Paragliding
Piekiniers Mast
Swartland, Western Cape
Today
Not flyable
20 km/h WNW · not flyable
Best window this week
Fri 23 · 14h00 · 🦅 3 stars · 1,521m tops
Soarable tops — 7-day
Reference lines show historical 75th and 95th percentile for Piekiniers Mast.
▸Detailed forecast table
| Time | Stars | Tops (m) | Sfc Wind | BL Wind | BL Top | BL Ht (m) | Thermal (m/s) | BL Cloud % | Sun % | Temp (°C) | Dewpt (°C) | Rain (mm) | Pres (hPa) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue 20Clear | Stars | Tops (m) | Sfc Wind | BL Wind | BL Top | BL Ht (m) | Thermal (m/s) | BL Cloud % | Sun % | Temp (°C) | Dewpt (°C) | Rain (mm) | Pres (hPa) |
| 08h | — | 416 | 3 ENE | 3 NE | 5 NNE | 616 | 1.0 | 0% | 86% | 11.2 | 5 | 0 | 1018 |
| 11h | 👍 | 1,107 | 12 W | 14 NNW | 27 NNW | 1435 | 2.0 | 0% | 86% | 18.6 | 5.4 | 0 | 1016 |
| 14h | — | 1,385 | 21 WNW | 29 NW | 37 NW | 1813 | 2.0 | 0% | 78% | 22.1 | 3.2 | 0 | 1013 |
| 17h | — | 927 | 24 W | 30 WNW | 32 NW | 1310 | 2.0 | 0% | 95% | 19.2 | 3.6 | 0 | 1013 |
| Wed 21🌧 Rain | Stars | Tops (m) | Sfc Wind | BL Wind | BL Top | BL Ht (m) | Thermal (m/s) | BL Cloud % | Sun % | Temp (°C) | Dewpt (°C) | Rain (mm) | Pres (hPa) |
| 08h | — | 416 | 16 N | 23 N | 29 NNW | 608 | 0.0 | 71% | 5% | 11.9 | 9.7 | 1 | 1017 |
| 11h | — | 416 | 20 NNW | 30 NNW | 38 NW | 788 | 1.0 | 92% | 15% | 13.9 | 10.9 | 0 | 1017 |
| 14h | — | 703 | 20 WNW | 30 WNW | 34 WNW | 1080 | 1.0 | 100% | 32% | 16 | 13.2 | 1 | 1015 |
| 17h | — | 583 | 20 WNW | 30 WNW | 33 WNW | 1078 | 1.0 | 100% | 42% | 15.9 | 13 | 1 | 1015 |
| Thu 22Clear | Stars | Tops (m) | Sfc Wind | BL Wind | BL Top | BL Ht (m) | Thermal (m/s) | BL Cloud % | Sun % | Temp (°C) | Dewpt (°C) | Rain (mm) | Pres (hPa) |
| 08h | — | 416 | 9 NW | 13 NW | 15 NW | 562 | 0.0 | 85% | 14% | 12.4 | 11.5 | 0 | 1019 |
| 11h | 👍 | 763 | 12 WNW | 13 WNW | 12 WNW | 1168 | 1.0 | 86% | 26% | 15.2 | 11 | 0 | 1019 |
| 14h | 🦅 | 1,407 | 15 W | 15 WSW | 23 WSW | 1781 | 3.0 | 94% | 98% | 19.3 | 11.1 | 0 | 1019 |
| 17h | 👍 | 1,199 | 14 SW | 15 SW | 19 SW | 1642 | 2.0 | 54% | 95% | 19.2 | 11.1 | 0 | 1018 |
| Fri 23Clear | Stars | Tops (m) | Sfc Wind | BL Wind | BL Top | BL Ht (m) | Thermal (m/s) | BL Cloud % | Sun % | Temp (°C) | Dewpt (°C) | Rain (mm) | Pres (hPa) |
| 08h | — | 416 | 2 NNE | 3 NNE | 3 NE | 465 | 0.0 | 0% | 79% | 15.5 | 6.3 | 0 | 1022 |
| 11h | 👍 | 1,099 | 10 WSW | 3 NNW | 8 NE | 1431 | 2.0 | 0% | 95% | 23.1 | 6.4 | 0 | 1020 |
| 14h | 🦅 | 1,521 | 13 WSW | 8 W | 8 WNW | 1964 | 3.0 | 0% | 99% | 26.7 | 7 | 0 | 1019 |
| 17h | — | 1,163 | 15 SSW | 13 SSW | 10 WSW | 1734 | 2.0 | 0% | 87% | 25.9 | 9.9 | 0 | 1018 |
