Lauterbach

Lauterbach launches from a wide grassy slope in a national park above the village of the same name, north of Eisenach, at about 372 m facing southwest to west. It has a well-earned reputation for being tricky to climb out from — the vertical height above the landing is only around 40 m, so there's little margin to sort out a weak start before you're back down. Persistence pays off, though: once established in the air, the flying is genuinely excellent, and the flatlands to the northeast open up serious cross-country potential, with the longest recorded flight from the site running around 155 km. Landing is straightforward in principle — on the side of the hill directly below launch, uphill from the road — but reaching launch itself means driving to Lauterbach and following the road to the youth hostel inside the national park. Between the low, technical climb-out and the big XC payoff once airborne, it's a site that rewards patience over a big first glide.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Lauterbach, read the wind and thermals for the site itself, confirm the day's rules with the local club, and remember the standing rule — when in doubt, don't launch. In the free OutDare app you can open Lauterbach with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.