Corndon
| Status: | Corndon is open | ESPECIALLY SENSITIVE SITE – see below| | |
|---|---|---|
| Grid ref: | SO310967 | |
| Latitude: | 52.5636° (52° 33′ 48″ N) | |
| Longitude: | -3.0178° (3° 1′ 4″ W) | |
| HG rating: | CP + 25 hours (A CP with less than 25 hours may still fly so long as they receive an on-site briefing from a coach or instructor for each visit) | |
| PG rating: | CP + 25 hours (A CP with less than 25 hours may still fly so long as they receive an on-site briefing from a coach or instructor for each visit) | |
| Takes wind: | 0 ° – 140 ° (N – SE) | |
| Location: | [maps.google.co.uk] | |
| Maps: | 1:50000 137 or Explorer 216 | |
 Blue arrows = take-off areasGreen triangles = landing fields Thick red line = power lines (note: not all power lines are shown) Red oblong = gates P = parking Click on map to increase size. |
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SENSITIVITY
This site is currently very sensitive with regards to parking – see notes below (allow room for tractors & large trailers both to pass and to turn into gates & never drive to the top of the hill – it really could lose us the site).
Please follow the site rules and common sense.
Avoid the farm with horses to the NE/E side- see note below – and there are also horse paddocks below the Northern side, also please avoid & never fly low over!
The hill is popular with walkers – take care when launching and top landing!
The site is important for plants and wildlife so please stick to existing tracks whenever possible when walking!
Any issues please submit a report to your committee and if it involves anyone at the site please remain polite, try to ease any tension and if possible ask for contact details.
Please be aware Lan Fawr (west side of Corndon) has lambing closure dates usually early February to early May – please see Lan Fawr site guide for actual dates and avoid Lan Fawr launch & landing fields during lambing.
FARM WITH HORSES – NB TO AVOID
Note the farm indicated with the red oval and cross, in the photograph on the right. DO NOT overfly this farm or the surrounding fields. It is used to breed highly expensive, very nervous, race horses, which are apparently easily scared by things flying above. Causing damage to one of these horses would be very expensive indeed.
ACCESS
Turn off the A488 at a derelict tower signposted White Grit/Priest Weston 2 km to a T junction. Take the rough track to the left. After 100m go through a gate which must be closed after passing. Go approx 1 km to a gate on the left at the far edge of a tree plantation. Do NOT go any further. Park so farm vehicles with wide loads can pass and can turn in and access all gates.
VERY IMPORTANT:
Gate & access explanation:
- the 1st gate: after turning off the tarmac road onto the dirt track, pilots can park well to the right side of this track before the 1st gate.
- the 2nd gate: this is a enlarged turning area with Lan Fawr gate to the right and Corndon to the left. A few cars can park here but tractors with long trailers use the area as a turning circle to get into the gates so be very sure you are well out of the way. If it already has cars, please go back down to park on the lower track. DO NOT GO THROUGH THESE 2ND GATES WITH A VEHICLE.
- the 3rd gate: this is at the very top of Corndon. No vehicles must drive up to this gate – it really could jeopodise our use of the site (exception of 2 marked school vehicles, Leavesley Aviation & YX Paragliding).
Vehicles to be parked in the lane such that farm vehicles can pass at all times. Park well over and not close to gates!
Pilots should assume farm vehicles are towing large & wide loads and must be able to both pass & to “turn in” to gated accesses, which must not be obstructed.
Always close & chain all gates – even if you find them open. The chain is important otherwise sheep will work a closed gate till they get through!
CAUTION
Conditions at this site can change rapidly as small wind strength and direction changes have a profound effect on the air currents around the roughly dome shaped hill. Unless you are very experienced in flying this site over a number of years then please make sure that you receive a site brief from a suitably experienced pilot – on the site at the actual time of flying. Use the list of coaches who are detailed on the website to arrange this.
This is a rocky hill – a fall or bad landing could involve unforgiving rock, stay alert and respect the site. Even normal landings should be where you can see the ground is clear of rocks.
FLYING
- T/O altitude 1600 ft AMSL
- Top to bottom 500 ft
- Take-off is either from the saddle directly in front of the parking area (easterly only) or from the peak in N or NE.
- Note that Corndon also has a small SE face. The SE take off is going right along the path by the top gate. Please use the stile where there is no barbed wire to lift your glider across.
- Top landing is easy on the peak but beware of rotor behind the cairn. Landing in the parking field is possible but subject to strong wind gradient and some rotor in certain directions. Take advice beforehand.
- No paramotors allowed.
- No dogs allowed.
Bottom landing:
- Hang gliders: bottom landing is in the big, flat field to the NE (alongside the access road) BUT approach is over power lines (which have claimed victims) after a long glide, often into wind and alternatives are for skilled pilots only! The only access is via a gate at the western end. From the SE face there is no official bottom landing. Top landing is easy behind the barbed wire.
- Paragliders: In northerly wind it is possible to land in the fields on the right side after the first gate on the track up. You can also land in the field on the left but this is smaller and trickier. In an east wind, it is preferable to slope land (although watch out for lots of rocks strewn along the slope), or land in the large brown scrub area immediately under the hill. Do NOT walk out through the farm or ask a friend to collect you. You must walk back up the front of the hill. In south-east wind there is no official bottom landing. You must top land or slope land at the foot of the hill and walk back up.
MULTIMEDIA SITE GUIDE
This is available to view online, or to download to mobile devices. Use it to complement the information provided in text format on this page. PLEASE NOTE: since this was recorded, the club has increased the required minimum hours to CP + 25. The hours given in the recording are therefore incorrect. The multimedia guide is older than this page, so do use both.
Get it on your mobile. Download the relevant file and transfer it to your mobile:
- If your mobile can view Flash files, use this one: Flash version
- If your mobile can view MP4 files, use this one: MP4 version
SITE RECORD
- Kai Coleman, 10.09.2009, 137.5km to Tenby. PG.
- For hang gliders, a confirmed distance is Ken Wilkinson, 122km to Bristol, in 1985. Possibly others may have gone further, including Judy Leden who may have done around 130km to Barry.
WARNING
This area is used by low flying military aircraft on weekdays.
CONTROLLED AIRSPACE
The nearest airspace is Welshpool ATZ, which might be a problem from the SE face. There is also a large danger area south of Builth.
VIEW BLIPSPOTS FOR THIS SITE GRAPHICALLY