Lincolnshire is known as Bomber County. This is due to the role it played in the Second World War, when its wide open skies and largely flat landscape were found to be perfect for building airfields and runways. This proud legacy lives on, but in a far more gentle way than the name would suggest. No longer do you hear the whirr of propellers and the roar of engines at these airfields, the flying machine of choice is now the serene, silent glider. If you’ve ever dreamed of soaring like a bird through the skies, this is the experience for you.

Gliding is the most elegant form of unpowered flight that has ever been invented. After the initial input of power when launching, a glider can fly through the air for hours at a time without an engine, silently seeking out thermals and air currents to stay airborne. This is thanks to long wings and lightweight structure that supports them, allowing a cabin with seats for up to two people. One of those seats can be yours at a number of gliding venues around Lincolnshire, and it will be better than any cinema, theatre or sports stadium seat, as you embark on an aerial adventure with views that will take your breath away. It’s enough to inspire you to learn to pilot a glider yourself - and you can do that here too! What’s more, gliding experiences in this county are run by not-for-profit clubs, so you know that you’re getting a great deal on an unforgettable experience.

Where are the best places to go gliding in Lincolnshire?

• The Deepings: This is the old name for a low lying the southern area, near the border with Cambridgeshire. The local low altitude doesn’t apply when you decide to go gliding here, which you can do just outside the town of Crowland. This is the only club in the county where you can experience aerotow launches, where a powered aircraft pulls the glider into the air before releasing it. Once above the ground, you’ll see the Fens spread out below you. These are ecologically significant wetlands that are home to all kinds of insects and animal life - including some birds that might join you in the air. Beyond is the broad estuary known as the Wash, which separates this county from Norfolk.

• Lincolnshire Wolds: Not all here is flat. In the northeast of the county, the landscape rises to the rolling hills of the Wolds. These grassy knolls and ridges look fabulous from the air, and you can find out for yourself if you take a flight with the gliding club near Strubby. Flights from this location take in the Wolds on one side, and the North Sea coast on the other, where famous seaside resorts like Skegness alternate with pristine coastlines. This gliding club here practises winch launching, where a cable pulls the glider along a runway until the wings generate enough lift for take off, the from there on the only power comes from the air.

• Trent Valley: The valley of the river Trent runs across the midlands to the Humber Estuary. There’s a gliding club outside Kirton-in-Lindsey, on the approach to Scunthrope, which offers the best way to view the path of the Trent, which is the third longest river in the UK, and far beyond. The Humber estuary with its famous bridge is a sight to behold from the air, the spires of Lincoln Cathedral can be glimpsed to the south, and the Wolds rise to the East. Most flights that this club operates are launched by winch, a reliable yet exciting way to start gliding across the skies.

When is the best time to book?

Gliding can take place at any time of year, but there are some weather conditions that make flying impossible. These are low clouds, heavy rain, or winds above 30 miles per hour. Thankfully, the climate here isn’t particularly given to any of these, so you can book a flying experience at any time of year and be pretty confident that it will go ahead.

Options for organising the experience

When you’re making a booking, you’ll choose the duration of your flight. Typical taster gliding experiences here include 20 or 30 minutes of airtime, enough to travel a fair distance, see huge swathes of the county and fill you with endorphins. It’s also possible to buy a package that includes several flights. You should arrive at least half an hour early for your experience, and expect to be onsite for a full hour or more. You might also have the choice of altitude that the glider will reach, usually 2000 ft (600 metres), 3000 ft (900 metres) or a mile!

- A single flight as a passenger may well be enough to convince you that this sport needs to form a big part of your life, and this is the perfect place to throw yourself into the sport and become a glider pilot. All the clubs in the county offer training and practice flights, and there’s nothing they like more than seeing a trainee complete their first solo flight.

Activity requirements

We believe that flying without an engine is an experience that everyone should have at least once in their life, and the gliding clubs in this region share this ethos. They take all kinds of people up in their gliders for experiences, but there are one or two things to bear in mind if you’re keen to have a go. As with any kind of flight, weight is a factor. The maximum weight for a passenger depends on the glider - and the weight of the pilot - but the upper limit is usually between 100 and 110 kilograms. In addition, very tall people of around 190 cm or more might find it hard to get comfortable in a cabin. Finally, there’s age. Most club pilots will take passengers of 13 or 14 years of age and older up, although some might take a child as young as 10 years old, if they’re big enough to fit properly in the seat.

The final thing to say is cabin space isn’t a priority when designing a glider. Most recreational pilots fly single-seater models, but the clubs in this area also have 2-seater gliders. Of course, with one seat occupied by the pilot, there’s only space for one passenger at a time.

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