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 World > Europe > United Kingdom > Dorset > Bell Hill
   Bell Hill -rate- (4/5 - 2 votes)
  - Flying now ? error trying to get the wheater information :(

Last update : Feb 6th 2010
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 General information
GPS coordinates : take off : 50°52'35" (50.8765)N; 2°17'4" (2.2845)W - Elevation : 253 m.
landing : 50°51'28" (50.8579)N; 2°17'19" (2.28876)W - Elevation : 196 m.
Take off : Launch in front of the windsock or anywhere south along the ridge. Be sure you
are far enough down the hill that you will not get dragged into parked cars or
the fence if you fluff the launch.
On busy days ensure the air is clear above you before pulling up your wing.
Please ensure hang-gliders have plenty of room to launch when present.
It is possible to launch directly into the bowl on light days or when the wind is
more northerly. It is advisable not to use this launch on busy days to avoid the
risk of collision.
Landing : It is possible to land back on the launch area. Please watch out for gliders
launching who should be giving way to you on your landing approach.
The launch area can be very buoyant and on stronger days it is advisable to
land in the field behind the windsock when not in crop.
Slope landing is usually straight forward here. However, you must ensure you
know your into wind beat.
Going there : Travelling from either Stuminster Newton or Blandford drive into Shillingstone
on the A357. From Blandford look out for the war memorial on your right, now
take the next left turn signed for Okeford Fitzpaine. If travelling from
Sturminster this turn will be the first right hand turn after entering the village.
Drive to Okeford Fitzpaine, pass the church set back on the left until you reach
a ‘Y’ and ‘T’ junction. Take the left side of the ‘Y’ and turn left at the ‘T’ and
drive out of Okeford Fitzpaine. Shortly after leaving the village you will pass a
left hand turn that leads up to Okeford Hill , go straight ahead. You will now see
the ridge to your left. Take the next left turn signed for Bulbarrow and Ansty.
You should now be climbing uphill. You will pass a chalk pit on your left (see
parking). Just before the crest of the hill on the left is the locked gate with stile
leading up across Bell Hill.
Several other routes will bring you in from the South or via the Winterbornes.
Most routes will lead you past the Bulbarrow view point. From the view point
drive North along the front of the ridge. Keep going past a left hand turn. As the
road starts to drop off down the hill side you will see the entrance gate on your
right.Access is via the track from the gate. If on foot simply walk up the track to the
hill crest or simply walk up the hill and along the fence line until you find a
suitable launch area.
If driving, drive to the top of the track.
The gate is padlocked with a combination lock. Details of the combination are
available to members on the Wessex web-site. Please ensure the gate is kept
closed at all times and that last off the hill has locked it.
In summer most vehicles have no problem with the track although a little rough,
traction is fairly good and the ground is mostly firm.
TAKE NOTE
After or during a wet spell the track can become extremely slippery and may
only be accessible to serious 4X4’s. Getting up to the top is often possible but
the track turns to grass higher up and many vehicles end up sliding sideways
on the slope unable to park. You then have to turn and drive/slide back down
which can be a frightening experience. Please think twice about taking vehicles
up the track during wet weather.
Comments : If ground conditions are suitable and your vehicle and you are capable drive to
the top of the track. Park off the track along the fence line. On busy days by
parking nose or tail to the fence more vehicles can be accommodated than
parking side on.
Alternatively, park on the road side on the Bullbarrow side of the entrance gate
and well off the road (on the west side) Tractors towing attachments often use
this road so do not obstruct it.
If the road side is busy we have permission to park in the chalk pit at the foot of Bell Hill. Wessex HGPGC do not own the pit, Mr Yeatman has kindly agreed to
its use as an overflow car park only, not for general parking. It’s a hard walk up
from here which is another good reason to use the road side parking first. The
chalk pit is also quite slippery in places when wet but is fairly flat. Ensure the
gate is closed at all times.
Weather hazards : Probably the biggest hazard on this site is other pilots. On a good summers
day, particularly when the wind is light, and everyone is trying to fly in thermic
cycles. Things can get crowded and a little manic. Please ensure that you
know the collision avoidance rules, and use them. There are times when some
politeness and plain etiquette come into play.
If you feel uncomfortable in a crowded sky, land.
The ridge shallows to the West above the entrance gate and further west
power lines run down the hill. It is possible to become pinned in increased
venturi in this area.
If the wind is off to the north, the take off and landing areas can be turbulent.
Don’t get caught out by patches of sink and dumped in the scrub or trees if
scratching in the bowl.
Flight regulation : na.
People to contact : na.
Parking :
Website : http://www.wessexhgpg.org
Tourism  : na.
Site map :
Takeoff / Landing (add / modify)
Takeoff parking / Landing parking (add / modify)
 Pros on Bell Hill

no pro using this site for the moment
 Clubs on Bell Hill

no club using this site for the moment
 Pictures
no comments...
picture by iccarusdave
 
no comments...
picture by iccarusdave
 
no comments...
picture by iccarusdave
 
 gps logs of flights from Bell Hill

no flight available

 Videos, from youtube

 Situation
Take off : 50.8765 N; 2.2845 W
Landing : 50.8579 N; 2.28876 W
10 closest sites to Bell Hill :

 
Search all the sites within km around Bell Hill
(distance < 500km)
sorry, we met an error trying to get the weather information on this site... :(
 Comments
0 comment
 PgSim : 5 flights on Bell Hill
  • flight by Alf : . . "no comments left by the pilot..."
  • flight by Andy Tamlyn : . . "It was too windy to fly from Bell Hill today ...so cross country on the sim instead! "
  • flight by anonymous : . . "no comments left by the pilot..."
  • flight by anonymous : . . "no comments left by the pilot..."
  • flight by iccarusdave : . . "no comments left by the pilot..."

Play the simulator now, and leave your own track ;)

 PgSim competition tasks in Bell Hill
  • Bell Hill - task #1 : 37.903 km. (details)
 Leonardo flights [?]
takeoff : Bell Hill (50.8781; -2.28585), 0.2 km from this takeoff
Pilot OLC type OLC distance (km) Open distance (km) Flight duration Date View flight details on Leonardo
Shamus Pitts 42.857 37.282 1:48:44 2008-06-07 View
David Winn 37.624 36.534 1:3:7 2007-07-29 View
Shamus Pitts 29.658 27.457 1:1:38 2010-04-26 View
richard barber 26.92 22.889 1:29:42 2008-06-07 View
Richard Chambers 25.356 23.622 1:1:43 2010-07-25 View
Shamus Pitts 25.311 22.038 1:35:28 2009-08-07 View
Shamus Pitts 22.38 18.923 1:20:27 2010-03-13 View
Shamus Pitts 19.933 17.046 1:4:5 2008-07-21 View
richard barber 19.204 15.696 0:45:2 2008-06-07 View
Shamus Pitts 18.916 15.595 1:26:54 2009-06-14 View
Shamus Pitts 13.881 12.234 1:6:36 2008-07-12 View
Shamus Pitts 11.879 10.232 0:45:6 2009-03-22 View
.....
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