Paragliding Round Top

This paragliding site in Canterbury, New Zealand, is situated at an elevation of 885 meters. It is rarely used and primarily suitable for soaring, thermalling, and short flights with limited cross-country potential. Before flying, you must obtain permission from the landowners. The site is accessible from Windwhistle by following Coleridge Road to Long Spur farm. The access track through Long Spur farm is owned by Gerald (ph: 03 3186802). You must contact him or his son (0274444227) for prior permission. Note that the site may be temporarily closed in spring due to lambing. Approximately 2 km into the farm, there is a Y junction where you need to veer right to reach the take-off point. This junction is not visible on Google Maps. The access track should only be used by 4WD vehicles to minimize damage, and lift sharing is recommended to reduce disruption to the farm. The take-off area is owned by another farmer, the King family. You will need to contact Fraser (ph: 021 505 620) for permission to use the take-off. Please call and only text if he doesn’t respond to a voice mail. Parking is available at Round Top, near the take-off area. It is advisable to leave a vehicle at LZ1 or LZ2 for convenience. For take-off, you can launch from above the transmitting tower or from a slightly better area a short 50-meter walk lower down where the hill has a gentler slope. Landing options include landing halfway down the hill and walking back up if you plan to fly again. There are plenty of paddocks for landing, but avoid those with livestock and horses. LZ1 is the closest but has power lines running through it, while LZ2 is a safer option requiring some altitude to reach from take-off. Despite its location, the site can be thermic and offers good terrain clearance for long glides. However, be cautious of the high power transmitters serviced by the access track, as the potential hazards of flying near them are not fully understood. For more information, visit: [Canterbury Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club](https://www.chgpc.org.nz/other-sites)