Question: what kind of aircraft can be packed up to fit in a rucksack? No, it’s not a trick question, and the answer isn’t a paper aeroplane or a kite - we’re talking about something capable of lifting a full grown adult, or two, into the air and taking them soaring through the skies. You’ve probably worked it out by now, the answer is a paraglider. It is one of the easiest ways to achieve flight. You don’t need motors, propellers, or a runway - all you need is a bit of wind and steep slope. The hills of the South Downs National Park are popular places for taking off for a paraglider flight, and some of the best are in Hampshire.

The largest county in Southeast England, has a lot of wide open spaces that make a convenient, and scenic, place for paragliding. Taking off from the South Downs, you can enjoy sweeping panoramas of this range of hills which run into the neighbouring counties of East and West Sussex, where they meet the sea in abrupt white cliff faces. To the South, the coast of Hampshire is dominated by its two cities - Southampton and Portsmouth - and across the Solent, the Isle of White sits in the English Channel. There’s nothing like this activity to give you a bird’s eye view on this beautiful part of the country, while satisfying your appetite for excitement at the same time. On top of that, when it comes to experiencing flight, it’s an affordable option.

Where are the best places to go paragliding in Hampshire?

Almost all of the sites to fly are located in the South Downs. The area around the A3 northbound from Petersfield to Liss is particularly good, but there are also sites closer to Winchester, and away from the South Downs on the shore of the Solent.

• Butser Hill: The highest point on the ridge of the South Downs, Butser hill rises to 271 metres above sea level. It’s within the Queen Elizabeth Country Park, 6 square kilometres of open-access woodland and hills. People come here for many reasons, from mountain biking to visiting the Butser Ancient Farm experimental archeology site, where theories about ancient agriculture are put to the test. But we’re here to talk about flying, and you can’t do much better than Butser in the whole of the county. It’s possible to take off into the sky in four different directions - north, northeast, south and west - from this hill, depending on where the wind’s coming from. This makes it a safe bet when planning a flight, and paragliders are often seen ascending into the heavens from the slopes.

• White Wool and Mercury: These sites are to the west of Butser Hill. Both of them are hills with east and north east facing slopes, White Wool with a smooth gradient for pleasant launching and landing and Mercury enjoying lift from excellent thermals. Once in the air, the landscape opens- up below you, revealing quaint villages tucked into the folds of the hills. Opposite Mercury, there’s an eco-friendly research and learning project, the Sustainability Centre, set in 55 acres of leafy forest.

• Harting Down: East of Butser, Harting is another high point on the ridge, where northerly flights of 8 kilometres are possible under the right conditions. Nearby, a series of hills are known as the Devil’s Jumps, and legend has it that they’re a favourite playground for Satan himself.

• Matterly Bowl: This hill is above the city of Winchester. This cathedral city was founded by the Romans and was briefly the capital of England during the reign of Alfred the Great. It’s a charming city to visit, and looks even better from the air, where the towers and spires of the minster stand out against cobbled streets and Tudor half-timbered buildings, and the castle - linked to the legends of King Arthur - sits on top of a hill in the city centre.

• Meon Shore: Down on the coast of the Solent, Meon is a clifftop launch site. It’s an unlikely place to go for a first flight, because the area is shared with people enjoying the beach, beach huts, and other leisure activities, but it’s the only place in the area to fly with a sea breeze.

What’s this experience like?

- To feel the thrills of unpowered flight in Hampshire, you’ll take a tandem flight. This means that you’ll be the passenger suspended below a paragliding wing in the control of an experienced pilot. Your harness will be in front of the pilot’s so they can give you instructions, point out local landmarks and talk you through the flying techniques during the flight.

- As we’ve explained, the location of your experience will most likely be in the South Downs near the village of Liss. You’ll be informed of the meeting point, all of which have parking, and meet your pilot there. It will be a short hike up the hillside to the launch site, where the pilot will unpack the artifact from their backpack and set it up. Once you’re in your harnesses and strapped to the wing, you’ll have to help with take-off, by taking a few running steps with the pilot down the hill. They’ll do the rest, manipulating the wing to catch the breeze and carry you skywards. In an experience that lasts around 2 hours, the pilot will aim to give you 20 minutes or more in the air. Depending on the conditions that could be all in one flight or spread over several flights.

Requirements to do this activity

Given that you’ll be a passenger on your flight, you don’t need any experience of flying, any of your own equipment, or to be in great physical shape. You will have to take a more active role at certain points in the flight, namely take-off, where you have to run a few steps down hill, and landing, where you need to lift your knees towards your chest. This means that a tandem flight experience is available to anyone who considers themselves capable of those actions over the age of 9 years old - though under 18s will need their parents’ permission. The only other thing to say is that you must weigh between 32 and 100 kg, that’s 5 and 16 stone, for the flight to be possible.

If you’ve got the desire to fly, we’ve got the wings for you! Don’t hesitate to book now!