Meall Gorm

To reach the launch, walk back south along the road from the parking area towards the head of the Pass. About a hundred metres or so beyond a tiny roadside lochan on the left, break out right in a southerly direction, taking a direct line over rough rocky ground. After 700m a series of small lochs are reached. Skirt around these and then contour along the south west slopes of Meall Gorm until a suitable launch site is found. Although the terrain is strewn with rough Torridonian sandstone boulders and small outcrops, there are plenty of grassy areas affording good launching points.

The remote Applecross peninsula with its sweeping views west towards the Outer Hebrides and south to the mountains of Kintail offers some of the most stunning scenery in the Highlands. Despite the general remoteness of this area, the road through the spectacular Bealach na Ba (Pass of the Cattle) makes the main take off point, high on Meall Gorm (710m), extremely accessible for paraglider pilots. The fact that the area offers several different flying options and is also outside the Highland Restricted Area just adds to this attraction, making Applecross a popular choice for pilots based in the north of Scotland.

The Meall Gorm launch takes a south through to south westerly breeze. Due to it’s aspect and proximity to the sea in the summer months it is common to experience a sea breeze here and this can mean that the site is flyable even when the wind direction is off elsewhere in the area.

Takeoff altitude: 658m