Winzerer Höhen

Winzerer Höhen is a soaring ridge right inside the city limits of Regensburg, Germany — a 70 m high, 2 km long southwest-facing hill that's rare for being genuinely flyable from within an urban area. The ridge works well in southwest wind, and its south-facing aspect means thermal connections are common on sunny days, so pilots who time it right can string ridge lift and thermals together for a long session close to town. The catch is access: landing options along this stretch are limited, and because of that the site is only open to pilots holding an unrestricted flying license — there's no beginner exception here, regardless of conditions on the day. That makes Winzerer Höhen a rewarding local option for experienced pilots living in or visiting Regensburg, but not a site to learn ridge soaring on. Wind from the south or southwest is what makes the hill work; anything else and the ridge simply won't produce.

Getting there & local rules

Flying here requires an unrestricted pilot license because of the limited landing options along the ridge — check your license category before planning a visit.

Check conditions before you fly

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