IF you have ever wanted to join the buzzards and swifts soaring above the Malverns, then a thriving club could offer you the freedom of flight.

Malvern Hang Gliding Club, which was formed in 1976 with about 50 members, provides the chance to take part in a very different outdoor activity.

The club flies from Black Hill, Pinnacle Hill and Swinyward Hill.

“The Malverns, besides being picturesque from the ground, are probably the best easterly facing hills in the UK for foot-launched flight and just as beautiful from a thousand feet or more. It attracts pilots from all over, though only when the weather forecast is a very good one, which is surprisingly infrequent.”

The club boasts 15 British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (BHPA) coaches. It is recommended prospective pilots join the BHPA and take part in a course with a professional school to gain their wings before joining a local club.