Low Level viewing?

Subject: Low Level viewing? 2009-08-05, 03:45

I was wondering are there any good spots in and around the Lossie/Highlands area that provide good viewing of low level aircraft, similar to that of CAD West in Wales?

I know the LFA area are very large but wondered if there was a traffic system in place for routing (like Wales)?

Any info appreciated
Cheers
Kevin

Location : United Kingdom Spotter Watch Member : No

From past knowledge and from what I know Fast Jet Activity can occur almost anywhere over the area, I might not be correct but that's what I know and have seen myself.

Subject: Re: Low Level viewing? 2009-08-05, 05:29

when i was in fort william and speanbridge they fly through at lowlevel yer
best bet if there is any exercies on is to go to raf lossiemouth or raf kinloss

Location : Aberdeen Spotter Watch Member : No

The consensus from discussions I've had in the past seems to be that you are looking for the proverbial needle in the haystack!

The Great Glen and the Glen that follows the route of the A9 are likely to see some activity but I wouldn't be in a hurry to camp out on a hillside on the off chance.

Ian

Location : scottish highlands Spotter Watch Member : no

During the glorious 80s + 90s you could pick virtualy any day on any hill in the Great Glen and have a good spotting day, now though there are so few aircraft left and so spread out in the Highlands that there are many blank days everywhere !! Sad

Location : N Scotland

There is a valley, (I wouldn't call it a Glen as it isn't big enough) just to the South of Inverness. The B851(852) road from the A9 at Daviot to Ft Augustus runs through it, anyway for the first 10 miles off the A9 a/c can sometimes be seen low level through here as they fly around Inverness into and out of the Great Glen, but they are still above you. Another spot is Glen Morriston which the A 887 Loch Ness - Skye road passes through just before the Clunie Dam, and further on on the same road is Glen Shiel which is a very tight Glen. Torridon is also a good spot between Liathach and Ben Alligin mountains. As said before it is a hit or a miss and comes down to pure luck as there is so many low level routes that they can follow.

Subject: Re: Low Level viewing? 2009-08-05, 13:20

They some times fly through glencoe and then up loch linnie past
fort william and then up past speanbridge and on out

Location : N Scotland

daffy duck wrote:: when i was in fort william and speanbridge they fly through at lowlevel yer
best bet if there is any exercies on is to go to raf lossiemouth or raf kinloss

daffy duck wrote:: They some times fly through glencoe and then up loch linnie past
fort william and then up past speanbridge and on out

Would that be on the return then.

Subject: Re: Low Level viewing? 2009-08-05, 13:55

on the way up and on the way down Cheers

Location : Turriff Spotter Watch Member : no

hogman wrote:: I was wondering are there any good spots in and around the Lossie/Highlands area that provide good viewing of low level aircraft, similar to that of CAD West in Wales?

I know the LFA area are very large but wondered if there was a traffic system in place for routing (like Wales)?

Any info appreciated
Cheers
Kevin

Tap O Noth hill just West of Rhynie will offer occasional close passes - I've had some good photos there . Worth staking out the south end of the hill either at or just below the summit. You need 360 deg vision though because they appear from all directions . It's a bit of a crossroads for traffic inbound and outbound - Can't say it's anything like the Loop though - very different and many blank days. but being only 35 mins from me I occasionally squander a fine day there in hope.
The pass at the Glenshee Ski Centre sees fairly regular low traffic following the road to and from Braemar over the Devils Elbow - well worth climbing the hill behind the cafe if passing by there anytime - just on the offchance. Also worth staking the hillside above the road just to the north of the ski centre - good topside corner if used .
The hills around Braemar are worth staking - traffic reasonably frequent there I believe.

Lairig Grhu pass is worth investigating but demands a bit of a walk in - have seen F15's through there .
Also the Ryvoan Pass by Glenmore Lodge - saw a green Herc low through there.
A9 at Dalnaspidal for the bend there - well worth a visit but check with the keeper to avoid getting shot!

I've also had some good shots at The Lecht above the Ski Centre there but dont expect to be inundated .
All of the above are places you might see a jet or Herc etc but you really need a lot of luck to pick a good day.
We lived for six months just outside Huntly and still visit that house regularly - Some days there is quite a lot of LL activity - most days next to nothing or one or two with long blank spells , even weeks, in between bursts of activity .

I'm sure there are some well used runs further North/ West of Lossie but haven't had the chance to see anything in them as yet. The steep path up the north side of Beinn Eighe from the car park on Loch Maree at Coire na Glas Leitive(?) gives a great view of the Loch which is well used by LL traffic but not when I'm around!