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A transit between two airshows at the extremes of the British Isles, one on the East Coast – the Sunderland International Airshow – and the other one in the far South – the RNAS Culdrose Air Day -, provided an ideal opportunity for an stunning flight through low flying areas of the Lake District and Wales. One of the routes taken in, is better known as the Machloop. Although
fast jest are often seen in the Machloop the denomination which was given
to this part of the Low Flying Area 7 (LFA7) has nothing to do whatsoever
with the quantative measure of the speed of sound, commonly known as the
Mach number. |
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| After we had announced our intentions the pass through the Machloop on social media well in advance, some spotters from the Lake District kindly requested if we could take in their area as well. We happily obliged and from Newcastle airport – where the Bronco resided during the Sunderland airshow - we made our way towards Cockermouth for an entry over Crummock Water to put us in the right direction towards Lake Windermere, leaving the Lake District’s shores near Cark. | |||
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A low level flight over the Irish Sea along the coast while flying in degrading weather brought us towards Wales. After negotiating some more low cloud, a few rain showers and a low flying military Beech 200 we finally took our approach the famous Machloop via Bala Lake entering at Cad, a narrow passage providing excellent photo opportunities for spotters from both sides of the pass. A left turn at Corris Corner brings one heading for Machynletth, the village giving it’s name to the loop. From there on one proceeds north east and north to make a final turn to the west towards the Spur and Bwlch, past Bluebell on the left. A further left turn completes the loop and brings one back to the starting point at Cad. All-in-all very good fun indeed as is readily testified by the in-cockpit video and the many pictures taken from various locations on the ground. After the Machloop we proceeded south to leave the British shores again between Pembrey and Swansea, for good measure Lundy Island was taken in halfway across the water on the way to the Cornish coast. Following the coastline west just of Newquay all the way to Land’s End, amazing sights were plentiful. The weather had by now cleared to outright gorgeous and we decided add in a short trek west to the beautiful Scilly Isles before returning to land at HMS Seahawk (aka RNAS Culdrose). A truly incredible flight over many of the most beautiful areas of the British Isles, interspersed with some very exhilarating flying opportunities sums it all up. An experience not to forget easily. |
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