The Vee

The Vee launches from the top of Sugarloaf mountain in Ireland, at 647 m, and only works in a northerly or near-northerly wind — when it's on, pilots describe genuinely beautiful flying over striking scenery. A lower takeoff option exists a little below the summit for days when the wind is too stiff up top. The site is well signposted: follow the signs to the road's hairpin bend, where there's a car park, then take the track beside the stone monument on the road above the bend up to launch. Weather here can change fast, being a mountain area, so it pays to stay alert through the flight. Landing takes more care than the flying itself: the flat fields on the lowland north of the mountain look tempting but come with a number of landowners who don't welcome visitors, so the better legal option is the public walking trail that runs all the way up the mountain and is clearly visible from the air — the stretch at the bottom, on the east side, is wide enough for a safe approach, though walkers do use it, so keep a lookout. It's also possible to land on the mountain near the hairpin bend itself, also visible from above, but that option is for a skilled pilot only.

Launch & conditions

Launch is from the top of Sugarloaf mountain; a lower takeoff exists a little below the summit for days when the wind is too stiff up top.

Getting there & local rules

Follow the signs to the road's hairpin bend, park at the car park there, then take the track beside the stone monument on the road above the bend up to launch.

Check conditions before you fly

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