Location

Our location is one of the contributing factors that make our school so unique. We are lucky enough to be in one of best locations in Wales, that produces reliable and predictable wind patterns coming in off the sea. We utilise and enhance these favourable winds to effortlessly lift us up as we soar into our playground in the skies . The close proximity of the Cambrian Mountains and surrounding countryside ensures a short amount of travelling time for suitable flying sites. Overall this contributes to giving you more time to enjoy the hands on practical side of the experience.

Our base

Penfagwyr Urchaf is a 5-minute drive from the seaside village of Llanon which is situated between Aberystwyth and Aberaeron on the Cambrian coast line in Ceredigion. It’s from here (by appointment only) we conduct the classroom and theory side of things before heading out to the hills to fly. In the summer months at the end of the flying day we can often find ourselves on the beach having a barbecue and chatting about what a great day out had by all.

The Flying

Our flight training is carried out in the Cambrian Mountains. Being high up and about 10 miles inland we have some of the best views you can find in our local area. On clear days we can see as far north as the Llyn peninsular and the highest mountain in Wales Snowdon. Looking south we see the coastline of Cardigan Bay.

We have several friendly training sites situated around 1500ft above sea level within a close proximity of each other so we only have a short walk or drive should flying conditions change. We will occasionally use the ridges and hills further away during certain wind directions to give us opportunities for every wind direction.

Aberystwyth

The Town

Aberystwyth town is the home to the University of Wales and the National Library. It is nestled between three hills and two beaches, and hosts some castle ruins, a pier and a harbour. As a University town, with some seven thousand students it is vibrant throughout the year and not just during summertime.

The seafront

The seafront hosts Victorian / Edwardian buildings mostly 4/5 stories high. The wide promenade protects the buildings from the ravages of the Irish Sea and offers space to sit, soak up the sun and view the surrounding hills and mountains. On a clear day you may see the tallest mountain in Wales, Snowdon.

The habour

The harbour was once one of the busiest in Wales and is fed by the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol (which incidentally, is the steepest river in Britain). Aberystwyth is now the centre of local rural life and is visited by many to sample the numerous cafés, bars, and restaurants including, Chinese, Indian and Mediterranean.

Cliff railway

The Aberystwyth Electric Cliff Railway is the steepest electric cliff railway in Britain. It climbs Constitution Hill one of our local club’s coastal flying sites. From the northern end of the town’ss promenade there are trains running every few minutes during the spring, summer and early autumn. Take a ride to the top and get a panoramic view of Aberystwyth. Grab a coffee and a snack in the cliff top cafe and soak up the atmospheric waves as you watch the sailing boats, surfers and paragliders as they enhance and ulilize the free currents of the wind and water .

The Cambrian Mountains

The Cambrian Mountains around Aberystwyth supply a panoramic back drop and it’s in this stunning location most of our training is carried out. There are big green grassy slopes which are perfect to train on and they offer spectacular sea views which can be seen for miles. We often fly with the red kites (barcudd) that have been introduced back into this area.