Long Knoll
Grid Reference
ST 796 377
Latitude
51.138202
Longitude
-2.292962
Nearest Postcode
BS11OO
Site Code
2.060
Wind Direction
SSE, S, SSW
Height ASL (Feet)
850
Height TTB (Feet)
200
Site Officer
Rich Harding (07966 491138)
Rating
Any rated pilot. No training.
Permission
Open site
Parking
Hang glider pilots should drop their gliders off by the hill, being careful not to obstruct traffic as there is very little room to pull in. There is parking just south of Little Knoll, the hill on the East side of the road. Approx 1km south of Maiden Bradley, pull off on to a lane and park. A path leads up the back of Long Knoll to take off.
Rigging
Walk to the top of the hill using the stiles and following the paths.
Take Off
Anywhere on the east end of the ridge.
Local Flying
The site can be very rough at times, so take care - at least one paraglider pilot has been blown back into the fence that runs along the spine of the hill.
XC Flying
Has good potential for paraglider XC flying. It can be difficult to get away from as you have to commit to leaving at a lower height than is usual. Beware of the wild-life park at Longleat, 2 miles to the N.
Top Landing
It is a spine backed ridge, so top landing is virtually impossible on a hang glider but paragliders can land on the side of the hill.
Bottom Landing
In the fields below the hill if they are not in crop - beware that they slope gently away from the hill. Look out for barbed wire fences. Paragliders can land on the side of, or at the foot of the hill in the same field as take-off.
Hospitals
Frome or Bath.
Directions
Leave Frome going south on the B3092. About one mile after Maiden Bradley, you will see the hill on the west side of the road.
Ordnance Survey Sheet
183

Latest Flying Diary Entries for Long Knoll

06/05/13 Dave C - After family commitments arrived on top at about 6 pm. Pretty gusty so moved down slope a bit to keep clear of the barbed wire fence. Had a bit of a boat around lumpy at times could see the boys at Mere and copped the aroma from the dung heap too.

23/03/12 Tim Pentreath - Had a fun two or three hours flying the full length of the ridge. Unfortunately the thermals never quite happened though I did get a nice climb up to 2000' at one point but it wasn't worth going over the back with. Nice not to be in the Mere melee!

01/10/11 Irsh John #1 - Started flying in a quite uncrowded Mere. Then it go busier but thermals allowed separation. HAd a great bit of flying. Then landed and took off again. Got very busy so was trying to get to land and was squeezed by two gliders coming at me from hill edge so I had to fly straight at the hill becuase of nowhere to turn. Very fast landing and a couple of scratches but bloody scary could have been much worse. Packed up and went to long knoll with Irish John#2 for 2 hours of heavenly flying.

14/06/11 Tim Pentreath - Managed to take the afternoon off work, but what with only leaving at 1315 I didn't take off until 1510 but climbed out pretty much straight away. Only got to base (and beyond) once over Frome, thereafter it was a losing battle with the spreadout coming from the SW. Sneaked round the invisible force field surrounding Colerne and landed near the M4. Easy hitch home to Bath, then lovely bike ride back to Long Knoll to collect my car. Great day apart from the news about Jo of course...

30/04/05 Michael Coupe - TVHGC invasion on Mere prompted me to try Long Knoll for the first time. Rewarded with a 5k flop over the back. Got to base twice - below 2000ft!

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This page last updated: 3rd February, 2022
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