Paragliding in and near Eastbourne

Sussex Hang Gliding & Paragliding

Hang gliding tuition are given on our exclusive training sites right here in the beautiful south downs in Sussex. Buy one of our paragliding courses online and receive priority booking. Treat someone to the ultimate adventure! ... more

Paragliding is a fun-filled way to experience the joy of soaring aloft: with only a light fabric wing and a harness, you can easily be riding the thermals and looking down on England's picturesque countryside. England has a small but enthusiastic paragliding scene, with a diverse selection of launch sites throughout the country.

Compared to hang gliders and other small aircraft, paragliders are lighter and more affected by strong winds, but conversely they also need a relatively small area to land on, and you can easily set your paraglider down in a small field. The equipment - a specially designed light and flexible canopy with brake lines to control it - is easy to carry and compact, and the whole experience will be a pleasure from the launch to the landing.

If you've never tried this exciting sport before, but have admired paragliders with their colourful streamlined wings from afar, you'll probably want to know how they manage to stay aloft and fly so gracefully through the air. Paragliders use rising air to stay up, and this can come from two sources. Firstly, the heat of the sun causes columns of air to rise - these are known as thermals. Alternatively, air can be forced upwards over a ridge of a hill, and this rising air is known as ridge lift. In mountainous environments, you'll be using thermals to fly, while hilly landscapes produce ridge lift. Experienced paraglider pilots in England have used thermals to travel as far as 200km. And in case you're wondering, the beautiful curved shape of the paraglider is maintained by air entering the vents in the front of the canopy.

Most paragliders are footlaunched off high vantage points in upland environments, but you can still try out this enjoyable adventure sport in flatter landscapes, by making use of tow launching, whereby an engine-driven winch pulls the paraglider aloft to allow the pilot to search for areas of lift. Tow launching on an airfield is actually an excellent option if are learning to paraglide, as it's easier and quicker to get into the air using this technique.

If you'd like to experience the freedom of flight, but have never launched a paraglider before, you'll find plenty of paragliding clubs in England where you can learn the basics and attempt your first flight. Compared to other forms of flight, it's much quicker to learn paragliding: you'll only need a few lessons before you'll be soaring above it all. Depending on the centre, you may first try out the flying experience in a tandem flight with your instructor using a special dual canopy.

England's best paragliding locations are also its most scenic areas: good news for the tourist who would like to launch a paraglider and enjoy England's breathtaking natural beauty at the same time. The National Parks of the Peak District, Yorkshire Dales and Lake District, all make great paragliding sites, due to their hilly and mountainous landscapes. Many other areas in the country, including coastal regions, are also suitable for paragliding.

The Derbyshire Peak District has Airways Airsports, which provides every type of training: ranging from tandem flights and beginners' courses to more advanced instruction. A fantastic idea if you've never attempted paragliding is to try their day taster, which provides a chance to experience the joy of flight. SItuated near Derby, the paragliding school uses winch training to start off novice paragliders, an easy way to learn in a short space of time, as you don't have to keep climbing up a hill to try your next flight. With its varied and attractive scenery, and variety of launch sites, the Peak District is one of the best locations for both experienced and novice paragliders.

The scenic Isle of Wight has one of the longest established paragliding schools in the United Kingdom, Butterfly Paragliding, which offers a range of tandem, tow launch and hill flying lessons. Situated near Newport, this establishment offers tandem flights along the dramatic coastal cliffs of the Isle of Wight's south west coast provide an easy way to try out the sport with little previous instruction, and you can even take over the controls mid-flight. The mild weather of the Isle of Wight means you won't be affected by buffeting winds all the time, and you'll have plenty of opportunities to try out the sport on a visit to the island. There are also plenty of hill sites in the Isle of Wight, providing excellent opportunities to launch yourself into the blue sky off a high point.

Just outside London, you can paraglide at Green Dragons Hang Gliding and Paragliding Centre, which boasts national and world champion pilots amongst its previous trainees. The paragliding club offers a range of flight experiences and courses, including elementary pilot courses and tandem flights. Near Brighton is Sussex Paragliding, ideally situated in the beautiful South Downs, and recognised as one of the top paragliding schools in the country.

Cornwall has paragliding to add to the long list of adventure activities you can enjoy in the county, thanks to flying centres like Cornwall Hang Gliding and Paragliding Services, near St Ives. This centre offers tuition, including tandem flights and taster days for those who are not able to commit to a long course. You can try the exciting technique of hill launching in Cornwall, which takes place from a suitable point when the weather conditions are advantageous and wind is blowing onto the hill. As you launch from the hill the paraglider will take off into the the 'lift band' and soar along the hill, climbing upwards. If the weather's not perfect, the centre also has the option of a towing system, so you can fly more frequently. All the flights provide a brilliant opportunity to enjoy the views of the stunning Cornish coastline.