Green Dragons is the largest paragliding school in southern England — based on the North Downs near Caterham in Surrey, about a 35-minute drive south of central London. It operates two BHPA-approved training sites within the same valley, which gives instructors strong wind-direction flexibility and means students get more airtime per course than at many UK schools.
What to expect
The school offers a full BHPA pathway from tandem flights through Elementary, Club Pilot and Pilot ratings. The main training site is a long, south-facing chalk ridge that produces reliable ridge-lift in southerly winds; the secondary site catches northerlies. The Surrey landscape is gentler than the Peak District or Wales but has the advantage of being close to London — an easy training option for riders without time for week-long destination courses.
Practical notes
Open year-round, with the bulk of training running April-October. Course bookings via the website; the school operates a single course per cohort which keeps instructor ratios strong. Tandem flights run on most weekend days when conditions allow. Caterham has cafes and accommodation; bring waterproofs and proper footwear even in summer (the take-off sites are exposed). Worth checking the school's weather-window policy when booking — UK paragliding regularly requires rebooking days.
Train, parking, drive…
- Train
- Woldingham (Southern from London Victoria, ~35 min) or Caterham (~40 min), then taxi
- Parking
- On-site at Warren Barn Farm
- Postcode
- CR3 7HN
- Drive
- ~35 min from London
- Car-free?
- Easy (closest London-belt paragliding option)
Transport details are best-effort and worth double-checking on the day — rural buses and station services change with the timetable.
If you’ve got an extra day…
Plan it yourself.
The most authoritative sources we know of for this site — routes, conditions, governing bodies and operators. Open in a new tab.
- Green Dragons - school site
- BHPA British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association — qualifications and instructor accreditation.
- BHPA Sites Guide flying sites by region and recommended local clubs.
- XCWeather pilot-focused weather forecasts — wind, cloudbase, thermal index.
- RASP UK thermal soaring forecast model used by UK XC pilots.
