Gliding
Adventures in the Air
The grassy fields and hills of the Park are ideal for gliders, paragliders and hang gliders to soar and descend.
Some pilots will fly over 300m across the countryside and ascend up to 4 miles. Gliders also enjoy flying high above the rolling, green landscape.
You can receive training at one of our recognized schools, which are also excellent locations for those who prefer to watch safely from the ground.
If you already have a license, contact a local club to inquire where you can fly. Only recognized sites may be used.
Paragliding and Hang Gliding
The Bannau Brycheiniog National Park and its surrounding area offer some of the UK’s best sites for paragliding and hang gliding. The park’s north-facing ridges overlooking the undulating landscape of central Wales are perfect for taking to the air. Other nearby hills are also well-suited. Pilots can ascend over hill ridges or share thermals with a buzzard circling high above.
Crickhowell Paragliding Ltd operates from Crickhowell. They offer unique opportunities for tandem flights or if you are coming to the area to paraglide do contact them for details. See the Bannau from a very different viewpoint.
The South East Wales Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club (www.sewhgpgc.co.uk) is one of five regional clubs within the Welsh Free Flight Federation, the association managing most flying sites. It has around 400 members and manages flights from several sites in the Park.
Visitors are always welcome at these sites, provided they reciprocate the hospitality by adhering to site rules. Many of the flying sites operate under agreements with grazing landowners and farmers, and rules are often in place to respect their needs. Please help the Club maintain these sites by acting responsibly.
All UK hang gliding and paragliding pilots must be members of the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (BHPA, www.bhpa.co.uk).
Visitors from outside the UK must show that they have adequate third-party insurance and an appropriate FAI (Fédération Aéronautique Internationale) license (www.fai.org).
Gliding
The Black Mountains Gliding Club operates from a farm not far from Talgarth. Nestling beneath the northern escarpments of the Black Mountains, amongst normal sheep-speckled fields, is a grassy runway with a windsock. Maybe it's the size of the field, the slope, the trees or the proximity of the mountains themselves, but this airfield is said to be quite challenging, even for experienced pilots.
The club is both friendly and expert and will welcome you whether you are a novice looking for a trial tandem flight or a seasoned pilot who's keen to enjoy the excellent conditions that the area often offers.
For more information about gliding, contact the British Gliding Association.(www.gliding.co.uk).