Page 53 - Cross Country Travel Guide 2019

Local guide Christian Fernandez del Valle gives us the lowdown on this classic European winter getaway

Tenerife
Tenerife is the largest island. Pilots here
boast it has more flyable days than any

other location in the northern hemisphere.
The volcanic peak of the island, Mt Teide
(3,718m), creates a huge south-facing
protected lee-side ideal for XC. The island
is only 80km wide, so you won’t set a world
record, but it is thought-provoking and
skill-improving technical flying. The north
(other) face of Teide is ideally shaped for long
soaring XC flights in the NE trade winds.
Morning and evenings offer a unique
flight. The Izana launch at 2,200m and only
15km from the coast provides an easy glide

to the beach. Cloud is common, so a compass
is compulsory (and check out the specific
rules about photography over the National
Park). Most of the time the flight from Izana
is a 20-minute sled ride, but sometimes the
evening inversion can take you to 4,000m to
sit you on top of the whole island.
flyincanarias.com, para42.com
Photo: Christian Fernández del Valle

Lanzarote and
Fuerteventura

Lanzarote and Fuerteventura are the closest
to the Moroccan coast, and the wind funnels
fastest over these two long thin islands.
This makes them suited for hang gliding.
Fuerteventura has some take-offs and
fantastic conditions, but no local HG pilots.
There are wide open fields dotted around for
landings, and slopes of all profiles for take-

offs if you’re willing to explore and pioneer.
Lanzarote on the other hand is easy for
hang glider pilots, with direct flights to
almost everywhere in Europe. The island
also has established HG launches at a range
of heights so you can adapt your take-off
plan to fit the day’s wind strength. The most
popular, Famara, is a 420m take-off just a few

metres from the car park and is big enough
for 60 pilots. The flying is mostly dynamic,
along the coastal ridge that runs most of the
length of the 60km island. World class.
flylanzarote.com
Photo: Christian Fernández del Valle

CANARIES CROSS COUNTRY TRAVEL GUIDE 2019 53