Paragliding
Hermanus

A long, wave-shaped coastal ridge giving consistent soaring with occasional thermic input — a relatively relaxed site by Cape mountain standards, though thermals and wind shear can still turn sharp. Whale-watching from the air is a springtime bonus.

Hazards & cautions

Don't land on the golf course. An easterly can feel deceptively manageable at launch but is actually side-on to the ridge and can turn severely turbulent, with pockets of rotor off the mountains further east; a southwesterly is similarly turbulent. Heavy turbulence sits above and behind the trig beacon at the ridge's northern end — stay in front of it. Take care crossing the ridge low when top-landing, as the cliff edge produces rotor near the front. Powerlines run down the mountain to the right of launch and are hard to spot in the afternoon light.

Launch & landing

Launch from the clearly marked area beside the scenic road (private land — stay within the marked zone), roughly 235m ASL with a 2300m ceiling. Land on the school fields to the right (avoiding the cricket pitch) or the rugby fields closer to the ridge, watching for wind shear on approach; an open field left of launch serves as an emergency option, and Grotto Beach works for overflow.

Access

Via the N2 toward Caledon, turning onto the R43 toward Hermanus and following the signposted scenic route turnoff to the launch area overlooking the town.

Background

Recorded flights include roughly 50km east (Abraham Meyer) and roughly 25km north to Caledon (Phil Bristow).

Flying conditions