hang gliders should use a nose man whenever possible. Hang gliders should always take-off from the very edge of the bowl, even in nil wind. The Northwest take-off is quite friendly.
A view of the top of the Blorenge. The NE facing bowl is in the middle of the image, while the NW side of the Blorenge is on the right of the image. Photo courtesy of Harry Bloxham.
Landing
All top landings can be turbulent, land well back to avoid rotor. The SE top landing area (A) is difficult for hang gliders due to the angle of the slope. The NE top landing area (B) is rough ground, watch out for the craters towards the front. Paragliders slope landing in the NE Bowl should watch out for the trees. The NW top landing (C) is fairly smooth, but slopes gently towards take-off.
Paragliders slope landing below the NW face should watch out for rocks hidden in the bracken. Paragliders can sometimes find the bottom landing field at Castle Meadows (D) difficult to reach. Once over the power lines there is no turning back if met by heavy sink. Paragliders in any doubt about making it safely to Castle Meadows should make an early decision to slope land on the side of the Blorenge.
Landing fields F and G are only to be used in an emergency; for example when crossing the powerlines to Castle Meadows (D) is impossible due to an unfortunate encounter with sinking air. Access to these fields is via Faccenda, a Turkey processing plant accessible from the A465 westbound, approx 200m from the Hardwick Roundabout. There is plenty of parking available and drivers should explain to the security guards in the hut that they are accessing the property to recover paraglider pilots. Egress is onto the A4042 northbound which is shortly before the aforementioned roundabout.
South East Wales sites often have very large, undefined take off and top landing areas, which may change position according to conditions. To avoid the potential for collision, pilots making a top landing should keep well away from gliders taking off, who may in some cases have limited visibility.
Access and parking
From Abergavenny on the B4269 or from Llanfoist or Blaenavon on the B4246.
Parking 1 Keepers Pond
Latitude: N51.790259
Longitude: W003.081824
Parking 2 Antenna Parking
Latitude: N51.790573
Longitude: W003.069620
Parking 3 Viewing Point Car Park
Latitude: N51.792264
Longitude: W003.059462
Park only in the car parks, do not park on the roads, verges or passing places. Parking on top of the mountain for key holders should be as far back from T/O as possible in lumpy ground behind hut.
Local guidance
Hazards and cautions
Beware of high voltage power lines in the valley and rotor behind take-off.
A view of the Punch Bowl on the East side of the Blorenge (photo taken from cloud base). Don’t try to land down here as there are no landing options.
Forecasts are planning aids, not safety clearance. Check current observations, official airspace and NOTAM information, local rules and your own experience before every flight.