Jolly Roger

100%! My wife says I’m never happier than when I’m making with my hands what I thought up in my head. Funnily enough I was just admiring your Depron Hunter in another thread. Wow! Inspirational stuff 😇

Cheers Andy. Yes indeed! No idea why I didn’t join here years ago. I’ve been binging on a bunch of really good threads here. It’s great to see there’s still plenty of folk actually building models 👍

Ah, I see. 🙂 The road out of Kepwick up to BH is narrow and gated but fine for cars/vans. I hear that in the 80s/90s BH was a regular spot for slope soaring but I’ve never met anyone else up there since 2000.

Sorry Phil, not too sure where that is but the easiest way to Sneck Yate car park is probably driving North along the top road from the Sutton Bank visitor centre. Then it’s a short walk to HB 🙂

Yes that’s it Phil. A lovely spot for a Summer’s afternoon. 😇

The above photo of High Barn shows the Black Hambleton (BH) site in the background. BH is a beauty of a site and the only reason I don't fly there is I can't be bothered to drive. I could walk to Whitestonecliffe quicker than packing the car. 😁 But for visitors, BH is arguably the best site. The photo below (looking South) shows that you can fly from your car (CP) which is nice, assuming you can find the gated road (red line) that leads up from the village of Kepwick. Sadly there's a stone wall just where a slope pilot wouldn't want it, but you can land smaller stuff on the top edge of the slope in front, and larger models on the acres of heather behind the wall.

I saw you fly a single channel at a HoH fly-in a few years back. Very entertaining and and skilful, but I'm a big fan of elevators. 😆 Yes High Barn is a lovely open site with relaxing views and few hazards. You'll know you're there because there's a barn, and you're high up (sorry Phil, couldn't resist). The barn is in a copse of trees right on the edge, and is sadly derelict (we looked into buying it a few years back but it would have been a money pit!). Here's a distant photo looking North, showing High Barn (HB) hidden in the copse of trees, with a red line showing you the 10 min walk from the small car park. You can fly either just North or South of the barn. There is a stone wall back from the slope edge unfortunately, so sideslipping along the top is best, but it's fairly smooth and grassy - I've landed my Pat Teakle ASW20 there, as a rough guide.

You’re even madder than me Graham! 🤪. Some poor guy fell off the cliff last Christmas Eve, and survived! The coastguard helicopter hovered above for hours, probing down into the wood with a searchlight (and probably IR cameras) until he was found.

I've Blue-Petered this map to show the slope sites around the SW corner of the North Yorkshire Moors National Park, near where I live. It's a bit rubbish to be honest but you can hopefully cross-ref it with a decent OS version to identify access roads etc. As mentioned above - the Yorkshire Gliding Club is active most days so the safer sites are those furthest away e.g. Black Hambleton. Even so, it's safer if you have a spotter in case any full-size happen by. These sites are also in the National Park. I do not know their current attitude towards RC gliders, but I do know that on the rare occasions I've seen wardens, they've been really friendly and politely curious. I think they're looking for a responsible attitude to safety and nothing that disrupts the peace and beauty of the area. It helps that I fly alone, avoid busy times and follow BMFA guidance. If you do decide to visit, feel free to drop me a message and I'll try to join you. I've been a Billy No-Mates for the last 25 years. 😪 Please note there's also a crop of sites along the Northern edge of the moors near Guisborough, which I understand are sometimes flown by members of the Guisborough MFC. They could advise where these are and if any permissions are required.

Just joined the forum 😃 although I’ve been flying RC since 1980. I have many happy childhood memories flying with my dad at the Weardale Model Gliding Association in County Durham, before I took a break to pursue my career, competitive sport and have a family. Just retired, I now fly mostly scale gliders off the slope next to our home in the North Yorkshire Moors, with a little sneaky electric stuff thrown in there too. My real passion is designing and building, which I’m excited to get back into. Best wishes and thank you for having me. ☺️

Cheers Geoff- kind comments. I have to admit the landing area can be a challenge at the Whitestonecliffe site. It also has a savage rotor if the wind is above 15mph. Further North the escarpment is gentler and less wooded. I’m impressed you’ve cycled up the bank! It’s exhausting in a car!

Thanks for your reply Phil. It would be great to meet up if you’re over this way. I’ve flown occasionally as a guest at HoH - and what a lovely site. It’s just a bit far to drive when I have the cliff on my doorstep. And yes, I still get nervous launching off the cliff(!) although amazingly the footpath itself runs within feet of the edge. Good idea about animating the pilot’s head (as Chris Williams has done). Rog

A couple of videos using flights from several points between the YGC and the site about 3 miles North (where Ace flew last year).

Sorry I missed this post last year. I live next to the ridge that runs North from the Yorkshire Gliding Club, near Lake Gormire. The ridge stretches about 20 miles up to Teesside. It is a beautiful West-facing escarpment and offers many slope-soaring opportunities if you’re prepared to explore on foot. As Ace pointed out, some sections are sheer cliff or wooded, but even these can be flown with the right model. I keep well away from the YGC although on occasion I’ve dropped by in the evening and they’ve been very friendly, allowing me to use their strip after they’ve all landed. Many of them fly models too. if you’re up this way do drop me a message here (I’ve just joined) and I’ll meet up if I’m free. I usually fly alone up here. Best wishes, Rog