| Sat 24Clear | Stars | Tops (m) | Sfc Wind | BL Wind | BL Top | BL Ht (m) | Thermal (m/s) | BL Cloud % | Sun % | Temp (°C) | Dewpt (°C) | Rain (mm) | Pres (hPa) |
| 08h | — | 551 | 15 SSE | 15 SSE | 17 SSE | 710 | 1.0 | 0% | 100% | 21.1 | 5.4 | 0 | 1019 |
| 11h | — | 1,096 | 8 SSE | 3 SSE | 3 WNW | 1405 | 2.0 | 0% | 100% | 26 | 6.1 | 0 | 1017 |
| 14h | — | 1,585 | 14 SSW | 8 SW | 11 NW | 2022 | 3.0 | 0% | 97% | 28.7 | 7.5 | 0 | 1015 |
| 17h | — | 1,335 | 21 S | 19 S | 12 SW | 1906 | 2.0 | 0% | 86% | 29.1 | 7.1 | 0 | 1013 |
| Sun 25Clear | Stars | Tops (m) | Sfc Wind | BL Wind | BL Top | BL Ht (m) | Thermal (m/s) | BL Cloud % | Sun % | Temp (°C) | Dewpt (°C) | Rain (mm) | Pres (hPa) |
| 08h | — | 551 | 4 SE | 2 ESE | 4 SW | 739 | 1.0 | 0% | 100% | 23.7 | 8.8 | 0 | 1015 |
| 11h | 👍 | 1,108 | 13 SW | 7 WSW | 6 NW | 1409 | 2.0 | 0% | 100% | 26.8 | 9 | 0 | 1015 |
| 14h | — | 1,901 | 21 SSW | 21 SW | 26 W | 2410 | 3.0 | 0% | 97% | 29.1 | 8.9 | 0 | 1014 |
| 17h | — | 1,768 | 28 SSW | 30 SW | 22 WSW | 2471 | 2.0 | 0% | 85% | 28.9 | 7.9 | 0 | 1015 |
| Mon 26Clear | Stars | Tops (m) | Sfc Wind | BL Wind | BL Top | BL Ht (m) | Thermal (m/s) | BL Cloud % | Sun % | Temp (°C) | Dewpt (°C) | Rain (mm) | Pres (hPa) |
| 08h | 🤔 | 349 | 6 W | 6 W | 3 W | 661 | 1.0 | 48% | 100% | 18.1 | 13.1 | 0 | — |
| 11h | 👍 | 947 | 7 SW | 6 SSW | 6 SE | 1272 | 2.0 | 9% | 100% | 23.4 | 12.9 | 0 | — |
| 14h | — | 1,629 | 9 SSW | 9 SSW | 8 S | 2141 | 3.0 | 0% | 97% | 27.7 | 8.9 | 0 | — |
| 17h | — | 1,318 | 13 SSW | 11 SSW | 7 SSW | 1984 | 2.0 | 0% | 88% | 29.2 | 6.1 | 0 | — |
A low thermic site at the N7's Piekernierskloof Pass, at the northern end of the Porterville valley.
Notice something outdated on this page? Let Ria know →Hazards & cautions
Not suitable in southerly winds, which put the site in rotor; an alternative gum-tree launch nearby is the better option in that case.
Launch & landing
Launch from a gently sloped bowl of knee-high fynbos (reverse launch works best) — about 150m above the pass (500m ASL, 2900m ceiling). Land in the clear farmland below the pass.
Access
Via the N7 north of Piketberg, over the Piekernierskloof Pass; an alternative launch is reached via a farm track shortly after cresting the pass.
Flying conditions
Wind recommendation
NW-SW
Flyable directions
SW, WSW, W, WNW, NW
Wind speed range
0–18 km/h
Air School training site
Not used for Air School training
Quick facts
- Grade
- Basic
- Region
- Swartland
- Distance from Cape Town
- 154 km (straight-line)
- Coordinates
- -32.6073°S, 18.9317°E
Want to train at a site like this?
See Beginner CourseReady to fly?
Your first solo flight is three sessions away. The beginner course is available year-round — gear, sites, and SAHPA registration all included.
Or call +27 78 095 8136