I was asked to write a brief article about Paragliding on Gower. However, I think it should be 'paragliding and the Gower', as in February 1981, Alan James is believed to have made the first ever paragliding soaring flight in the UK at Rhossili on the Gower peninsula.
During the seventies, Rhossili had quickly become a legend for hang gliding with World Record attempts being made there. Whilst the popularity of hang gliding has waned in recent years, paragliding remains strong with 2009 being the busiest year at Rhossili for paragliding I can remember.
Paragliding is the most exhilarating peaceful, simple, yet challenging form of flying. To be able to fly like a bird has always been mankind’s dream – that dream becomes reality on the Gower (although not without proper training) as the many pilots who turn up at Rhossili on a summer day prove. It is an exhilarating sport which has grown and seen the UK record from take off to landing at over 120 miles (194 Km). All this from a piece of equipment carried in a rucksack and powered by nature.
The British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association [www.BHPA.co.uk] has responsibility for paragliding (and much more) in the UK. A network of clubs exists across the UK to organise paragliding in their locality. The South West Wales Soaring Club [www.swwsc.co.uk] has, as its name implies, responsibility for the area that includes the Gower. They liaise with the National Trust and other landowners to provide take off and landing areas, not an easy task as many of these areas are accessed by many people pursuing different pastimes and all have to be taken in to consideration.
The Club provides coaching for people new to the sport, many of these travel great distances to the Gower to fly and take advantage of this excellent flying site and the outstanding area of natural beauty. There have also been instances where pilots have landed at Rhossili from other flying sites - notably Heol Senni in the Brecon Beacons some 40 miles away.
There are a number of training schools in the area for those that would like to try this amazing sport. In addition, there are opportunities for a tandem flight: strapped in front of a pilot, this is a great way to get the full paragliding experience without having to learn how to paraglide.
Article Witten and Supplied by John Nash
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