Windbank/Hawkswick
Last edited on: 28 Jan 2024
Important information
Parking fee now £3.00.
If not collected at the landing field, the parking fees should be now taken to the main farmhouse at Old North Cote Farm which is the original farmhouse in front of Kilnsey Crag. There should be a collection vessel at the end of the lane next to the concrete milk stand so you dont have to get muddy in the yard. Otherwise a payment box will be in the porch of the farmhouse.
At the landing field, parking locations as before.
Please do not fly here if there is a shoot taking place. The shooting season is 12 Aug - 1 Feb. Over this period please park near the cattle grid, not by the plantation which is particularly sensitive.
Status
Open
This site is open but please read the information on this page carefully.
Sites officer
South (Turn on JavaScript!)
Location
Lat, long: 54.138092, -2.069956
OS grid reference: Windbank - SD 966704. Hawkswick – SD 951713
Wind direction
SW (205 – 245)
Height
Windbank – 1230ft AMSL. 450ft top to bottom Hawkswick – 1290ft AMSL. 625ft top to bottom
Grade of pilot
All grades.
Parking
Windbank (See Rules for Parking Fee)
2 Feb - 30 Sep: a few meters above the road, at least 150m away from the plantation where game birds nest. Be careful not to damage the turf.
1 Oct - 1 Feb: by the cattle grid. Keep well away from the wood at the top end.
Hawkswick – drive across to S side of the river, via the bridge, and park in the grassy area opposite the village.
Reference
Windbank – walk straight up the hill crossing the wire fence via the stile aiming for the top left hand corner. (Do not climb over the strengthened section of wall as we previously did. Climbing dry stone walls is not to be encouraged and others may not realise its stregthening). Instead, use the ladder stile, keep the wall on your left until you reach the public footpath and another stile that leads over the wall to take off.
Hawkswick – via public footpath between farm buildings, then left up a private track across the face of the ridge.
Capacity
If there is good lift on the ridge then the site will support all those that turn up.
Hazards
SW of the road at Windbank there is a steep drop into the river. Closer to the gate than the plantation gives you a larger flat area on which to land.
Beware of rotor behind the crags.
There is currently just the one bottom landing field in operation at Hawkswick. This is the field on the left immediately after crossing the bridge from Hawkswick (SD 956703). There is a gate to enter the field with a sign on it about private fishing and also a public footpath sign leading to Arncliffe Road. This field has been known to suffer from turbulence in strong westerlies so treat it with caution.
Rules
When landing at Windbank, do not fly over the plantation, as it contains game birds managed by local farmers.
Flyers must land before reaching the road, and avoid cars and people in the landing area!
A fee of £3 is charged for parking at Windbank. This should be collected up at the end of the day and taken to the main farmhouse at Old North Cote Farm - the farmhouse in front of Kilnsey Crag. A payment box will be in the porch. Do not neglect your dues, if you do we could lose this valuable site.
Comments
Watch the wind direction when landing at the bottom of Windbank. Trees are being planted below the Hawkswick ridge to re-populate the hillside. This may affect flying in future.
Site Challenges
If you'd like a task to follow, consider the Windbank 2024 NCS task, or the DFCs Windbank Arncliffe Amble and Windbank Grassington Bimble. Visit Ed Cleasby's website for background and information about the Northern Challenge Series and Defined Flying Challenges.
Land owner
Contact via Sites Officer
Nearest landline/mobile phone coverage
At Conistone or the Tennants Arms at Kilnsey.