Mühlenfeld (Birkenbeul)

Mühlenfeld (Birkenbeul) is a west-facing paragliding launch near the village of Birkenbeul in western Germany, sitting at roughly 282 m above sea level. Because the takeoff only works cleanly in a west wind, pilots need to watch the forecast closely and be ready to skip a session when the wind swings even slightly off that line — there's no fallback direction here. What sets this site apart from most local hills is a strict, dated flying calendar built around red kite (Rotmilan) protection: the birds nest nearby, so the site closes to all flying for a stretch of spring while they raise their young, reopening under limited conditions once that window narrows. Respecting those dates isn't optional — it's the reason the site is allowed to operate at all, and pilots who ignore it put continued access for everyone at risk. The nearby woodland holding the nest is also off-limits to overflight year-round, whatever the calendar says. Local farm tracks used to reach the hill need the municipality's permission before driving them, so plan the approach accordingly.

Launch & conditions

Only works cleanly from due west — check the forecast closely, since there's no usable fallback direction here.

Getting there & local rules

Reached via local farm tracks; driving them requires the municipality's permission, so check ahead or approach on foot.

Local rules & hazards

To protect nesting red kites, flying is banned outright from 1 March to 4 June each year; between 5 June and 15 July only up to five practice-flying days are allowed. The adjacent woodland holding the nest may never be overflown, whatever the date.

Check conditions before you fly

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