Lions Head (Cape Town)

'Lower launch' is reached after a 10 minute walk, where the path narrows from a jeep-track width into a hiking track. It is a challenging launch through a silver-leaf tree grove from a short net-covered runoff. Be meticulous in your layout and pre-flight checks. This is where to launch if it is soarable and SW.

The 'Top site' is reached after another 10 minutes of brisk walking. It is NOT on the top of Lion's Head! It's below the cliffs on the NW side. The path is slightly hard to spot on the first pass if you're not following a local, as it's a couple of steps up rocks.

Lion's Head is a rocky launch site that is both steep and loose underfoot, though the loose rocks are contained under a tight green net that has been stretched over the launch area (weak ankles, beware). The launch is steep enough that your wing is, between cycles, likely to slide down the netted hill towards you.

The wind is usually cross from the left here and there's a significant drop-off a couple of feet from the bottom of the netted area, making good ground-handling and committed launch techniques essential for a safe get-away.

Spectacular coastal flying. Sometimes when it's just right you can fly across to Table Mountain, get up and fly all the way down the Twelve Apostles.

Soaring. Home of the Glen Paragliding Club, a consistent and beautiful site to fly, offering a panorama of Camps Bay and the Twelve Apostles. In the afternoon, Lion's Head heats up and generates a thermal, upslope breeze. Best flying is from 3pm onwards during wind-shadow conditions. Parking is on the back (Cape Town side) of Lion's Head, and then a stiff hike is required up the gravel road and around to the front side. Because of the spire-shape of the peak, the wind diverges around it, causing a strong increase in wind speed at both takeoff sites when it is soarable. The wind is usually crossed from the left (S) at the topside and very strong, and crossed from the right (NW) at the lower site. Please don't pioneer a new launch site somewhere else on the mountain as it is a Nature Reserve.
HG: get permission to drive a 4x4 up to the launch site. Contact the Nature Conservation office (RHS of Signal Hill road on way up).

Takeoff altitude: 403m