Kirk Yetholm Hills

[Misk]

Has anyone flown the hills over looking Kirk Yetholm? Are there any standing agreements (or disagreements ) in the area? I'm thinking along the lines of light wind winter PGing.....

Particularly
Staerough Hill NT830272
and a few km SE
Wideopen Hill NT801243

Cheers
Ian

[ron freeman]

I thought you always said the Cheviots are a crap place to fly

Well hear goes... the owner of Wideopen hill is not interested & Staerough hill used to be a club site in the 80's, it works well s.w. & n.w (beware lots of power lines)

Can't remember the land owner.

[Misk]

In general The Cheviots are without doubt a rubbish place to start XC flights - but I'm sure are more than tolerable in the winter for punting around and enjoying the views from low altitude.

I was asking on behalf of someone who, as yet, knows no better!

Thanks for the info.....

[ron freeman]

Go on admitt it ! in the last couple of years you have flown XC into the Cheviots and have noticed some very nice sites on the west side of this beautiful area and you now want to fly them

It's OK Ian this is cool Will try to find out the land owner for Staerough, I liked flying this site. Great spot for out & returns and triangles

[Misk]

What DO they put in the water down there?!

[RonDon]

Feel free I have flown there in the past on my Todd

[John Wallis]

How many out and returns and triangles have you done from there Ron and Ron must be loads

[ron freeman]

Most of my training for the 1985 World championships in Kosson Austria was done on this site after I had organised a BHPA National league in the Cheviot hills and we used this site and I liked it.

It has huge potential for some very big out & returns and triangles for both HG & PG have you flown it ?

[John Wallis]

have you flown it

Flown it and walked it.

I also have photos of the British league sitting on the top in light wind and the sea breeze coming in over the back.

[Misk]

So it does get classic Cheviot conditions? Excellent!

Seriously thanks for the info Ron. The folk who are interested are thinking along the lines of fly-walks or should that be walk-fly-walk-walk-walk-f**kit ,whatever, at least they know the background and as it's Scotland then right-to-roam applies avoiding the lambing of course........

[ron freeman]

Right to roam applies but the right to take off doesen't....


John, you forgot to mention about the ten pilots that got to 3000ft ato in the sea breeze convergence that day which happens a lot around here ! brilliant stuff

[Misk]

Thankfully under Scottish Law Paragliders ARE included under the Land Reform act Ron, far more enlightened than the English.

Providing the landowner does not object with a valid reason (there's a shoot on, lambing, unsettled livestock etc.) then along with walkers, MTBers, canoeists, horse riders etc paragliders and hang gliders have rights to responsible access on foot - and that includes taking-off. Even on a Bobcat.

Regardless of the law no-one will upset anyone I'm sure of that, worry not. It all helps to know the background so thanks.

I'm sure its a fab site - after all the Cheviots are internationally famous for their potential.

[ron freeman]

Ian, I was born in Scotland.... if they intend to fly please contact the land owner !

If more of our big sites had a road to the top with the odd cafe ! I'm sure they would be flown a lot more...

Our members should spend more time on flying small sites it takes a lot more skill using thermals low down which is a skill that you have to develope if you are going to achieve big flights.

[Misk]

Ron,

I promise you no-one will be upsetting anyone so please don't be upsetting yourself. I do prefer the bigger easier sites but agree The Cheviots are an unrivaled area for flying if you have the right skills - you've proved that already many times.

Thanks for your help with the background on the area, those that are interested will act accordingly and be responsible!

[Fingers]

How the! and what the!

Jesus Christ, the fuss over nothing at all here is comical.......

If one person wishes to go fly somewhere, Anywhere, who is anyone here, or anywhere, to stop them.?

NO ONE.

This is the sort of bollocks that I could not believe when coming into this "sport". Remember you are doing NO harm, NONE AT ALL. If you let the bastards think you are, bigger fool you.

Paragliding and hang gliding should be and will be the least of their worries, get a grip.

[ron freeman]

Steve, the country side has to be manage, if not' the whole country would come to a stand still.. end of story.

Land owners & tenant farmers also have to make a living so the least we can do is help them in every way because they let us fly on their land.

[Fingers]

You do no harm when free flying, this is fact. If a land owner does not or will not see that, it does not change that fact. Yes it is always best to be on good terms with people but i do think way to much quater is given to some very ignorant people.

[ron freeman]

Well.. I see both points of view all the time due to my work and farmers get very annoyed with the general public because of their ignorance with country side management.

We can do a hell of a lot of damage if we flew when and where we liked also its not just flying its access to sites this can cause big problems also.