Hohenöllen

Hohenöllen is a members-only paragliding site in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, at about 290 m, flying the southwest-facing launch. The site sits inside a nature-conservation area, and flying here comes with real environmental obligations: the meadows around the launch and landing fields are mowed only twice a year with cuttings removed, existing dry-stone walls are kept clear so they stay sunlit, and the second annual mowing near the landing fields is timed to protect a rare local butterfly. A second, northwest-facing launch exists too, but it can only be used once selected trees in its northern section are cleared — work restricted to the autumn-to-late-winter window — and its suitability has to be photographed and demonstrated to the national hang-gliding federation before flying starts there. The southwest launch is a steep gap start, so every pilot needs a hazard briefing before their first flight covering the launch technique, the site's rules and the local wind behaviour.

Launch & conditions

The southwest launch is a steep gap start (Schneisenstart); the road below the northwest launch must be cleared by at least 25 m immediately after take-off.

Local rules & hazards

This is a members-only site inside a nature-conservation area: launch and landing meadows are mowed only twice a year with cuttings removed, and the second mowing near the landing fields is timed to protect a rare local butterfly. The northwest launch can only be used once selected trees are cleared in its northern section, restricted to the autumn-to-late-winter window. The southwest launch is a steep gap start, so every pilot needs a hazard briefing before their first flight.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Hohenöllen, read the wind and thermals for the site itself, confirm the day's rules with the local club, and remember the standing rule — when in doubt, don't launch. In the free OutDare app you can open Hohenöllen with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.