About this flying site
**South East Wales Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club - Members only site** A fairly friendly site. Often flyable when Merthyr is blown out for paragliders.
Fochriw paragliding site and weather forecast
SE Wales / Black Mountains. Live seven-day flying weather, launch directions and site information for Fochriw.
Altitude444 m
Launch directionsW
Coordinates51.7350, -3.3067
AreaSE Wales / Black Mountains
Managing club: South East Wales Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club · Access: open
Flying profile
Best Workable Not recorded
Fochriw is a hill site in SE Wales / Black Mountains with a recorded launch elevation of 444 m. It works best in westerly winds, and can also work in south-westerly and north-westerly winds. Pilots fly it for ridge soaring and thermal, using foot launch.
- Terrain
- hill
- Lift
- ridge soaring and thermal
- Launch
- foot launch
- Cross-country
- Not recorded
Recent forecast scores
Day scores for Fochriw from Magic Skyweed's latest forecast runs (17 Sept, 11:35 UTC), on our 0–100 flying scale. The live forecast scores every hour against your own glider and limits.
- Mon 21 Sept39/100 No-go · ridgelow confidence
- Tue 22 Sept39/100 No-go · ridgelow confidence
When the wind is wrong for Fochriw
The nearest site we have rated for each wind direction Fochriw doesn't cover.
Blorengenortherly wind, 19 km away · South East Wales Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club · 531 m · N, NE, E, NW launchPontlottynnorth-easterly wind, 2 km away · South East Wales Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club · 426 m · NE launchEbbw Valeeasterly wind, 7 km away · South East Wales Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club · 442 m · E launchTalybontsouth-easterly or southerly wind, 14 km away · South East Wales Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club · 646 m · SE, S, SW launch
Site briefing highlights
Short extracts from South East Wales Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club and ParaglidingEarth. Read the full guide before you fly.
Take-off
Carry up the face of the hill to take-off. A short but sharp carry up. Beware of the many deep fissures close to the edge of the hill. The ground will be boggy at the foot of the hill if it has been raining.
Landing
There is a large flat top landing area. Bottom land at on the up-slope side of the mine track (see map). Do not land on the other side of the track, or in any of the fields.
Access and parking
If coming from A470 take the Bogey road (through the Miller Argent open cast mine) to a T-junction. At the T-junction go right, then pull up on the right at the lay-by and park.
Flight rules
Members Only - This site may only be flown by members of the SE Wales Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club, and by members of the Welsh Free Flight Federation.
Hazards and cautions
- The easy access and limited but friendly ridge space can make this site very busy at times, so make sure you are proficient at flying with others. At the South end watch out for paramotors taking off from, or landing at, Bedlinog.
- Especially beware of electricity cables and a structure with a spiked fence near the parking. For this reason never try to land next to the parking area – land at the recognised bottom landing and walk to the parking area.
Check current site guidance
Paragliding sites near Fochriw
Pontlottyn2 km away · South East Wales Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club · 426 m · NE launchMerthyr Common2 km away · South East Wales Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club · 416 m · W launchAbertysswg4 km away · South East Wales Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club · 395 m · W, NW launchEbbw Vale7 km away · South East Wales Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club · 442 m · E launchBlaenavon13 km away · South East Wales Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club · 550 m · NE launchTalybont14 km away · South East Wales Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club · 646 m · SE, S, SW launch
Forecasts are planning aids, not safety clearance. Check current observations, official airspace and NOTAM information, local rules and your own experience before every flight.
More paragliding sites in the UK · Read the paragliding weather guide