El Bosque

El Bosque is a thermal and cross-country site in the Sierra de Grazalema, above the town of the same name in Cádiz province, Andalusia. Launch sits at 658 m and works on west and northwest wind, with a soaring, thermal, XC and hike-and-fly reputation among local pilots. The takeoff itself is a steep walk up from the access road, and parking there is limited, so arriving early matters on a busy day. The main landing field lies down by the A-373, and on days when the local schools are flying, a mobile bar sets up nearby — a nice reason to hang around after landing. The whole area sits inside a mountain nature reserve, so the drive up crosses reserve gates and a cattle grid before reaching the shared hang-gliding and paragliding parking spot.

Launch & conditions

Launch is a steep walk up from the road, with west and northwest wind working the site — good for thermalling and cross-country as well as straightforward soaring.

Getting there & local rules

Take the A-372 and climb the mountain to the reserve entrance gates — you may need to open them and cross a cattle grid; leave the gate as you found it. Follow the track past the hang-glider takeoff and park where the paragliding sign is. Landing is down by the A-373 road.

Check conditions before you fly

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