All you noisy pilots that require power to get airborne, may be amused by contemplating a maneuver special to certain hill sites, for example, the Long Mynd....
The wind is blowing against the ridge. The glider is moved to the edge of the ridge. A bungee rope is attached to the glider, and six able bodied people attach themselves to the rope, three on each end, (the glider is attached to the midpoint of the bungee rope). Another person is holding the tail of the glider so it won't leave too soon.
The six able bodied people begin to march down the hill, pulling the rope. When there is sufficient tension, the chap on the tail lets go, the glider trundles forward and eventually falls off the hill.
And instead of continuing downhill, is met by the wind blowing up the hill. It ascends triumphantly into the air.
If the wind is strong enough, the glider can then perform the maneuver of
THE VERTICAL CIRCUIT. Turns downwind and base leg not needed. Just fly at minimum sink speed, say 40 knots, the glider then flies backwards over the hill. Reaching the point where a final approach is desired, speed is increased to penetrate the wind, say to 60 knots, and the glider lands straight ahead. This is the rare situation where you can actually GO AROUND in a glider!
I think a bungee launch may be found on YouTube, but doubt if they ever managed to film the Vertical Circuit....
Try that one if you get the chance!
For the information of the earnest OP, the usual methods of launching gliders are by airtow, or by winch. The winch launch is cheaper. But the tow plane can tow your glider to the best thermal, and if you are any good at all, you can then stay up all day....my longest flight in the UK was 8 hours and 53 minutes, traveled a task of 511 kilometers...
That was a very good day indeed.