Above: Lerwick (Tingwall) Airport on The Shetland Isles
The Shetland Isles 2018
The aim of this tour was two-fold.
Back after 4.5 years off.
This was my first major expedition after 4.5 years of inactivity. I had changed my home base. Dunkeswell (EGTU) had been my home between 2000-2013. The large hangers allowed fully rigged flexwing storage, it was only 30mins from my home in Exeter, and it had two asphalt runways. The hanger rental was some £75pm in 2001. By 2017 it was £220pm.I was able to move to Weston Zoyland. While an hour away, it had the quadruple benefits of three well drained grass runways, a well run club and a large and very secure barn for rigged flexwings. The fourth benefit was a monthly rental of £60. ‘No Brainer’ as they say.
I had done a 3.5 day UK warm up exercise 2 weeks previously. I had labelled this practice ROPO - ‘Rust Off, Polish On’. 690 miles (1100km) via 12 airfields, mainly in East Anglia. A successful shake-down, as they say in the military.
- To reach and tour the Shetland Isles.
- To meet up with friends who were sailing in the Orkney Isles.
Back after 4.5 years off.
This was my first major expedition after 4.5 years of inactivity. I had changed my home base. Dunkeswell (EGTU) had been my home between 2000-2013. The large hangers allowed fully rigged flexwing storage, it was only 30mins from my home in Exeter, and it had two asphalt runways. The hanger rental was some £75pm in 2001. By 2017 it was £220pm.I was able to move to Weston Zoyland. While an hour away, it had the quadruple benefits of three well drained grass runways, a well run club and a large and very secure barn for rigged flexwings. The fourth benefit was a monthly rental of £60. ‘No Brainer’ as they say.
I had done a 3.5 day UK warm up exercise 2 weeks previously. I had labelled this practice ROPO - ‘Rust Off, Polish On’. 690 miles (1100km) via 12 airfields, mainly in East Anglia. A successful shake-down, as they say in the military.
Day 1. 170 miles (275km). 3 legs. Sittles Farm >>> Abbots Bromley (both north of Birmingham), >>> Coal Aston (Sheffield).
I tend to do a short first leg, preferring an early stop so as to check all stowage is in good order and tidy up any distractions or adjustments that get in the way of 100% confidence and pleasure. When doing long days, with early morning departure, I might also need to ‘ease springs’. This is a military expression, related to small arms, where the tension in the breech is released: ie, the weapon is un-cocked. Here it translates to the old, and older man’s, need to urinate. Hydration needs managing on long expeditions. My touring day starts with 2 x 500ml mugs of tea, which have usually worked through (with any excess jettisoned) while tent is struck, breakfast cooked, aircraft checked and stuff loaded. The early day first stop mitigates any mis-judgement of this.
The 120 miles (190km) first leg to Sittles Farm was a 1400 departure, so the liquid loading/emptying was balanced.
However, this time the problem was no brakes on landing at Sittles Farm. Not a real problem on their 500 grass (09/27); more of a surprise. Insufficient brake fluid is not a common problem for G-GEMX, but I take the blame for having none in my tool/ bag. Friendly cub members helped me out, and the top up was easy and effective. I made a note in my book to carry some brake fluid.
Abbots Bromley was a short hop, purely to visit this attractive field by a reservoir. A mainly GA strip, but looking and feeling very pleasant at that time of the evening when the shadows lengthen and the tones soften, and aircraft are being wheeled into their hangars.
Coal Aston, on a hill close to Sheffield, is a beautiful strip of open fields on top of a hill. A few small hangars. Up went the tent, out came the cooker, and the immediate 2 x 500ml mugs of re-hydrating tea were brewed. The farmer/owner appeared and made me welcome. In former years, when the UK had a steel industry, it was primarily used, and might well have been owned, by British Steel.
