The Challenges:

The main challenges to a trip of this length and with such exposed water crossing and cross country sections, are the following:
  1. Weather: The sport of paramotoring, like paragliding, depends on light winds and favourable weather conditions. Flying mainly takes place in the earlier and later parts of the day, when there is least thermal activity.  Weather will dictate the pace and timescale for completing the trip!​  The heat of mid summer is also a concern, as the expedition nears the lower latitudes, and start time will be very weather dependant.  It will either be in the early summer or late summer to avoid the warm thermal conditions that come with warm weather.
  2. Sea Crossings:  The short sea crossings involve some risk of swimming, but it would be planned to arrange rescue boat support for the various crossings, in the unlikely event of engine difficulties en route!
  3. Mountain Crossings: The Crossing of the Pyranees in Southern France, before entry to Spain is another of the great challanges of the trip, with minimal landing options and inneccessible areas. The flight will reach significant altitudes to cover these mountain ranges.  The higher the flight the lower the temperature at height, and good protective clothing would be essential at height, while warmer temperatures lower down will mean shedding layers again!
  4. Equipment:  The small motors we can often be a bit temperamental and sometimes not the most reliable when pushed very hard over a prolonged period!  Air Conception Paramotors who supply the paramotor that will be used, will provide support by way of spares and back-up.  These motors have been selected because of their light weigh and exceptional power to weight ratio. There is minimal loadbearing capacity with a paramotor, and selecting the correct equipment to carry will be essential, to avoid making the take off and landings more difficult!
  5. Endurance:  It will be challenging enough lifting and carrying all the equipment on a daily basis, with all the necessary equipment and fuel to be carried.  The sport is ‘foot launched’, and all gets carried on your own undercarriage. Long hours in the saddle, with big crossings and long legs, will be endured.  Weather will inevitably lead to enforced breaks along the way, allowing time to re-charge!
Northern Irish Sea, with Scotland beyond.
Prevailing winds in UK during Summer!

​Pyranees.
Straits of Gibralter
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English Channel.