Santa Marina de Orozko

Santa Marina de Orozko is an easy, thermal and soaring launch at 645 m in Bizkaia, Basque Country, Spain, flying with north, northeast and northwest wind. Take-off is straightforward — genuinely easy, which makes this a comfortable site to fly rather than a technical one. Thermal conditions build nicely around midday and into the early afternoon, good timing for transitions between thermals. A ridge running east from launch leads directly toward Bizkaia's highest mountain, giving ambitious pilots a natural line to follow if conditions allow. It sits about halfway between Bilbao and Orduña, reachable by car straight to take-off, which makes it a convenient stop for pilots based in either city. Landing is in open fields down in the valley, clearly laid out and easy to aim for. With an easy launch, dependable midday thermals and a straightforward drive-up approach, Santa Marina de Orozko is a solid, low-stress site for building thermal experience in the Basque Country.

Launch & conditions

Take-off is genuinely easy — a comfortable, low-technical launch. Thermal conditions build nicely around midday and into the early afternoon, good timing for working transitions.

Getting there & local rules

About halfway between Bilbao and Orduña, with a road reaching straight to take-off. Landing is in open, clearly laid-out fields down in the valley.

Check conditions before you fly

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