Letters of Support
Email from present World Paragliding Champion 2007 (and many times UK Champion), Bruce Goldsmith who used to fly Ubley in the early 1980s.
A Dedication to 'Bubbly Ubley'.
I learnt to fly hang gliders and paragliders in the 1980's when my parents lived in Bristol. At every possible opportunity I would go out and fly either in Wales, the Cotswolds or the Mendips. My absolute favorite flying site was Ubley which is perfectly aligned to face a NE wind.
The air above Ubley has s special feel that makes this site one of my favorite flying sites in the world. The small hill pumps off thermals that are much stronger than you would normally expect from this small site. To a large extent I learnt to thermal at Ubley.
The downwind potential of Ubley has been a special dream of mine for years. The dream flight is to launch form Ubley and fly down the centre of Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, riding the line of convergence coming in from both north and south coasts. Ubley has a truely unique geographical position to allow this amazing flight, which has still to be done.
Ubley had a major role in my flying education and has helped Britain to become the top of the paraglding World in 2007.
It is a pity that one of Britain's major flying assets may be lost forever.
Bruce Goldsmith
Paragliding World Champion 2007
Judy Leden MBE Ltd
Limestone House, Alma Road, Tideswell,
Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 8ND
Tel: 01298 871498
Mobile: 07751 297951
11th May 2007
To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing regarding the use of Ubley as a hang gliding and paragliding site.
I have been hang gliding since 1979 and Ubley was already a well established flying site at that time. It is a site of unparalleled excellence in Britain for flying due to its shape, length and superb thermal generating qualities.
I spent much of the 1980s flying at Ubley whenever the wind allowed, and the skills I learned through hang gliding there prepared me for my entry into the British Hang Gliding Team and ultimately to winning the World Championships in 1987, 1991 and 1995. I was not alone as many of the Team members would meet at Ubley to train.
The use of Ubley for recreational flying has been continuous and uninterrupted (other than through the vagaries of the weather) since at least the mid ‘70s. To ban flying from this, one of the foremost hang gliding and paragliding sites in the country would be a tragedy.
Yours faithfully
Judy Leden MBE
World Hang Gliding and Paragliding Champion
Multiple World Record Holder
Letter from Steve Ham,ex holder of British and European Paragliding Distance Records
My name is Steve Ham. I have been flying for over 20 years, and have been the British Open class champion (2002) and am the current British Serial Class champion. In my professional career as a hang glider and paraglider pilots I have flown all over the world and have achieved Open distance records for in the UK (held for 10 years) and Spain, and was the European Open distance record holder from 1994 to 96. I have also held Championship titles in New Zealand, Australia, and Spain and was serial PreWorld Champion 2006. Most of my early and most memorable flight were in the west country.
I still consider that the flying site at Ubley is one of the finest in the world, and is my personal favourite from perhaps over 100 sites I have flown in over 20 different countries. Apart from being the key site in the west country it is possible to fly a long long way.potentially as far as Lands End.
No other site I can think of has the beauty for recreational flying as Ubley.
I am now a resident in Central Spain (since 1991), and was very upset some years ago to hear of the current restriction at Ubley. I will admit to trespassing on trips to the UK, since to me Ubley has great sentimental value for all the many hours I have flown there in the past.
Please understand that the flying site at Ubley has huge importance for the UK flying community and is an iconic and historic UK site which must be preserved.
Yours sincerely
Steve Ham
28 May 2007 (Piedrahita. Spain)
From Sir James Mallinson
I regularly flew paragliders at Ubley at the start of my flying career in the late 1990s. It is one of the finest north-east facing sites in the country and has the potential to be the launch site for a record-breaking flight. The denial of access to the site for free flyers after many years of trouble-free use is extremely regrettable and seems to contradict the stated objects and purposes of the Will Woodlands trust, the new owners of the site, as well as the conditions of the forestry grants that the trust has obtained. Furthermore, not only are we unable to practise our sport there, but in order to do so elsewhere, we have to drive at least as far as Cheltenham, the nearest good north-east facing flying site, thus impacting the environment which the trust claims to be trying to safeguard. Apparently the stated reason for our being denied access is that the trust thinks that hang gliders and paragliders worry cattle. This is completely untrue. Horses, perhaps, but not cattle. I hope that the Will Woodlands trust sees sense and allows this wonderful site to be enjoyed once more by our small but passionate free flying community.
Yours sincerely,
James
Sir James Mallinson, Bt., DPhil.
Winner of the UK Paragliding Open 2006 and member of the British Paragliding Team.
From Fiona Macaskill, (25k triangle world record holder.)Churchill House, Olveston, Bristol, BS35 4DP
Dear Mr Martin,
I understand that you are involved with the dialogue concerning the paragliding activities at Hazel Manor (otherwise know as ‘Ubley’ to paraglider & hanglider pilots). I have been a paraglider pilot since 1990 & have flown from the site on many occasions over the years. I was absolutely devastated when we were told that we could no longer use the site because it had been bought by Will Woodlands.
Now that the dialogue has opened up again I would like to contribute to the discussions.
The site is considered by many paraglider & hanglider pilots to be one of the very best sites in Britain (certainly there is nowhere better in the south of England) when the wind blows from the right direction. This does not occur very often in Britain but when it does it produces fantastic flying conditions for the ‘free flyer’: paraglider & hanglider pilots. Of all wind directions, the one suitable for Ubley produces the very best flying conditions & we therefore look forward to these days as we are able to fly long distances when these winds blow.
Due to the infrequence of the direction, the site is only flyable on around 12 days a year as we need light winds & no rain. Given the excellent location of the Ubley take off & the easy access (assuming we park our vehicles where we always used to), if we have the skill & a bit of luck, we can fly to the south west and Lands End. I never managed to do this before the site was closed to us but I still dream of gaining the British Record from Hazel Manor take off.
If the site were to be opened up I would certainly return to attempt a British distance record from the site.
I have been flying for 17 years, currently hold the female British record for the longest ‘declared Goal’ flight, British altitude flight & I have gained 4 World Records for speed flying. I have represented the UK in 5 World & European Championships,
As you are no doubt aware, there are many sports people who are very keen to return to fly at Ubley.
Please could you consider our requests favourably, as this is a very important to all of us?
Yours sincerely,
Fiona Macaskill