Spain
Hola! Welcome to Algodonales where the flyers fly until the sun sets!
Situated only ninety minutes west of Malaga, Algod sits in the shadow of Mount Lijar (800m) and is surrounded by lakes and mountain ranges running from Granada and the Sierra Nevada in the east to Gibralta and Jerez in the south-west. To the north the flatlands stretch out towards Seville. These features give the region so much flying potential that it hosts some of the largest competitions in Europe and the world, including the World Air Games. Algod is a Mecca of free flying, and the town of Algod has built up around paragliding and hang-gliding.
We are accommodated in double rooms in our own well equipped house situated in the heart of the town. Only minutes from our door step are the shops, restaurants and paragliding bars of Algod, offering fantastic entertainment as well as plentiful tapas and other Spanish dishes. Though only a small town, Algod provides everything a pilot needs, and the larger town of Rhonda is only a short drive away.
Our guide is one of Beyond Extreme's own instructors, Howard Taylor, a pioneer of the sport who has lived in Spain for several years. Howard's knowledge is vast, built up over forty years of free flying. Howard meets us each morning at the house, where he discusses the forecast and we make plans for the day's flying. We also debrief from the previous day and Howard offers small tutorials to help pilots of all abilities improve their skills and days flying.
As the Azores high builds, you can expect a cloud-base of between 1600m and 2500m with good sized but smooth thermals, which you will often share with 'Buitres'. These Griffon Vultures have an incredible three metre wingspan and are not afraid to fly close to you, almost wing tip to wing tip.
Mount Lijar provides most of our flying sites, allowing us to follow the sun around the mountain as it moves from the east to the west. Levante and Poniente (south-east and south-west sites) allow good room for pilots to master their take-off in thermic conditions. With a full site briefing there are ample house thermals to work as well as the ridges to soar. New pilots will find it easy to practice thermaling over the open valley in front, whilst the more advance pilot can work the thermals to cloud base before venturing out towards the next mountain on their way to completing some XC. Views over the lakes, hills, bullrings, villages and farms provide a stunning backdrop, whilst the Griffon Vultures mark the thermals and keep us company throughout the day. Another take off site on Lijar, La Piedra (north-west) also provides excellent flying for all pilots, although the take-off is small in comparison to the other launch sites.
Other sites close to hand include Rhonda La Vieja, El Bosque and Montellano. Two of these are used by schools, and offer some great evening flying as well as good cross-country training for newer pilots. All are within easy reach of Lijar with excellent XC potential.