I tend to do a short first leg, preferring an early stop so as to check all stowage is in good order and tidy up any distractions or adjustments that get in the way of 100% confidence and pleasure. When doing long days, with early morning departure, I might also need to ‘ease springs’. This is a military expression, related to small arms, where the tension in the breech is released: ie, the weapon is un-cocked. Here it translates to the old, and older man’s, need to urinate. Hydration needs managing on long expeditions. My touring day starts with 2 x 500ml mugs of tea, which have usually worked through (with any excess jettisoned) while tent is struck, breakfast cooked, aircraft checked and stuff loaded. The early day first stop mitigates any mis-judgement of this.
The 120 miles (190km) first leg to Sittles Farm was a 1400 departure, so the liquid loading/emptying was balanced.
However, this time the problem was no brakes on landing at Sittles Farm. Not a real problem on their 500 grass (09/27); more of a surprise. Insufficient brake fluid is not a common problem for G-GEMX, but I take the blame for having none in my tool/ bag. Friendly cub members helped me out, and the top up was easy and effective. I made a note in my book to carry some brake fluid.
Abbots Bromley was a short hop, purely to visit this attractive field by a reservoir. A mainly GA strip, but looking and feeling very pleasant at that time of the evening when the shadows lengthen and the tones soften, and aircraft are being wheeled into their hangars.
Coal Aston, on a hill close to Sheffield, is a beautiful strip of open fields on top of a hill. A few small hangars. Up went the tent, out came the cooker, and the immediate 2 x 500ml mugs of re-hydrating tea were brewed. The farmer/owner appeared and made me welcome. In former years, when the UK had a steel industry, it was primarily used, and might well have been owned, by British Steel.
Day 2. 239 miles (384km). 5 legs. Coal Aston >>> Huddersfield/Crosland Moor >>> Oxenhope >>>. Berrier. Into Scotland to East Fortune >>> over Firth of Forth to Kingsmuir.
A fair and easy day with a helpful tail wind for the two longer legs. Huddersfield International is a small strip near the town; one which has very good facilities and a sense of humour. Co-operative too, with a lift to the local garage for fuel.
Onwards to Oxenhope, near Keighley, gateway to the North Yorkshire moors. Landed on a poorly maintained runway (24 Grass), which the residents, assembling for a flyout, told me was effectively out of use. Jolly and brief banter
Time to make some mileage, so up and over the 71 miles (114km) of open moors and mountains to Berrier, near Penrith. A very simple 500 metres of firm grass running beside a very solid stone wall. Approach is over the house. No-one in residence. I cooked some lunch, sat in the sun, and admired the northern hills of the Lake District.
The trip through the Scottish Borders is always a pleasure, enhanced by the anticipation of visiting one of the UK’s finest club strips; East Fortune Microlight Site. Always a welcome here, plus flying essentials from fuel to cake.
I had intended to overnight at Balado, near Loch Levan, north of Edinburgh, but had time to score another field near St Andrews: KIngsmuir. A good building that is large enough to be a residential activity centre. Indeed it probably is, since I can’t remember there being any hangars. Was surprised, some 90 minutes later, on my way to Balado, to meet low cloud and rain. About turn! Fortunately, Kingsmuir was a very good place to spend a damp night. Had PPR and was able to thank the owner when he turned up the next morning.
A fair and easy day with a helpful tail wind for the two longer legs. Huddersfield International is a small strip near the town; one which has very good facilities and a sense of humour. Co-operative too, with a lift to the local garage for fuel.
Onwards to Oxenhope, near Keighley, gateway to the North Yorkshire moors. Landed on a poorly maintained runway (24 Grass), which the residents, assembling for a flyout, told me was effectively out of use. Jolly and brief banter
Time to make some mileage, so up and over the 71 miles (114km) of open moors and mountains to Berrier, near Penrith. A very simple 500 metres of firm grass running beside a very solid stone wall. Approach is over the house. No-one in residence. I cooked some lunch, sat in the sun, and admired the northern hills of the Lake District.
The trip through the Scottish Borders is always a pleasure, enhanced by the anticipation of visiting one of the UK’s finest club strips; East Fortune Microlight Site. Always a welcome here, plus flying essentials from fuel to cake.
