Hohenpölz

Hohenpölz is a winch-tow flatland site near Bamberg in Bavaria, Germany, at around 508 m, and it's the flagship site of the local paragliding club. Pilots get pulled up on a mobile tow winch into the local thermals, and this is a serious cross-country launch rather than a quick sled ride: on a good day, flights of 100 km are not unusual once pilots release from tow and connect with the lift. It works with wind from either the east or the west, giving it more flexibility than many single-direction hill sites. Because it's a working winch operation on club-managed ground, every pilot flying here for the first time is walked through the specifics of the site and the tow line by the club before their first flight, rather than being left to work it out alone — the setup has its own quirks that matter to know in advance. This suits pilots who already tow independently and want to work a genuinely productive thermal site, more than pilots looking for a casual first flight.

Launch & conditions

Winch tow from a mobile tow system rather than a hill launch. Favorable wind is from the east or west.

Local rules & hazards

Every pilot must be shown the specifics of the site and the tow line by the site operator before their first flight here.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Hohenpölz, 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 Hohenpölz with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.