Take-off
Please park with consideration to the holiday park customers. You may be asked for a £5 parking fee so please pay this without protest. Parking should only be in the spaces up by the corral style fence and not anywhere by the caravans. The site is closed in school spring and summer holidays. The take off is a sharp edged cliff and will inevitably generate rotor. Be prepared for collapses as you launch and to abort if necessary. The site is bounded on the Western end by the Straight Point Firing Range. This is an MOD live fire range primarily used by the Royal Marines. Under no circumstances overfly the range Pilots should make a good assessment of the beach landing options before launching. The beach has now been eroded down to bedrock and it is likely that no beach will be available unless on a low spring tide. At mid to high tide times there is little or NO bottom landing. Even if it is possible to land on the beach there are now large boulders strewn there and no access back to take off apart from a long walk back via Budleigh. Be aware that this site has suffered severe coastal erosion and, because there is no reasonable access to or from the beach, take off should NOT be attempted unless conditions will definitely allow soaring. The site is not suitable for inexperienced pilots. If the true wind is only slightly off to the South i.e 170 deg., Beer Head or Branscombe would be safer alternatives. Never overfly the Holiday Park or World of Country Life or attempt to land there. The World of Country Life has animals easily frightened by paragliders & Hawkridge Birds of Prey within the site has a public demonstration arena with free flying hawks & owls. They train their birds, even in winter. Before flying it is necessary to check with the Hawkridge Birds of Prey office 07843098727, to confirm that your flight plan will not conflict with their activities. Please do not fly this site between 1300 and 1330 hours on any flyable day as the birds will definitely be flying at this time. If in doubt whether anyone has called ask on either of the Condors' Telegram groups. The Birds of Prey operator, Richard Beech, asks that we do not fly above the cliff top until we reach the golf course when his birds are training/flying, normally several times a day e.g. 1100, 1300 1500.