I had intended to overnight at Balado, near Loch Levan, north of Edinburgh, but had time to score another field near St Andrews: KIngsmuir. A good building that is large enough to be a residential activity centre. Indeed it probably is, since I can’t remember there being any hangars. Was surprised, some 90 minutes later, on my way to Balado, to meet low cloud and rain. About turn! Fortunately, Kingsmuir was a very good place to spend a damp night. Had PPR and was able to thank the owner when he turned up the next morning.
Day 3. 243 miles (390km) in 4 legs. Kingsmuir >>> Fife Glenrothes for fuel >>> Glendoe >>> Knockbain Farm. Final push of 106 miles (170km ) to Lamb Holm in Orkney Isles.
One sets off across the rolling mountains and hills of the Scottish Highlands with excitement and respect. Airfields are few, and the terrain offers little relief for a forced landing. Survivable, but inevitable breakages to man and machine. Scottish Information and the transponder do give confidence, and the McMurdo FastFind personal beacon is in the breast pocket of my flying suit.
With an easy refuel at Fife completed by 1030, I had lots of time to mark up and fold my map, check weather etc. Lovely, physical flight up Glen Garry, over historic names such as Pitlochry and Blair Athol, and the distinctive distillery of Dalwhinnie. Then across the Monadhliath Mountains to Fort Augustus and the south end of Loch Ness…and into Glendoe. This is a beautiful and sloping stretch of grass, high on the hillside above Fort Augustus. No people, no buildings: just me and a grazing bull. Put the kettle on.
Now heading north, I was helped up Loch Ness by a fair tail wind, and did the 33 miles(53km) up to Inverness in a comfortable air stream, curving left at the finish and into Knockbain Farm. It sits on a hillside at the end of the Cromarty Firth. Very helpful owner. Lunch cooked in the sun. All is right with the world.
The final flight of the day was the 106 miles (170km) up the east coast, past Wick and over the Pentland Firth. I had called the Tain Ranges for their activity (it was ‘Hot’) and received clear guidance, by phone and then by radio, on how to pass through legally and safely. Pentland Firth has always been banks of low cloud for me, and I could see this from 20 miles (32km) away. So I turned inland at Lybster, heading northwest to Thurso. The land is flat and low lying here, but needed 500ft in VFR minima (plus a margin) for some 30 minutes. I then worked round past Dunnet Head until forced offshore and across to Hoy, this last bit at a good height between cloud banks. Into Lamb Holm.
Lamb Holm is a great base for the Orkneys. It gets a top rating for very practical reasons. It is all runway, with options for all winds. The first half of 15 is very steep, so land at the intersection if you can. Good shelter by the hangers, and the owner – Tommy Sinclair – is a legend in every sense. He is fighting a personal battle against the tightening hand of the local Council, and supports pioneering visitors in every way. It’s the best place to from which to fly the Orkneys, or to run for cover to sit out incoming weather.
One sets off across the rolling mountains and hills of the Scottish Highlands with excitement and respect. Airfields are few, and the terrain offers little relief for a forced landing. Survivable, but inevitable breakages to man and machine. Scottish Information and the transponder do give confidence, and the McMurdo FastFind personal beacon is in the breast pocket of my flying suit.
With an easy refuel at Fife completed by 1030, I had lots of time to mark up and fold my map, check weather etc. Lovely, physical flight up Glen Garry, over historic names such as Pitlochry and Blair Athol, and the distinctive distillery of Dalwhinnie. Then across the Monadhliath Mountains to Fort Augustus and the south end of Loch Ness…and into Glendoe. This is a beautiful and sloping stretch of grass, high on the hillside above Fort Augustus. No people, no buildings: just me and a grazing bull. Put the kettle on.
Now heading north, I was helped up Loch Ness by a fair tail wind, and did the 33 miles(53km) up to Inverness in a comfortable air stream, curving left at the finish and into Knockbain Farm. It sits on a hillside at the end of the Cromarty Firth. Very helpful owner. Lunch cooked in the sun. All is right with the world.
