Whitesheet

Whitesheet is a west-facing chalk-ridge inland site on the Wiltshire-Dorset border, working strictly on westerlies. When the wind is straight on, the site gives good soaring plus a generous top-landing area — when the field is not in crop. The smooth top of the hill makes it a useful venue for pilots experimenting with taking thermals over the back, and true westerly inland sites are rare in this region so Whitesheet fills a real gap. Cross-country is on the table when conditions cooperate. The site is rarely flown and crowds are almost unheard of here.

Launch & conditions

The upper slope is fairly shallow but quickly steepens. On stronger days, launch near the steepening to avoid the venturi that builds on the shallower section above. On lighter days there is ample space, but watch for the barbed-wire fence at the top of the site. Landing back on launch is possible if the top field is cropped — expect lift over the upward-sloping launch area and beware venturi that can drag pilots back into the fence.

Getting there & local rules

From Shaftesbury, take the A30 toward Salisbury for 4.0 miles; Whitesheet is the hill on your right. From Salisbury, leave on the A36 and at the Wilton roundabout turn left onto the A30 toward Shaftesbury; follow it for 12.6 miles. Past the right-hand turn signed for Ansty, the track up White Sheet is on your left another 2.0 miles further, near a group of whitewashed cottages on the south side of the A30.

Local rules & hazards

Ask the landowners for permission every day before going up, and check bottom-landing availability if you may need it. The site is shared with aero-modellers — they were there first, so agree a flying pattern before pulling up. Watch for military low-flying traffic and light aircraft from Compton Abbas. The site can be rough, especially when the wind is off to the south.

Check conditions before you fly

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