Harlech cliff

Harlech Cliff (Allt y Môr) is a short north-west-facing coastal site on the Gwynedd coast, near Harlech Castle in North Wales. The 58 m ridge works on NW flow. Access is unusually restricted for a UK coastal site: the field is owned by the National Trust, and the deal negotiated with them caps flying to 36 take-offs per site, per year. Advance notification through the site officer is mandatory, listing pilot names, BHPA numbers and the date. The site is strictly BHPA-members-only — visiting non-members will be turned away. Come organised, respect the cap, and this is a special little piece of Welsh coast to fly.

Launch & conditions

A modest 58 m north-west-facing coastal ridge. The full flying rules and layout are managed via the local club, and every pilot needs to notify in advance because of the National-Trust-imposed annual take-off cap.

Getting there & local rules

Park at the Pay & Display car park behind Harlech Castle. If full, drive to the T-junction with the castle behind you, turn right and continue through the High Street about 400 yards to an alternative Pay & Display. Walk along the A496 with Harlech Castle behind you, past the Toyota garage; 50 yards before the turn-off for Llandanwg Train Station is the launch, marked with a public access gate and signpost.

Local rules & hazards

Strictly BHPA members only. Access is limited to 36 take-offs per year across the whole site under a landowner agreement — you must notify the site officer in advance with your name, BHPA number and the planned date before turning up.

Check conditions before you fly

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