Montellano – Lower

Montellano's lower launch sits at 391 m in the hills of Cadiz province, in Andalusia, southern Spain. It's a members-first site: pilots fly here only when a local club has the field open, so check with a club before planning a session. The site favours northeast wind and is best known for thermalling and ridge soaring, with a hike-up option for pilots who want to walk rather than drive to the top. The lower take-off comes into its own when conditions turn stronger higher up the hill: it gives a calmer alternative launch with enough room to lay out a wing, though the ground shares space with trees and a bar that fills up on busy flying days. It's a compact, sociable site rather than a big-mountain flying ground, well suited to pilots comfortable thermalling in a club environment.

Launch & conditions

The lower launch is used instead of the upper one when wind up top gets stronger than comfortable. It's flatter and more sheltered, with room for several wings to rig at once, though it shares the ground with trees and a nearby bar that fills up on busy days.

Getting there & local rules

This is a private site: only fly when a local club is present and the field is open. Roadside parking is tight and the lane is narrow, so tuck in fully or be ready to walk in, since club vans manoeuvre here often.

Check conditions before you fly

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