Swinside
North West Lakes - North of Crummock
WSW - NW + Nil Wind
Overview
A beautiful site that can provide classic scenic Lakes flying with easy, safe take offs and good landing options.
Works best in west to NW winds, but can be flown OK in the more limiting WSW winds.
Can sea breeze early, but will continue working although with reduced lift.
Suitable for novice CPs as long as they don't stray from the site and they respect both windy days and strongly thermic days.
Offers various XC opportunities from short first steps to full on epic mountain flights for the experienced.
Important!
Only access the site via the described routes 1 or 2.
Keep out of the large field on the NW nose of the fell, east of the 226 spot height (see photo 2 and site guide map).
The land owner can see this field from his home. If he sees pilots there we could lose this site.
THIS FIELD SHOULD ONLY BE USED IN AN EMERGENCY.
Never land in the fields immediately adjacent to, or immediately across the road from the farm named 'The Hope' on the site guide map.
Please, never climb the dry stone wall.
Especially where the fence meets the wall as at Photo 4.
At the request of the landowner there is no stile, if you must cross the fence do so at a strong point.
Access
Car park OS grid ref: NY175252
Getting There
From Keswick take the B5292 off the A66 and head for Whinlatter Pass. About 1 km after the top of the pass turn left onto a narrow single-track road sign-posted 'Hopebeck'. Follow this round into the Lorton Valley and again turn left at the next junction.
Parking for Access Route 1:
There is a field gate on the left at map ref NY175252. It is possible to park on the wide roadside verge near here, but please do not park opposite the gate or in any way hamper access for tractors or vehicles with trailers.
Parking for Access Route 2:
Drive through the first fell gate and descend to the parking area on the left just before the second fell gate.
Getting to takeoff
Route 1
From the gate go up the field and through the sheep pen, carry straight on up the path to above the bracken line, then cut right contouring round the hill until you meet the wall. Follow the wall until a corner where it meets the fence, theres a big rusty roll of wire. Take care not to damage any dry stone walling or fencing. (see photo 4).
There are many suitable take offs, higher or lower and either side of the fence, suiting W to NW winds. In light winds, ascend the fell to the big flat take off area higher up.
Route 2
There is access all the way up to the top of the fell from the the old quarry where you can park at the foot of the fell (photo 5), pilots may take off and land anywhere on this fellside above the road.
Take off is a direct ascent from the car park to above the heather line, so the walk up is hard! The best way (only obvious when you walk down) is to walk along the track SSE from the car park for around 100 metres. Look for 2 runnels going directly up the fell. Take the right hand runnel, after inspecting the landing area, and walk directly up the fell. Towards the top of the runnel look closely for an indistinct track on the left going diagonally up the fell. This will take you steadily up although it peters out near the top. Get above the heather beds to find the grassy take off.
Permission to use site
Ms C England, The Hope. (NY167240)
Mr W Shields & Family, Scales Farm. (NY166254)
Mr J Hope, Cornhow Farm. (NY151223)
Mr J Meadley, High Bewaldeth. (NY224343)
Flying
Hazards
Take care in freshening winds, if you get blown back you will almost certainly be in rotor and there are limited escape options if this happens.
Beware turbulence if you are losing height and might drop behind/downwind of Dodd
Inexperienced pilots should take care if slope landing on the steep heathery fellside.
Take Off
Generally the take off areas are west of the ridge line fence, between the fence and the heather beds.
Take offs at the top of the fell are more reassuringly further from the fence than those lower down.
Landing Areas
We have permission to land in the following areas:
In the field at the start of Access Route 1, provided we do not unduly disturb any stock.
At the foot of the fell above Route 2 parking.
In any of the fields north west of the Hopebeck road between High Swinside and the Whinlatter pass junction.
Flying
Works best in W to NW winds, but can be flown OK in the more limiting WSW winds.
Can sea breeze early, but will continue working although with reduced lift.
Using 'access route 1' combined with the main landing field is the best option here for hang gliders.
XC potential
Opportunities for XC flying and exploring up and down the Lorton & Buttermere valleys and beyond are superb.
Short out & return XCs north onto Kirk Fell and south to Dodd and Whiteside are good XC starter routes.
For experienced mountain XC pilots, flights to Keswick by various routes are frequently achieved and it is possible to connect via Borrowdale across Thirmere and then up or down the Helvelyn range, with the rest of the eastern Lake District at your feet!
