Days Out NI
Air sports Draperstown

Slieve Gallion Paragliding Site

A 530m UHPC flying site for licensed pilots — not a turn-up-and-fly day out.

1 photo
MembersPilots only — not a book-and-go attraction
No public costContact the club
Draperstown530m summit of Slieve Gallion above the M…
Get directionsOfficial website
Flying siteWhat it is
No public costCost
Pilots onlyLimits
MembersAccess
Wind-dependentConditions

Slieve Gallion Paragliding Site — A 530m UHPC flying site for licensed pilots — not a turn-up-and-fly day out.

  • What you can do: Fly only if you are a qualified UHPC member pilot; others can take in the summit views.
  • Who can go: Pilots only — not a book-and-go attraction.
  • Weather: Wind- and weather-dependent; flyable days not guaranteed.
  • Booking: No public booking; to try paragliding, book a tandem with a BHPA school.
  • Cost: No public charge to the site; tandem flights elsewhere — check current prices.
Plan your visit

Who can actually fly here

Slieve Gallion is a UHPC club site, and the club holds the landowner permission and the site rules. Only pilots who hold the relevant BHPA rating, are UHPC members and carry insurance may launch — there is no public access to fly. A complete beginner cannot start here. The standard route is a Club Pilot novice course with one of NI's four local training schools; UHPC offers free first-year membership when you begin a course. If you just want the experience once, a tandem flight with a BHPA-accredited school is the honest option.

Members-only site Licensed pilots only 530m summit Cross-country launch Weather-dependent Easy summit drive-up
Good to know before you go:

Flying here runs on the weather, so slots move at short notice — take the reschedule, it’s part of the sport. Some of the sites and clubs listed on Days Out NI are for members and qualified pilots rather than walk-in visitors, so check what’s on offer before you set off. And check the age, weight and health limits before you book: they’re set by the aircraft, not by anyone being fussy.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 📱A bookingAlmost everything up here runs on a slot you’ve arranged ahead — clubs included.
  • 🧥Warm layersIt’s colder up there than it is on the ground, and colder again waiting on the airfield.
  • 🗓️A flexible dayFlights move with the wind. Keep the day loose and you’ll enjoy it far more.
  • 📷A cameraThe view is the whole point — coast, lough and mountain, all in one lap.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Type
members-only free-flight site
What you can do
Fly only if you are a qualified UHPC member pilot; others can take in the summit views
Public access
Pilots only — not a book-and-go attraction
Booking
No public booking; to try paragliding, book a tandem with a BHPA school
Weather
Wind- and weather-dependent; flyable days not guaranteed
Cost
No public charge to the site; tandem flights elsewhere — check current prices
Location / airfield / site
530m summit of Slieve Gallion above the Moyola valley, near Draperstown, Co. Londonderry
Parking
Easy summit drive-up with parking near the top
Membership
UHPC full membership around £24/year; BHPA membership and insurance required to fly
Questions

Before you go

Can anyone go, or is it members only?
Pilots only — not a book-and-go attraction
What actually happens on the day?
Fly only if you are a qualified UHPC member pilot; others can take in the summit views
Do I need to book?
No public booking; to try paragliding, book a tandem with a BHPA school
What happens if the weather turns?
Wind- and weather-dependent; flyable days not guaranteed
How much does it cost?
No public charge to the site; tandem flights elsewhere — check current prices
Getting there

Slieve Gallion Paragliding Site is 530m summit of Slieve Gallion above the Moyola valley, near Draperstown, Co. Londonderry. Easy summit drive-up with parking near the top. Tap below for directions.

Directions on Google MapsOfficial website See it on our map
Nearby

Make more of the day

More days out around DraperstownSee what else is close by More air sports across NIFlights, gliders, helicopters and flying sites
The story

About it

Slieve Gallion is one of over 40 inland and coastal sites flown by the Ulster Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club, a club registered with the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (BHPA) and tracing its roots to the Ulster Hang Gliding Club founded in 1975. The club holds landowner permission for its sites and maintains a sites guide of rules for members.

The peak is known among local pilots as a strong cross-country launch, with some of NI's longest XC distances logged from here in the right conditions.