Site Guide - Devil's Dyke
| Airspace: 5500ft + 4500ft just north of launch! Airspace information is provided for guidance only - please verify using current charts before flying site. |
| Club: Southern Hang Gliding Club |
| Height: 710 ft |
Disciplines: |
| Location: LAT: -0.2135, LONG: 50.88496 |
Introduction
The Devil's Dyke is probably one of the UK's most popular hang gliding and paragliding sites and with this comes the inevitable overcrowding issues. The popularity of this site is due to its close proximity to London, its location in the South East, its good facilities (the Devil's Dyke pub and restaurant at the top of the hill) and the popular Truleigh Run - a series of bowls extending 4km in a westerly direction from take-off.
A view of the main bowl at the Devil's dyke with the lush green grass indicating that summer is just around the corner!
25 May 2015
Over the years, fatal accidents have occurred and a contributor factor in some of these has been due to overcrowding. The Devil's Dyke is popular with model flyers also, so the Southern Hang Gliding Club has established rules to maximise on safety. On busy days a marshalling system may be established to limit the number of pilots in the air. All that being said, it's possible to turn up on a good flying day to find no-one else is there, especially mid week!
Take-off
The Southern Hang Gliding Club has designated take-off areas for hang gliders and paragliders. The paragliding take-offs are mainly directly in front of the pub. The preferred hang glider take-off is in an area referred to as the Paddock; this is the area between the earthworks and the barbed wire fence just south of the pub. Gliders can be slid under the barbed wire fence or carried over the large style.
As the wind veers more to a northerly direction, although not an official take-off, hang gliders can launch directly from the behind the bowl as this gives an in to wind take-off direction; as well as easy access to the northerly ridge (series of bowls extending to Truleigh Hill).
I managed to find a thermal and slowly climb high over the Devil's dyke and slowly drift over the back.
25 May 2015
Top Landing
The main hang glider top landing area is the area referred to as the Paddock (see above). This can be a daunting landing area and can seem quite small. The approach needs to be careful and always be on the lookout for straying members of the public. It's recommended not to fly behind the trees at the rear of the Paddock for risk of becoming pinned.
An alternative and much easier and safer top landing is the large field behind the bowl. The only hazards are rotor from the earthworks and fort in northerly winds, occasional cattle that graze there and the South Downs Way public bridleway (horse riders and mountain bikes etc.).
Bottom Landing
The Southern Hang Gliding Club has a designated area for bottom landings next to the road and barn that can be seen from take-off. It's the small patch of ground boardering the road. When the bottom landing field is in crop, pilots must land in this area. When the field is not in crop the entire field is available for bottom landings. Occasionally, the farmer will leave farm machinery in this field and/or set aside landing area. Any landing approaches when this is the case should consider possible rotor from this clutter - best stay clear of it!
Hazards
In a northerly wind, be aware of top landing approaches behind the fort earthworks as it's an area likely to be in rotor. In westerly winds, the site can still be flown, but be aware of rotor kicking off from the spur on the western side of the bowl!
The Devil's Dyke is popular with members of the public; it's common to find them in landing areas and on occasion flying kites, quadcopters and many other things not indicative to a safe landing. Always have a polite word with these people and ask them to move on.
The Paddock top landing can become turbulent in northerly winds as the air is interrupted by the pub.
The air can accelerate across the Paddock so to avoid being pinned avoid going behind or overflying the trees at the back of the Paddock.
Parking
The entire car park at the Devil's Dyke is now National Trust. Parking can get very busy on nice a summer's day with visitors coming to enjoy the fantastic views the Devil's Dyke has to offer (and to watch the flying!). There is now an all-day parking charge of £2. If you are a National Trust member, parking is free.
A view of the Truleigh Run from looking from Truleigh Hill towards the Devil's Dyke.
24 Jan 2015
Other
Club rules state that when thermalling, 360 in a clockwise direction (right hand turn) when below 1000ft above take-off - this is for safety reasons; particularly on busy days.
Pilots must not fly over the modellers bowl if below 250ft above take-off. The modellers bowl is the small bowl to the north of the pub.
When the marshalling system is established; take-off will be restricted, so please speak to a club official on the day.
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