SPORT Umbria (in english) by Umbria OnLine

SPORT - Paragliding and Hang-Gliding

From the myth of Icarus to the flying machines designed by Leonardo da Vinci and the final achievement of the Wright brothers, flying has always been among the oldest dreams to fire the imagination of mankind. But getting onto a passenger plane and sitting comfortably in an armchair at thousands of feet above ground level hardly satisfies the archaic desire to fly with the freedom of a bird. And this is precisely the thrill guaranteed by paragliding and hang-gliding, where with the aid of a lightweight harness and a run you can be airborne relatively easily. Clearly a certain amount of lessons are necessary before this can take place but once the basics have been mastered hang-gliding is much like piloting a glider with the added sense of freedom from being suspended above the countryside below you. Easily assembled, hang-gliders can be stowed into any medium-sized car, after which it is only a matter of time before you reach one of the plateaux or uplands in the Umbrian Apennines that are so particularly suited for this kind of sport. Understandably, both paragliding and hang-gliding have become increasingly popular in Umbria in recent years and it is not uncommon to look skywards in the summer months and see one of these colourful modern-day flying machines soaring overhead, above the stunning scenery of the Sibillini Mountains, Monte Cucco or Monte Subasio.

Useful addresses:

A.S. Gaia - Via Cristoforo Colombo I/a, 06034 - Foligno (PG)

Pro delta - 06046 Castelluccio Di Norcia (PG) 0743/821156 Fax 0743/821157

L'Ostello dove si impara a volare - Via Flaminia km 203,900 Villa Scirca - 06028 Sigillo (PG) 075/9170761

Itineraria - Via S. Anna, 2 06038 - Spello (PG) 0742/302301

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"Umbria...Cuore verde d’Italia. Umbria delle acque e dei Parchi, Agenzia di Promozione turistica dell'Umbria, Perugia, pg. 72, by kind permission.