Best view of Ben Nevis & Glencoe, ever - 8000ft from a hang glider!

Once again I got lucky and picked the right weather to travel up to Scotland to fly my hang glider. The day was brilliant and after I launched from Glencoe ski resort I soared over to Ben Nevis. There I managed top climb to 8500ft above the highest mountain in the UK! This is the second time I've managed to achieve this this feat. I consider myself incredibly lucky to have done it once, so to achieve it twice is incredibly fortunate. Flying in Scotland is amazing and on days like these, with views over the Western Isles, Loch Ness, Loch Lomond and the Scottish Highlands, it is truly epic! Soaring above these spectacular mountains in a hang glider is definitely the best view you can ever get of the Highlands.
Thank you to Stewart Reid and Mike Armstrong for looking after me while I was visiting and Mike for letting me use the arrival footage at the end. Not the best landing but thankfully the ground was soft! Gratitude and respect also to my primo, Paul, who seems to always be there during my good hang gliding flights. Thank you for your support cuz, especially for helping me carry up the mountain... again!

[@gary_248]

Absolute class pal,regularly climb in these mountains and sometimes see someone up in the air lol so it’s great to see their view back down. The most I’ve seen in one day is down in the Lake District,over Helvellyn

[@borism7050]

In 2008 I was based in Fort WIlliam and dreamed of such a flight. Sadly my Litespeed was all the way back here in Tasmania, Australia and it was Scottish Autumn. Great choice of music too. Special Flight.

[@malibu188]

Great view of the flying. Brilliant flight.

[@hangie65]

What a neat little film of what was an epic day! I am glad you got lucky once again with the conditions. Your videos keep getting better. Thanks for posting

[@adamlea6339]

There aren't many days in a normal year you get weather and clarity like that in the highlands. Stunning views.

[@AcrodesignerLNSNI]

Absolutely stunning beautiful

[@chrisusher7097]

looks amazing lads. 1:45 giving me far cry 3 vibes haha

[@whtmasterd]

Thanks for sharing, so beautiful and so remote.

[@robertoscian4384]

Extraordinary 💪👍💯

[@ericoschmitt]

Epic place, you are lucky to fly there

[@Aluminata]

Once you get the taste...I remember getting very fit from hauling the thing back up the slopes.

[@alfonze24]

Nice one Steve! Great video!

[@globalnomad4074]

epic plus ... yay

[@calanmacleod3948]

It’s called a burn!😆😆

[@skyjockbill]

It is beatiful, starkly so, but it's not a natural landscape, and I can't think of any other country in Europe that wouldn't have got a better start on restoring it back to what it once looked like and still could.

[@emoe_atlas]

Epic indeed. Where do you get your Vario beep feed from? From the skybean?

[@PlaneDelta]

It's the digifly vario

[@NoTengoIlusiones]

Hi, did you print you instrument support ? looks awesome. Kobo, Naviter and what's the other one? thank you.

[@PlaneDelta]

Yes, my wife designed it for me and I 3D printed it! The other instrument is a Skydrop (skybean.eu/skydrop-vario) which I use to feed the kobo. I just have a plug which I use to connect the kobo as I have gone through a few kobos now and it is easier to just solder the plug rather than a bluefly each time. It is also an acceptable backup for competition flying, I copied the idea from Gordon Rigg.

[@Aramil4]

That landing could have been a humerus fracture

[@PlaneDelta]

Yes I was very lucky, could have been a lot worse! One of the best things I have ever been taught is if it's not looking good, let go at the very last minute and use the hang glider to take the energy out of the landing.

[@Vl7248]

How often is it this good and what times of year?

[@PlaneDelta]

I think it is probably possible once or twice a year from Glen Coe. However Scotland probably has maybe a dozen epic days a year but the wind direction doesn't allow you to launch from Glen Coe every time. I was very lucky to be able to launch on this day, it was touch and go as the wind was very light.

[@user-ny2bx8ez1c]

I would have much appreciated the sound of a Vario than the music.

[@ericoschmitt]

You could fix some of your pain with a pair of 20 inch bicycle wheels, an axis and padding. Drag it up.

[@Aluminata]

Who is going to carry the rig back?

[@ericoschmitt]

@@Aluminata Didn't you go up twice for harness and other stuff? How about the atos guy with two halves? Or anyone that may have went up with you to help? I don't know about you but I wouldn't hike up that trail with both the glider and harness on my own anyway, so that's two trips. Do glider with wheels on the first, bring wheels back down.

[@Aluminata]

@Érico Schmitt I carried the lot up in one go. God only knows how. I guess if you are planning a top landing, it might be worth it. It was a hell of a long time ago. I don't remember much.

[@ericoschmitt]

@@Aluminata damn I don't even try to lift both! I'd rather walk twice.

[@haraldstephan8613]

When was the date of flight ?

[@PlaneDelta]

4th June 2022

[@haraldstephan8613]

@@PlaneDelta Thanks

[@StewartMidwinter]

Hike and fly… That's what paragliders were invented for!

[@ericoschmitt]

Hike and float* In the air, nothing compares to HG. Well worth it.

[@StewartMidwinter]

@@ericoschmitt I flew hang gliders for 37 years, so I'm clearly a fan. And I have tried hike and fly with a hang glider. Let me tell you that climbing 400m with 100 lb of gear on your shoulders is agonizing, and beyond the abilities of most people. On the other hand, I have had little difficulty hiking up more than 1,000 m to a launch site while carrying a paraglider.