Spring Hang gliding in the Peak District, UK

Luke Nicol, British Hanglider pilot, chases spring conditions in the Peak District, an “upland” area of England, which lies in the north of the country, mostly in Derbyshire. The Peak District is well known to the English free-flight community, for providing the most spectacular flying scenery and from some of the highest hills in Great Britain.

Enjoying this year’s strong spring thermals, Luke, prepares to land in a large field which is in wave, and gets catapulted back up to 3000ft!.

Certain sites in the UK are renowned for “wave” flying because of the geographical disposition, and proximity to the coast. This causes a distinct boundary between the two air masses, and creates the band of soarable lift that can produce remarkable height gain as well as big sink. The “Morning Glory” in Australia is of the same phenomenon on a grander scale.

Luke Nicol, from Tunbridge Wells, has been flying since 2011, and flies with an Atos Vr10.