The final flight of the day was the 106 miles (170km) up the east coast, past Wick and over the Pentland Firth. I had called the Tain Ranges for their activity (it was ‘Hot’) and received clear guidance, by phone and then by radio, on how to pass through legally and safely. Pentland Firth has always been banks of low cloud for me, and I could see this from 20 miles (32km) away. So I turned inland at Lybster, heading northwest to Thurso. The land is flat and low lying here, but needed 500ft in VFR minima (plus a margin) for some 30 minutes. I then worked round past Dunnet Head until forced offshore and across to Hoy, this last bit at a good height between cloud banks. Into Lamb Holm.
Lamb Holm is a great base for the Orkneys. It gets a top rating for very practical reasons. It is all runway, with options for all winds. The first half of 15 is very steep, so land at the intersection if you can. Good shelter by the hangers, and the owner – Tommy Sinclair – is a legend in every sense. He is fighting a personal battle against the tightening hand of the local Council, and supports pioneering visitors in every way. It’s the best place to from which to fly the Orkneys, or to run for cover to sit out incoming weather.
.Day 4. 87 miles (140km) in 1 leg. Lamb Holm >>>> Sumburgh.
This was a long day of waiting, evaluation, and standby. Always unsettling. I spoke with one of the Kirkwall ATC controllers who keeps his plane at Lamb Holm. His advice was ‘If you can see it, then go’. By ‘see it’ he meant Fair Isle from North Ronaldsay, a distance of 31miles (50km). Shetland is a further 27 miles (43km) from Fair Isle, and Sumburgh Airport is on the southern tip. It is not visible from North Ronaldsay. By 1630 I judged it was worth flying the 37 miles (60km) from Lamb Holm to North Ronaldsay. This is the north tip of the Orkneys. From here I could just about see Fair Isle, but there were several thin layers of cloud at about 1000ft (350m). ‘If you can see it, just about, then go’. I did. The back up was to land on Fair Isle if onward to Sumburgh was not possible.
With 58 miles (93km) of cold ocean to cross, it was a comfort to be under the wing of Scottish Information. It also proved to be a big benefit. This was the first occasion that I saw the potential of SkyDemon. Or, more accurately, I could imagine it. I was flying map and compass. Call me ‘old school’, call me ‘luddite’, call me ‘stupid’. The cloud cover was extending. One of those days where cloud over ground is thicker than over water. I missed Fair Isle. The controller asked my intentions
Fair Isle was not possible. Sumburgh was OK horizontally, but overcast. VFR aircraft were letting down out to sea and then making a low approach under the cloud. I was guided to the east, left to pick my route down, and then talked towards the threshold, which I saw from about 1 miles away. Quite straight forward on reflection, even if not at the time. Well supported by the Air Traffic infrastructure this flight was never dangerous, and always VFR. VFR on top was a possibility, but able to be avoided. My note book has the words “Get nav software’, heavily underlined.
Day 5: 156 miles (250km) in 4 legs. Sumburgh >>> Lerwick >>> Foula >>> Fair Isle >>> Lamb Holm.
Just a brilliant day, at the end of the world (well, end of the UK at least).
After 3 nights of sleeping bag, self-cook meals and tea the bed, restaurant and bar of the Sumburgh Hotel set me up for the day’s adventuring. The Hotel was well priced and under a mile walk from the airport.
First stop was Lerwick, 22 miles (35km) north up the spine of the main island. Rather a breezy day, which is the best one can hope for out here in the North Atlantic. Clear and sunny travel up the spine of Shetland, doing the 22 miles between Sumburgh and Lerwick. Made very welcome but disappointed to find that most of the small island strips I had identified as not being loose stone were not operating. In addition, the weather forecast implied that Scotland would not be the place to be within 48 hours.
Just a brilliant day, at the end of the world (well, end of the UK at least).
After 3 nights of sleeping bag, self-cook meals and tea the bed, restaurant and bar of the Sumburgh Hotel set me up for the day’s adventuring. The Hotel was well priced and under a mile walk from the airport.
