The Minster Isle of Sheppey site in Kent, UK, offers a unique paragliding experience with its 100ft grassy slopes and 150ft earth cliffs between Minster and Warden Point. This site is occasionally used for coastal soaring, and toplanding is possible.
The take-off altitude is 30 meters (100 feet), and the top-to-bottom (TTB) height is 20 meters (70 feet). The site is accessible via the road through Minster. Turn left at the Waterloo pub, follow the road past a bend to the left when it becomes Wards Hill Road, and then turn right down Seathorpe Avenue. There is a free car park at the end on the left, and a 400-meter footpath leads to the take-off area.
Parking is available in the car park at the end of Seathorpe Avenue. Do not park at the end of Imperial Avenue. The take-off area is limited in space, so choose your rigging area carefully and watch out for dog waste.
Flying the site allows for a ridge run all the way to Warden Point, where the cliffs taper off. A stiff breeze is needed for optimal flying conditions, but significant height gains have been achieved here despite the site's small size.
Landing options include returning to the take-off area for slower hang gliders or paragliders, landing to the left of take-off, or to the right if the field is not in crop. Be cautious of turbulence from the small cliff just to the right of take-off. Bottom landing should be avoided due to the hazardous conditions, including mud and deep cracks.
Restrictions include avoiding flying to the west of the fenced-off enclosure just to the left of take-off and not overflying the houses. Hazards include the presence of model aircraft and people exercising dogs, so be courteous and accommodating. Check the tide situation before flying down the cliff run, as there are no bottom landing areas at high tide for most of the run. Recent cliff slippage has resulted in an ever-changing profile, so a careful site assessment before flying is advised. In stronger winds, the shallow gully between take-off and the earth cliffs can cause a venturi effect, increasing the risk of being blown back.
For more information, visit the club's website: [DFHGC Minster Site](http://www.dfhgc.org/sites/minster).
Watch videos of the site:
- [Video 1](
Click to watch video
)
- [Video 2](
Click to watch video
)
- [Minster Paragliding YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/user/minsterparagliding)
- [Video 3](
Click to watch video
)
This site is often flyable when other nearby sites are blown out.
