Bishopdale
Last edited on: 24 May 2023
Important information
23.03.20. - Site Closed Until Further Notice.
Status
Closed
This site is closed and should not be flown.
Sites officer
North (Turn on JavaScript!)
Location
Lat, long: 54.217367, -2.074119
OS grid reference: SD 950 803
Wind direction
NE (040-050), NW (300-320)
Height
1585’ (480m) AMSL, 100’ (30m) Top to Fell landing area. 1000’ (305m) Top to valley bottom
Grade of pilot
NE face all HG, PG – beware, difficult take off.
NW - all types, except when soaring down the valley (see Hazards )
Parking
Near a set of metal sheep pens at the high point of the road. DO NOT BLOCK GATEWAYS OR CAUSE TRAFFIC CONGESTION. There is a small layby for two or three cars near the gate.
Reference
Go through the metal gated sheep pens and bear slightly right across the field to a gate to open fell, then directly up the hill.
Capacity
Permission was originally granted for six gliders in the air at once. NE ridge is very small. NW ridge is long and large (valley side).
Hazards
Land well back to avoid rotors, on both faces. When pilots are at the far end of the NW ridge they may be out of site of the take off area. Effectively you may be flying alone.
NW ridge has difficult and dangerous take off for the paraglider pilot and can be turbulent. A smaller ridge behind the main NW ridge is often used by paragliders but this too is often turbulent especially where the two ridges converge in to the valley side. Very bad rotors from the lower ridge nearly always affect the upper one and this can be a hazard when trying to soar down the valley side.
Pilots can easily be caught out as winds sometimes funnel down the valley, progressively producing less and less lift. There are wires and trees in the bottom of the valley.
Rules
Permission must be sought from the Gamekeeper before flying. No flying August 12 – December 31, no XC.
Vehicles are not allowed on the fields/fell and no landings are allowed in the bottom fields.
No large groups.
DO NOT CLIMB WALLS. FOLLOW THE COUNTRYSIDE CODE.
Comments
Beware of low flying XC gliders from Wether fell!
During the summer months cows often graze the open slopes below the cliffs; do not scratch close to them or disturb unduly.
Land owner
Contact via Sites Officer
Nearest landline/mobile phone coverage
Buckden