Ponzos

Ponzos launches from a low cliff top above the dunes on Spain's Galician coast, at 279 m, and works best with a light northwest wind — under those conditions a cloud street often forms out toward Cabo Prior, giving pilots a genuine little cross-country run along the cape; small XC flights have reached Playa Penencia to the west and Pico de la Vela toward Punta Frouxeira in the east. With a moderate NNW wind there's also a lower launch option, right off the cliff above the beach. Getting up to the top takeoff means a paved road that turns to gravel and dirt — any regular car manages it with a bit of care. The main landing sits near the ruins of an old gold mine, reached on a dirt track; drive no further than the ruins, since the dunes beyond are a protected area — you can land and set up camp there on foot, but vehicles must stay out. Landing on the dunes themselves is easy, if a little uneven, with no trees or power lines to worry about.

Launch & conditions

The upper takeoff sits on the cliff top; with a moderate NNW wind there's also a lower launch option right off the cliff above the beach.

Getting there & local rules

The road up to the top takeoff is paved then turns to gravel and dirt — any regular car manages it with care. The landing area is reached via a dirt track leading to the ruins of an old gold mine; don't drive vehicles past that point, since the dunes beyond are protected — walking in to land and camp is fine, parking there is not.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Ponzos, 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 Ponzos with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.