Leavesley Aviation Paragliding School operates from Bishops Castle in south Shropshire — on the Welsh Marches between the Long Mynd and the Welsh border. The terrain is undulating upland farmland with clean prevailing-wind exposure, which makes it an unusually consistent training environment for the wider Midlands region.
What to expect
Standard BHPA pathway: tandem flights, Elementary Pilot, Club Pilot, with continuation training for licensed pilots. The Long Mynd is a 5-mile ridge at 500m that catches prevailing south-westerlies all year — one of the most reliable ridge-soaring sites in central England. Bishops Castle’s training sites are smaller and lower but useful for first-flight conditions.
Practical notes
April-October is the practical season. Bishops Castle is a quiet medieval town with two breweries, several pubs and good B&B options — pleasant for a multi-day stay even if half the flying days get weathered out. Church Stretton (under the Long Mynd) is 20 minutes’ drive and has a stronger walking-town infrastructure. Combine a course week with hiking on the Mynd and the Stiperstones for non-flying days. Welsh Marches accents and dialect — ask for “a quart of bitter” and you’ll be welcomed.
Who it suits
Leavesley Aviation suits beginners and progressing pilots who want consistent, uncrowded training on the Welsh Marches. The undulating upland farmland around Bishop's Castle gives clean exposure to the prevailing wind, which makes for steady learning conditions.
Getting there
The school is based around Bishop's Castle in south Shropshire, between the Long Mynd and the Welsh border. There is no station in the town itself; the nearest railheads are Craven Arms and Church Stretton on the Welsh Marches line, with a car needed to reach the training sites.
Quick answers
Do you need experience to start?
No. Beginner courses are built for people who have never flown, starting with ground handling before short first flights.
How long does it take to learn?
The BHPA Elementary stage takes a few days; an independent Club Pilot rating usually takes a season of suitable-weather days.
When is the best time of year?
Spring to autumn for the most flyable days, with training arranged flexibly around the weather.
Train, parking, drive…
- Train
- Craven Arms (Heart of Wales line), then taxi to Bishops Castle (~15 min)
- Parking
- School base in Bishops Castle
- Postcode
- SY9 5BN
- Drive
- ~3h45 from London, ~1h30 from Birmingham
- Car-free?
- Possible
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…
- Long Mynd walking on a rest day
- Glyndwr's Way Hike starts in nearby Knighton
- Stay at the Castle Hotel, Bishops Castle
Plan it yourself.
The most authoritative sources we know of for this site — routes, conditions, governing bodies and operators. Open in a new tab.
- 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.
