Logo

Cumbria Soaring Club

Please make sure you check the online site guide for any updates before flying

W - NW

Haig Pit

Key Facts

Status : OK
IMPORTANT - Restrictions on use
- If new to the site it is strongly recommended to carefully read the hazard notes!

Last Updated : 24/03/2023 at 16:54 by Rick Livingstone
Wind : W - NW Nil Wind : N
Grid Ref : NX965177 Height (AMSL) : 220' / 67m
Site Code : none Top to Bottom : 220' / 67m

Location

W Lakes - Whitehaven

Details

A large site giving plenty of room for all on a good day.

Before you take off, you need to be confident you can top land because YOU WILL NOT LIKE the alternatives!

Not a friendly site, unsuitable for unsupervised novice CPs.

Site Officer

Rick Livingstone : 07761187016

Access

Postcode for Sat Nav Systems

CA28 9BG

Haig Colliery Mining Museum. This is shown on both 1:25000 and 1:50000 maps as the museum just to the south of the parking area.

Getting There

Directions are quite difficult to give, even with a map:

You need to get to the Haig Mining Museum. There is a good map here http://www.visitcumbria.com/wc/haig-colliery-mining-museum/

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.

XC potential

To the South:
It is not difficult to fly 3.2 km south to a large bowl.
Going further it is a good idea only fly out to the lighthouse if you have just witnessed somebody returning successfully and you are an experienced pilot. If you attempt this, constantly monitor your height - top land while it's still an option, and beware turbulence behind the cliff spurs! St Bees is possible for the brave. There is a possible bottom landing halfway to St Bees at Fleswick Bay; but only if the tide is out!

To the North:
Flights across the harbour onto the cliffs at Bransty have been achieved, then to Parton, Lowca and on to Harrington. It needs a buoyant air day, lots of height (and make sure you're wearing your brave pants!)

Permission to use site

No need to ask.

Briefing

Hazards

Not a friendly site and unsuitable for unsupervised novice CPs.

There is an arkward fence which has to be flown over on the along 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 ABSOLUTELY NO LANDING AT ALL below the cliff top here.

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....

BE WARNED, the Haig tops the list for incidents at our coastal sites... it takes no prisoners and pilots have many scary tales!

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.

Landing Areas

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

Flying

See Hazard Notes.

XC potential

To the South:
It is not difficult to fly 3.2 km south to a large bowl.
Going further it is a good idea only fly out to the lighthouse if you have just witnessed somebody returning successfully and you are an experienced pilot. If you attempt this, constantly monitor your height - top land while it's still an option, and beware turbulence behind the cliff spurs! St Bees is possible for the brave. There is a possible bottom landing halfway to St Bees at Fleswick Bay; but only if the tide is out!

To the North:
Flights across the harbour onto the cliffs at Bransty have been achieved, then to Parton, Lowca and on to Harrington. It needs a buoyant air day, lots of height (and make sure you're wearing your brave pants!)

Haig Pit Map