Haresfield
Wind directions:
S,SSW,SW
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Location:
Site News
NO BOTTOM LANDING until further notice!
Haresfield (also known as "Scaresfield") is a small, technical site. Its hazards should be noted and extreme caution observed. It has been assessed as suitable for Pilot rating or higher for this reason. That said, if flown with due respect for the topography and weather effects, it can deliver wonderful soaring flights and some have been known to get away from the hill on XC on the odd occasion.
Parking
Permission:
Open
Site Officer:
Dave Neal
Restrictions:
Even if you have a good amount of experience, it is recommended not to fly until you have received a site brief on this highly technical site.
Lat, Long:
51.779041N -2.255991W
Launch height (ft)
705
Grid ref:
SO 824 090
Height TTB (ft)
200
Pilot Rating:
Pilot
Take off
Main take off above.
West take off at: https://what3words.com/develop.glimmers.jubilant
Local Flying
There is just enough space to lay two gliders out on the main take-off, but definitely only room for one to launch at a time. If the wind is from the south, it can be possible to launch from the Ring Hill (west) take off, just walk 300m along the path to the west.
When taking off from the main take off, and the wind is from the SW, launch and fly to your left, toward the tree line. There is usually lift in the region about 30-50m to the east of take off, where the trees start. If you are lifting here, it's worth turning back toward take off and milking that lift. Once comfortably higher than take off it is best to track along by the edge of the tree line. Be very careful to have an 'out' away from the trees and bushes now appearing below you. So long as comfortably high, the bowl to the east end of the tree line usually provides good lift, but beware any significant sink, so as not to be caught low here!
For landing options, when it is anywhere from SSE to SW, it may be possible to land on Ring hill; https://w3w.co/develop.glimmers.jubilant (SO 82156 08933), but beware of the trees all around this field and the deep depression toward the middle of the upwind side. If the wind has become very westerly, and you have good height, it is usually possible to land on the main common: https://w3w.co/acting.cycle.fuses (SO 83011 08603). However, make sure you have enough height to get well clear of the trees, right on the top of the common, as it will get very turbulent close to the tree line.
XC Flying
Difficult to get away from, the record being around 70k. However there is little airspace for 200k.
Top Landing
Landing by the take off is very tricky and there is little benefit. It's difficult to pack here in any breeze whatsoever. It's better to use one of the alternatives above.
Bottom Landing
Please do NOT land in the bottom landing field - or anywhere below the barbed wire fence - as this will likely prejudice any negotiations that we will have with the new owners to reinstate bottom landing permission.
Pilots should not launch unless they are confident of being able to land on National Trust land, which means top landing or landing on the small clearing uphill of the fence directly under take-off.
Additional Info
