Lake District — West Cumbria - Whitehaven · Paragliding site

Haig Pit paragliding site and weather forecast

Live seven-day flying weather with launch direction, altitude and local site information for Haig Pit.

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Altitude18 m
Launch directionsNot recorded
Coordinates54.5418, -3.6029
AreaLake District — West Cumbria - Whitehaven

Managing club: Cumbria Soaring Club · Access: open

Site briefing

Planning information for Haig Pit

Take-off

A flat grassy take off but with a public footpath to cross at the lip and a fence just down from the lip. Hence care and consideration required. The footpath is well used by dog walkers, some of whom do not pick up their dog's poo! Be careful, especially if you are flying a pod harness!

Landing

Top landable for PGs and a lower option in front of take-off, if you haven't the height. Other than this, there are a lot of large boulders and water. Only top landable for HGs

Access and parking

Car park OS grid ref: NX966176 Directions are quite difficult to give, even with a map: From the A595 at the south edge of Whitehaven take the road for St Bees and Sandwith, then follow signs for Kells and the Mining Museum. Parking & take off are next to the Haig Mining Museum which is sign-posted. Or: From the west side of Whitehaven town centre, drive up Rosemary Lane (on the left of the only multi-storey car park in town). This leads onto High Road, take the third right, Solway Road, immediately right, and immediately right again onto the Mining Museum Car Park next to the rugby field. Parking & take off are next to the Haig Mining Museum which is sign-posted. A print out of the Whitehaven street map from the site guide OS or Google maps may be useful. If you decide not to drive up to the museum, from the town you can drive along the southern side of the harbour to the car park at the end of the road, then carry your gear south. The tarmac path rises and goes around the obvious candlestick tower landmark, it's about quarter of a mile to the usual take off. Getting to takeoff Driveable or follow the description given. Permission to use site None needed.

Local guidance

Hazards and cautions

  • Not a friendly site and unsuitable for unsupervised novice CPs.
  • There is an awkward fence which has to be flown over on the edge of take off!
  • Experience at top landing required. (There are very limited opportunities for slope landing and virtually no bottom landing except boulders and the sea!)
  • When top landing, keep forwards towards the lip to avoid possible rotor, or land well back.
  • There is a small terrace mid cliff in front of take off which can be slope landed; otherwise, if you get low, you are in the hands of Lady Luck!
  • If going from the south bowl out along the sandstone cliffs to the St Bees lighthouse, constantly monitor your height and top land while it's still an option!
  • There is no landing below the cliff top along this stretch.
  • Note that there are several turbulence inducing lumps on the Haig cliffs and, if the wind is off the hill, the turbulence they cause is exacerbated. Plus the further off the hill the wind is the more it tends to run parallel with the cliff, resulting in poor lift....

Authoritative sources

Check current site guidance

Explore nearby

Paragliding sites near Haig Pit

St Bees6 km awayGrike13 km awayMaryport21 km awayBurnbank Fell15 km awayWasdale23 km awayKirk Fell22 km away

Forecasts are planning aids, not safety clearance. Check current observations, official airspace and NOTAM information, local rules and your own experience before every flight.

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