Loja levante

Loja Levante sits above the town of Loja in Andalusia, southern Spain, with a takeoff at 996 m facing east and southeast — a good pick for a thermic afternoon session and easy enough for less rushed conditions too. The launch itself is a well-groomed field: the local flying community has cleared stones and debris, and a windsock marks the wind at the ramp, so reading the cycle before you clip in is straightforward. Getting there is easy by regional standards — a two-wheel-drive road takes you almost all the way, and the final stretch is a short five-minute walk to the ramp, so it works for a casual afternoon without technical driving. The standard landing option is a soccer field down in Loja, though pilots also use open fields directly below launch when conditions allow — stick to bare ground there, since spots with heavier vegetation are best avoided on approach. Wind from the east or southeast is what makes the site work, and thermals plus the easy access make it a popular local choice for hike-and-fly days.

Launch & conditions

The ramp is a well-prepared grass field with loose stones cleared and a windsock for wind reference — straightforward to launch from in the right cycle.

Getting there & local rules

A two-wheel-drive road runs almost to the top; the last stretch is about a five-minute walk to the launch.

Local rules & hazards

Pilots flying north over Loja towards the town must stay below roughly 1,500 m when crossing the highway, due to the approach path into Granada airport.

Check conditions before you fly

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