Our home base... 

Since Feb. 2001 RUGS has been affiliated with Shalbourne Soaring Society who provide us with all the facilities we need to fly, plus they are a cracking bunch of people to boot! The airfield we fly from is called Rivar Hill (or Shalbourne, depending to whom you speak) and is in deepest, darkest Hampshire. It is about 40 nautical miles from campus, so it takes about 45 mins or so to get there.

The club uses a winch to launch the gliders, and launch heights in excess of 2000ft on good days are not unheard of. The airfield in a mile long field on top of a 300ft ridge. This ridge runs east-west and in northerly winds ridge soaring is possible. 

Below is a small selection of pictures showing the airfield, click on one to make it big. 

(in case you were wondering....the strangely painted caravan is the launch point control vehicle which signals the winch driver, plus it is the place where you flying fees)

If you are interested, a poor mans guide to getting to Shalbourne is shown here