BasicUsed for solo student progression flights.

Paragliding
Piketberg

Swartland, Western Cape

Today

Not flyable

14 km/h SW · not flyable

FlyableStudent safeWind dirNo fogNo rain

Best window this week

Sat 14 · 11h00 · 💥 5 stars · 1,783m tops

Soarable tops — 7-day

Reference lines show historical 75th and 95th percentile for Piketberg.

p75 1508mp95 2014m1439mMon 9979mTue 101328mWed 111461mThu 121897mFri 131783mSat 14
p75 — typical flyable dayp95 — exceptional dayBar height = soarable tops (hwcrit)
▸Detailed forecast table
TimeStarsTops (m)Sfc WindBL WindBL TopBL Ht (m)Thermal (m/s)BL Cloud %Sun %Temp (°C)Dewpt (°C)Rain (mm)Pres (hPa)Student
Mon 9ClearStarsTops (m)Sfc WindBL WindBL TopBL Ht (m)Thermal (m/s)BL Cloud %Sun %Temp (°C)Dewpt (°C)Rain (mm)Pres (hPa)Student
08h—44110 NNE10 NNE10 NNE4490.00%90%20.6801018—
11h—1,20910 WSW10 WNW16 NNW16572.00%98%28.56.701018—
14h—1,43915 SW11 WSW15 NNW19312.00%100%29.88.801016—
17h—61121 SSW22 SSW13 SSW12421.00%100%27.411.701016—
Tue 10ClearStarsTops (m)Sfc WindBL WindBL TopBL Ht (m)Thermal (m/s)BL Cloud %Sun %Temp (°C)Dewpt (°C)Rain (mm)Pres (hPa)Student
08h—4416 N6 N6 N4490.00%92%18.77.801018—
11h—7149 SW8 W10 NW9472.00%98%26.5901017—
14h—97914 SW12 SW9 W13112.00%100%29.28.501015—
17h—65122 SW24 SSW14 SSW10401.00%91%26.113.901016—
Wed 11ClearStarsTops (m)Sfc WindBL WindBL TopBL Ht (m)Thermal (m/s)BL Cloud %Sun %Temp (°C)Dewpt (°C)Rain (mm)Pres (hPa)Student
08h—4416 SW10 SSW14 SSW5500.00%89%17.91001018—
11h—90513 SW15 SW17 SW11712.00%97%231301018—
14h—1,32817 SW20 SW27 WSW17162.00%99%2614.701016—
17h—1,06623 SW24 SW19 SW14652.056%100%23.316.201017—
Thu 12ClearStarsTops (m)Sfc WindBL WindBL TopBL Ht (m)Thermal (m/s)BL Cloud %Sun %Temp (°C)Dewpt (°C)Rain (mm)Pres (hPa)Student
08h—4419 SSW13 S18 SSE6671.085%91%14.612.301018—
11h—1,03113 SSW13 S5 SE13292.00%98%21.312.701017—
14h—1,46117 SSW16 SSW4 W18803.00%100%24.51201014—
17h—1,16922 SW25 SSW14 SSE16662.00%100%22.91201015—
Fri 13ClearStarsTops (m)Sfc WindBL WindBL TopBL Ht (m)Thermal (m/s)BL Cloud %Sun %Temp (°C)Dewpt (°C)Rain (mm)Pres (hPa)Student
08h—72421 SSE21 SSE24 SSE8951.00%100%13.96.901020—
11h—1,31423 SSE19 SSE14 ESE15722.00%100%20.14.201019—
14h—1,89729 S27 S16 ESE23043.00%98%24.5-2.501016—
17h—1,04644 SSW45 S37 S13022.00%90%21.95.301016—
Sat 14ClearStarsTops (m)Sfc WindBL WindBL TopBL Ht (m)Thermal (m/s)BL Cloud %Sun %Temp (°C)Dewpt (°C)Rain (mm)Pres (hPa)Student
08h—72421 SE22 ESE25 ESE9341.00%100%18.7-0.201019—
11h💥1,78312 SE6 ESE6 ENE21733.00%100%23.2-1.401017—
14h—2,44918 SSE8 SSE7 SW29913.00%98%26.5-4.601014—
17h—2,18625 SSE17 SSE8 NE28402.00%90%26.9-1.801013—

Used when the wind at Porterville is over the back (easterly).

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Hazards & cautions

An easterly here can be a berg wind, with gusts, turbulence and dust devils that are easy to underestimate in strength aloft; in a southerly, the gully in front of launch produces turbulence.

Launch & landing

Launch from beside the road or a small cleared area a short walk uphill through the bush — about 200m above the base (500m ASL, ceiling 450m ASL military / 2100m ASL civilian). Land in the uncultivated fields near the base of the pass, watching for powerlines and telephone lines crossing some of the fields to the left.

Access

Via the N1 then N7 to Piketberg, then north through town toward Versveld Pass.

Background

A flight of roughly 32km north is recorded from this site (Craig Richards, October 1999).

Flying conditions

Wind recommendation

SE - NE

Flyable directions

NE, ENE, E, ESE, SE

Wind speed range

0–18 km/h

Air School training site

Yes

Quick facts

Grade
Basic
Region
Swartland
Distance from Cape Town
122 km (straight-line)
Coordinates
-32.8551°S, 18.7368°E
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Want to train at a site like this?

See Beginner Course

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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