Back of Ecton

Back of Ecton is a members' site in the Peak District, open to Peak Soaring Association members and BHPA members who contact the club in advance — guests are welcome under those conditions. Access here depends on rules the club negotiated directly with the landowner to keep the site open at all, so following them matters: cars park only at Broad Ecton Farm (the first farm on the right after the brow of the hill, near the cottages rather than in front of it), never on the track itself, and a PSA membership card needs to be visible in the car, alongside BHPA membership and insurance documents carried by every flyer. Numbers are capped too — three cars and four pilots flying at any one time, with the standard advice to fly elsewhere once that limit is reached. The ground to the left of the trig point, looking north, is out of bounds entirely, protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. In the air, the same four-glider cap applies: no more than four gliders up at once.

Getting there & local rules

Cars park only at Broad Ecton Farm, the first farm on the right after the brow of the hill, near the cottages — never on the track. A visible PSA membership card in the car, plus BHPA membership and insurance carried by every flyer, are required, and only three cars / four flying pilots are allowed at once.

Local rules & hazards

No more than four gliders may be in the air at the same time, and the ground left of the trig point, looking north, is out of bounds as a protected wildlife area (SSSI).

Check conditions before you fly

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