First stop was Lerwick, 22 miles (35km) north up the spine of the main island. Rather a breezy day, which is the best one can hope for out here in the North Atlantic. Clear and sunny travel up the spine of Shetland, doing the 22 miles between Sumburgh and Lerwick. Made very welcome but disappointed to find that most of the small island strips I had identified as not being loose stone were not operating. In addition, the weather forecast implied that Scotland would not be the place to be within 48 hours.
No matter, Foula and Fair Isle would do. I will leave the photographs to describe these two islands. This is microlight flying at its most tactile. The air, the light, the colours, the shapes are all so physical and striking on the senses. For the record the two flights were:
Lerwick to Foula: 28 miles (45 km) 1450-1540 into head wind
Foula to Fair Isle: 43 miles (70km) 1620-1705 with tail wind
Both are stone strips, and mild damage was taken by the prop. No noticeable effect on performance, and easily fillable back at home base. This risk had been identified and, for flying like this, it was worth taking, and cheap at the price of some time, sandpaper and filler.
Lerwick to Foula: 28 miles (45 km) 1450-1540 into head wind
Foula to Fair Isle: 43 miles (70km) 1620-1705 with tail wind
Both are stone strips, and mild damage was taken by the prop. No noticeable effect on performance, and easily fillable back at home base. This risk had been identified and, for flying like this, it was worth taking, and cheap at the price of some time, sandpaper and filler.
Then back to Lamb Holm, where Mascotte (a 50 ton Bristol Channel Pilot Cutter built in 1905) had arrived. Jolly night on board.
Day 6: 442 miles (712km) in 4 legs, plus a morning tour of Scapa Flow. Lamb Holm >>> Knockbain Farm >>> Fife (Glenrothes) >>> East Fortune >>> Oxenhope.
A day for ‘getting the hell out of Dodge’. But first, an early morning tour round Scapa Flow with Richard Clapham, the Skipper of Mascotte. Grey and hard steel tones on the surface of this deep natural harbour and former naval base. Flew over the marker of the 'Royal Oak' sunk at anchor in 1940.
Then pack and go. Head south. At 7hr 55min engine time this was my longest day ever. The wind improved during the day, with the first leg south at 55 mph (88kph) and the last at 71 mph (114kph). Once I was sure that I was ahead of the weather I began to enjoy it. Straight line over relatively clear and air space free country, long into the evening. I appreciated the use of the club caravan at Oxenhope.
A day for ‘getting the hell out of Dodge’. But first, an early morning tour round Scapa Flow with Richard Clapham, the Skipper of Mascotte. Grey and hard steel tones on the surface of this deep natural harbour and former naval base. Flew over the marker of the 'Royal Oak' sunk at anchor in 1940.
Then pack and go. Head south. At 7hr 55min engine time this was my longest day ever. The wind improved during the day, with the first leg south at 55 mph (88kph) and the last at 71 mph (114kph). Once I was sure that I was ahead of the weather I began to enjoy it. Straight line over relatively clear and air space free country, long into the evening. I appreciated the use of the club caravan at Oxenhope.
Day 7. 190 miles (305km) in three legs. Oxenhope >>> Darley Moor >>> Abergavenny >>> Weston Zoyland.
The final day back to home base is rarely as exciting as the days outbound to new lands. However, not under pressure to get home, this was a relaxing day. I was impressed by the facilities at Darley Moor, and grateful for the big refuel. Abergavenny is a tidy and friendly strip, run by the former agent/importer for Alpi, makers of the Pioneer range. Good brew and an informative chat, with biscuits. Reminded me that touring is not all about bashing on.
The final day back to home base is rarely as exciting as the days outbound to new lands. However, not under pressure to get home, this was a relaxing day. I was impressed by the facilities at Darley Moor, and grateful for the big refuel. Abergavenny is a tidy and friendly strip, run by the former agent/importer for Alpi, makers of the Pioneer range. Good brew and an informative chat, with biscuits. Reminded me that touring is not all about bashing on.