Thurnham/Castle Hill is a paragliding site located in the North Downs between Hollingbourne and Bluebell Hill, near Maidstone in Kent, UK. This site is occasionally used and offers soaring opportunities with the possibility of small cross-country flights. It is a members-only site, so you must be a member of the Dover and Folkestone Hanggliding and Paragliding Club to fly here.
Before flying, you must contact Rochester Airport Control. You can find the phone number by logging in to the club's website or by contacting a committee member.
The site has a take-off altitude of 170 meters (560 feet) and a top-to-bottom (TTB) height of 35 meters (115 feet). The take-off area is situated on private land and is accessible from Castle Hill, north of the Black Horse pub in Thurnham. Parking is available at the Council car park in White Horse Woods, with a daily fee of £1.20 (£1.50 on weekends). A season ticket can be purchased from Maidstone Council. Do not park in Castle Lane or block access to the gate by the footpath.
The site faces SSW to WSW (190°-230°) and can be found using the map reference OS TQ 805 584 or coordinates N 51° 17’ 31”; E 0° 35’ 20”. The nearest phone is at the Black Horse Pub when open, or in Detling, 100 meters from the end of the Pilgrims Way, outside the Post Office, or at the end of Thurnham Lane in Bearsted.
Pilots need to have a PG rating of CP+10 hours and must be able to slope land, or a CP rating with a Club Coach supervising. Hang glider pilots need to be at least Pilot rated when the field is in crop, and CP-rated pilots must have a check flight with a club coach if there is no crop.
Flying the site can be challenging due to its small size and shallow gradient, which makes ridge runs difficult. The site can become turbulent due to the upwind topography, and thermal activity can be strong during the summer. Cross-country flights are possible but challenging due to the new area of trees planted behind the take-off field and airspace restrictions at 3,500 feet AMSL.
There is no official top landing at this site. Paragliders must land on the slope, while hang gliders must land in the bowl, crosswind and upslope, unless there are no crops and landing has been agreed upon. In an emergency, land on the public footpath through the crop, but be aware that this incurs a £10 fine payable to the club treasurer.
The site has several restrictions and hazards. Members must notify Rochester Airport Control before flying. No training or commercial activity is allowed, and tandem flights require permission from the Sites Officer. During the shooting season (October-March), the site may be closed on certain weekends. The site is shared with model flyers, and pilots should communicate with them before taking off. Additionally, there are airspace restrictions and potential hazards from a VOR/DME beacon at Detling Hill and a radio installation at Frindsbury.
For more information, visit the Dover and Folkestone Hanggliding and Paragliding Club's website: [DFHGC Thurnham](http://www.dfhgc.org/sites/thurnham).
Watch a video of the site here: [YouTube Video](
Click to watch video
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