Harlech

Harlech is a mile-long ridge running along the Welsh coast between Harlech and Talsarnau, flying best in a northwest wind. On good days it's possible to link across to the next ridge and range on toward Barmouth. Spring brings the most reliable thermalling here; by summer, sea breezes tend to take over. Reaching launch takes a specific walk: park near the Welsh Water works above the town (past the Lion Hotel), follow the track through a couple of gates and past a holiday home, then climb to the top of the crag and head northeast to where the ground drops into a field — takeoff sits right there. Parking on the landowner's ground carries a small fee (currently £2 a vehicle) — it's genuinely charged, whatever you might hear locally. The usual landing is a school playing field by the main road; landing lower instead means picking a field with no sheep, and never using the official bottom field if it has livestock without checking with the farmer first. Top landing is possible but often rough, with severe rotor to deal with.

Launch & conditions

Takeoff sits at the top of the crag: from the gate track, climb to the summit then walk northeast to where the ground drops into a field — launch is directly in front.

Getting there & local rules

Park near the Welsh Water works above Harlech (past the Lion Hotel on the road out of town) — a small parking fee applies to the landowner's ground. Follow the track through the gates, past a holiday home, and climb to the crag top.

Local rules & hazards

Top landing is possible but often rough, with severe rotor. The usual landing is the school playing field by the main road; if forced down lower, pick a field with no sheep, and never use the official bottom landing field if it has livestock without checking with the farmer first.

Check conditions before you fly

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