FLOCK HILL The Canterbury Gliding Club has been having an away camp on Labour Weekend for forever. And for long enough now that no one can remember quite how long it has been, the camps have been at Flock Hill. Flock Hill is a high country station between Porters Pass and Arthurs Pass. Famous world-wide in recent years as the setting for filming of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, it has been a favoured gliding site for much longer. Our family loves the place. It’s conveniently placed right beside State Highway 73 so it’s easy to get to and it’s got easy access for glider trailers. The Station boasts a backpackers lodge, motel units and a restaurant. Large, nearly flat paddocks running down towards Lake Pearson have provided variable temporary airstrips
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December 2010
By Jill McCaw
over the years. The paddock the gliding club now uses is at the base of Purple Hill and, while it has undulations, it has a smooth surface and reasonable approaches for a mountain strip. Launching straight into the mountains has pros and cons. It can be pretty scary at times. In the pre-trip briefings it is emphasised that this is an extremely hostile environment with wind shear and turbulence affecting the strip and the surrounding hills. It can also be brilliant for gliding. Launching straight into ridge lift it is often very easy to transition into wave. Over the years some fantastic flights have been done from Flock Hill and even just local flights onto the nearby ridges are scenic and spectacular. There are other activities available at Flock Hill which makes it an ideal camp for families. Lake Pearson is just down the road for paddling and rare bird watching. The native grebe nests on this lake, literally. It builds floating nests in the reeds. Hence the power boat prohibition on the lake. The Craigieburn Forest Park and Arthurs Pass are close with walks of various grades. It has
