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Scottish airfields etc.
- daveg4otu
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03 Dec 2015 16:27 #1
by daveg4otu
See my Hampshire,Dorset,Devon,IOW Airfields sites..
www.hampshireairfields.co.uk/
Scottish airfields etc. was created by daveg4otu
I am in the early stages of planning a two week "trains and boats and planes" tour of Scotland next June(by car with just me and dog). The intention is to visit as many WW2 airfields(particularly in the north) as well as any shipyards, dockyards etc, and steam railways as are accessible. Also of course any aviation museums.
I am pretty well aware of the locations of most airfields (both active and disused) but would welcome any comments regarding good spots to see shipping and steam railways, aviation related locations such as memorials etc. as well as any comments regarding the whole general idea. The current thinking is to B&B it with the option if I get caught out ,of sleeping in the back of the (estate) car.
I am pretty well aware of the locations of most airfields (both active and disused) but would welcome any comments regarding good spots to see shipping and steam railways, aviation related locations such as memorials etc. as well as any comments regarding the whole general idea. The current thinking is to B&B it with the option if I get caught out ,of sleeping in the back of the (estate) car.
See my Hampshire,Dorset,Devon,IOW Airfields sites..
www.hampshireairfields.co.uk/
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- mbriscoe
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03 Dec 2015 18:35 #2
by mbriscoe
Are you planning to include the islands, it starts to eat into travelling time! Ferry fares on the West coast ferries have come down with RET.
Replied by mbriscoe on topic Scottish airfields etc.
I am in the early stages of planning a two week "trains and boats and planes" tour of Scotland next June(by car with just me and dog). The intention is to visit as many WW2 airfields(particularly in the north) as well as any shipyards, dockyards etc, and steam railways as are accessible. Also of course any aviation museums.
I am pretty well aware of the locations of most airfields (both active and disused) but would welcome any comments regarding good spots to see shipping and steam railways, aviation related locations such as memorials etc. as well as any comments regarding the whole general idea. The current thinking is to B&B it with the option if I get caught out ,of sleeping in the back of the (estate) car.
Are you planning to include the islands, it starts to eat into travelling time! Ferry fares on the West coast ferries have come down with RET.
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- Bigbear
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03 Dec 2015 18:49 #3
by Bigbear
Replied by Bigbear on topic Scottish airfields etc.
What an awesome idea. It would be a really difficult one to know where to start. I do know that if you took the M8 past Glasgow and head out towards Faslane you can take in a Merlin engine factory at Hillington followed by Renfrew and Abotsinch airfields, Blackburn factory, various ship yards and museums, the former MAEE at Rhu, Faslane, NATO refuelling jetty, Loch Long Torpedo test site, various weapons storage facilities, POW camp, Rosneath USN base and many other sites all with beautiful views from places like Glen Fruin. Oh, of course there is the Glen Fruin test tank facility.
One word of advice, if you are taking a dog, take Flea Treatment and one of those Tick removal tools. I didn't!
One word of advice, if you are taking a dog, take Flea Treatment and one of those Tick removal tools. I didn't!
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- corij
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03 Dec 2015 20:31 #4
by corij
aed lort
Replied by corij on topic Scottish airfields etc.
in the summer there are short boat trips over to Inchcolm island on the Forth . it has interesting WW2 fortifications /ammunition tunnel and is a really good day out
aed lort
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- mbriscoe
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03 Dec 2015 22:49 #5
by mbriscoe
Replied by mbriscoe on topic Scottish airfields etc.
We did a series of trips with people from Sub Brit. A few week long ones, oneup through Skye to Lewis and down through Uist then over to Tiree. Mainly looking at radar sites - Tiree is great for that with five radar stations (plus a modern one!). Then one up to Shetland and back through Orkney and Caithness. Others were shorter ones where I would pick them up from the airport, go around for a couple of days then drop off back at the airport. We even managed some single day ones. We did most radar stations in Scotland, most of the coastal gun sites in the Clyde and Forth (including the islands).
There is someone who does tours around military sites on Orkney.
If you are not familiar with Scotland then you will find Canmore and some of the local HERs very useful for finding sites and you can access both through PASTMAP which also is a good mapping system - I often print out large scale maps from there.
There is someone who does tours around military sites on Orkney.
If you are not familiar with Scotland then you will find Canmore and some of the local HERs very useful for finding sites and you can access both through PASTMAP which also is a good mapping system - I often print out large scale maps from there.
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- mothminor
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03 Dec 2015 23:11 #6
by mothminor
Replied by mothminor on topic Scottish airfields etc.
