Lanzarote
2 - 16 October 2008
8 - 22 January
Ridges - thermals - you name it's here.
The Lanzarote that we'll show you is a million miles from the tourist 'Lanza-grotty'” image that it sometime has. It is a starkly beautiful volcanic landscape with a heritage going back over 700 years. Contrasting this is a sophisticated side that offers everything from exceptional dining to museums filled with paintings by some of the world greats.
Pilot Rating - EP to Experienced pilots.
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The Flying
The island works on micro-climates and choosing the correct site can be crucial. Most sites offer a mixture of both thermic and dynamic conditions but the site selection can adjust the proportions. At one extreme end of the scale there is El Cuchillio in the middle of the day; an absolute boiling pot with thermals that’ll rip your socks off! And then there’s Miradore del Rio; a stunning bowl 1400ft above the landing field with air like silk.
Commonly, as the position of the sun moves, we will follow it and fly 2 or more sites in a day. There are about 5 sites that we use 95 % of the time and maybe 10 others that we fly occasionally. On a good day there will be 2500 - 3000 ft cloud bases and while this is not a destination for big XC flying, small ones are possible and we’ve helped many pilots through their first XC flight out here.
There is all of this, and then there’s the Famara Ridge. The scale takes your breath away! You’ll take off inland and have to really work to make transitions over gaps until you finally arrive on the costal cliff. From here you can float all the way to Miradore (26 km round trip). It is absolutely stunning to fly above the cliffs and to listen to the waves crash against their bases nearly half a mile below.
There really is something for everyone here; with training sites to work on basic skills all the way up challenging flying for experienced pilots. If you’re still working towards your qualification, we can move you forward in Lanzarote.
All of the sites are located within a 25 minute drive of the villa and a plentiful supply of hire cars means that we can use different sites at the same time if necessary.
Watch some video of flying in Lanzarote http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_kqX5_jnLM
Accomodation
We will be villa based during our stay in Lanzarote. We have one of the finest villas on the island, set on the side of an extinct volcano and overlooking the plains below, the Fire Mountains in the distance, and the sea on both sides of the island. Our villa has a heated pool and a Jacuzzi in which to relax at the end of the day.
You will need to arrange a flight to Arrecife airport to arrive on the Thursday before 6 pm. We do not organise any flying for Thursday as it’s transfer day but do have a briefing at 7-30 pm. You will be met at the airport by one of us and taken back to the villa to relax in the sun. You can either elect to share a room in order to keep the cost down or you can have the luxury of a large double room to yourself. We’ll only be taking a maximum of 6 pilots so it’s important to reserve your place early.
Details
Whether you join us in October or January, leaving the UK winter behind and stepping off of the plane into warm gentle breezes is a wonderful feeling.
You’ll have your breakfast prepared for you each morning and you’ll have the choice of cooked breakfast, cold meats and cheeses, fruit, cereal, toast, croissants, tea, coffee and juice. Packed lunches are supplied on request and are a good idea if we end up spending the whole day on a flying site.
We organise 2 cooked dinners in the villa each week using the best of local ingredients and for the remaining nights, introduce you (if you wish) to some of the special places to eat on the island. Of course, if you’d like to do something different for dinner there are so many choices and we’d be happy to advise you.
The temperature can vary considerably; while normally pleasant in just a T-shirt and shorts, evenings and mornings can be quite chilly. Occasionally we do get heat waves and mid-day can be scorching. Fortunately, the sea is never far away and we often end up swimming to cool off.
There are a whole host of other activities from scuba diving to caving, from wine tasting to go carting; the list is enormous! The night life in Lanzarote is legendary and a lot of it is pretty tacky but we go to the locals night spots which takes in everything from a bar set into a cave to an old convent that’s been turned into a salsa club.