The Strathspey Railway at Aviemore is well worth a visit as is Bo'ness and Kinneil where there's also an excellent railway museum. No steam yet on the Keith - Dufftown railway but it is a pleasant trip on the little diesel through some lovely countryside (and if you like whisky there's something like fifty distilleries in a 40 mile radius, though that may be the other way round!) As to shipping, Aberdeen was still fairly busy last time I was there - not sure how bad it's been affected by the downturn in the oil industry recently. There's the Royal Yacht Britannia at Leith and if you want smaller boats I think the little harbour at Anstruther is hard to beat. There's often quite a variety there, a couple belonging to the nearby Fisheries Museum. It's just along the road from Crail too. Stating the obvious, the museum of flight at East Fortune might, hopefully, be finished its refurbishment by then. If in Glasgow, the Riverside Museum of Transport is very good (it lacks aviation content though) - loads of old cars, motorbikes and steam trains and a large collection of highly detailed model ships.
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- mbriscoe
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04 Dec 2015 08:48 #7
by mbriscoe
Replied by mbriscoe on topic Scottish airfields etc.
As far as shipping is concerned there are plenty of ports, SHIPAIS has coverage of much of Scotland so you can see what is around. Someone mentioned Inchholm ISland, you get a good view of passing ships from there.
If you go up to the higher parts of Greenock there is a good view over the Clyde.
Faslane is awkward to see from the road, probably a better view from across the loch. There are sometimes ship loading ammunition at Glen Mallon and you get very close - the security chap spoke to me one day, he said that theoretically you are not supposed to photograph them but they do not bother provided you still on the roadside. I did read a story elsewhere of someone getting hassle from Strathclyde Police for photographing a SSBN going into Faslane. They called the MOD Plod, who greeted him by his first name when they arrived, much to the local plods' disgust and they went off disappointed that they had failed to spoil his photographry.
If you go up to the higher parts of Greenock there is a good view over the Clyde.
Faslane is awkward to see from the road, probably a better view from across the loch. There are sometimes ship loading ammunition at Glen Mallon and you get very close - the security chap spoke to me one day, he said that theoretically you are not supposed to photograph them but they do not bother provided you still on the roadside. I did read a story elsewhere of someone getting hassle from Strathclyde Police for photographing a SSBN going into Faslane. They called the MOD Plod, who greeted him by his first name when they arrived, much to the local plods' disgust and they went off disappointed that they had failed to spoil his photographry.
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- daveg4otu
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04 Dec 2015 16:22 #8
by daveg4otu
See my Hampshire,Dorset,Devon,IOW Airfields sites..
www.hampshireairfields.co.uk/
Replied by daveg4otu on topic Scottish airfields etc.
Thanks for all the replies so far.
Was thinking of going for a couple of weeks(home to home - Torquay) but from the look of it a couple of months might be too short!
Seriously ...yes two weeks or so... and as far as the Islands are concerned , Orkney is probably on - but Shetland and the Hebrides unlikely due constraints of both time and cost.
I would have liked to include The Shetlands but is is an overnight journey, relatively expensive and doggo has to be kenneled on board for the trip...not fair on him.
Was thinking of going for a couple of weeks(home to home - Torquay) but from the look of it a couple of months might be too short!
Seriously ...yes two weeks or so... and as far as the Islands are concerned , Orkney is probably on - but Shetland and the Hebrides unlikely due constraints of both time and cost.
I would have liked to include The Shetlands but is is an overnight journey, relatively expensive and doggo has to be kenneled on board for the trip...not fair on him.
See my Hampshire,Dorset,Devon,IOW Airfields sites..
www.hampshireairfields.co.uk/
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- mbriscoe
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04 Dec 2015 18:51 #9
by mbriscoe
There is a lot to see on Orkney . No airfield on Hoy but it is worth a visit though can take up much of a day. Similarly Flotta where there is perhaps the best preserved Z-Battery.
Replied by mbriscoe on topic Scottish airfields etc.
Thanks for all the replies so far.
Was thinking of going for a couple of weeks(home to home - Torquay) but from the look of it a couple of months might be too short!
Seriously ...yes two weeks or so... and as far as the Islands are concerned , Orkney is probably on - but Shetland and the Hebrides unlikely due constraints of both time and cost.
I would have liked to include The Shetlands but is is an overnight journey, relatively expensive and doggo has to be kenneled on board for the trip...not fair on him.
There is a lot to see on Orkney . No airfield on Hoy but it is worth a visit though can take up much of a day. Similarly Flotta where there is perhaps the best preserved Z-Battery.
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- Peter Kirk
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04 Dec 2015 20:01 #10
by Peter Kirk
No Amount Of Evidence Will Ever Persuade An Idiot (probably not Mark Twain)
Replied by Peter Kirk on topic Scottish airfields etc.
Orkney also has more archaeology per square mile than most places in the UK.
No Amount Of Evidence Will Ever Persuade An Idiot (probably not Mark Twain)
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