Ian Posted June 24, 2014 Report Share Posted June 24, 2014 This time a trip to Lundy Island in the Bristol Channel - that's the bit that separates South Wales from Devon and Cornwall - http://tinyurl.com/qh5vofs shows where on Google maps. Lundy has long been on my wish list to visit as it's quite an interesting place with a colourful history of piracy & skullduggery http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lundy If you read the article under the section on getting to the island it has this gem: "A grass runway of 400 by 28 metres (1,312 by 92 ft) is available, allowing access to small STOL aircraft skilfully piloted" - after landing there I can heartily concur - it has to be the worst surface I've ever landed on and a real tribute to the robustness of the CTLS undercarriage! So a few pictures: Leaving the South Wales coast - the top of the GPS showing 23.6 nm to Lundy Approaching the island, you can just make out the strip pointing towards the lighthouse The airstrip - notice the sheep!! So a few low passes to clear them away - here I'm coming round again after finding out that at 100 feet the sheep don't bother to look up! so subsequent passes were a LOT lower to shift them Feeling relieved to be down in one piece !! Even though it is a VERY small island, there is a pub, The Marisco Tavern, which served a good Lundy Lamb burger (and some good beer though sadly not for the pilots) What a lovely aircraft the CTLS is, and where better to show her off than parked up on a tiny island in the sunshine? Airborne again, and time for a circuit around the island, this is the North End lighthouse and landing stage Passing the 06 centreline continuing on down to the southern end of the island Around the southern end Then goodbye Lundy and set course for the north Devon coast back on the mainland Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Cesnalis Posted June 24, 2014 Report Share Posted June 24, 2014 thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted June 24, 2014 Report Share Posted June 24, 2014 Beautiful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug G. Posted June 24, 2014 Report Share Posted June 24, 2014 Very nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Jefts Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 Reminds me of the time I landed on Jan Mayen Island (Noraway). Looks like very similar topography - rock with grass. Have you been up that way? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted June 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 Thanks for the comments, I enjoy viewing posts about flying in North America so I hope the occasional post from Europe is interesting. Duane, I have been to Norway a couple of times, but many years ago when my kids were small, never flown there though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 I love the old stone buildings. I grew up in Connecticut, and we had tons of buildings from the 1700s and even a few from the later 1600s. Now that I'm in Georgia, I miss all the old historical structures (they were almost all destroyed here during the US Civil War 1860-1865). It's not like England and Europe where there are thousand year old buildings, but I still miss the old stuff where you can really fill history pressing in on you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Cesnalis Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 Sounds like Andy needs to fly to St Augustine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 Sounds like Andy needs to fly to St Augustine? I would like to make that trip, probably in the fall when it's cooler though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted June 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 I guess that's St Augustine in Florida? Dating back to 1565? I live in Bolton in the North West of the UK - our oldest building is a pub (well it would have to be wouldn't it !!) The Old Man & Scythe which goes back to 1251 - one of the ten oldest pubs in the UK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ye_Olde_Man_%26_Scythe - and they still serve good beer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 When I was traveling through Germany I loved the fact that you can't throw a rock in that country without hitting an 800 year old castle. The USA has some good history, but it just doesn't go way back like old Europe does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted June 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 Before I retired I worked in IT and visited the US a lot - primarily Atlanta, Las Vegas & Chicago for the Comdex events - when in Atlanta we always made a point of going to Stone Mountain to see the ante-bellum houses and watch the laser show of the South rising again projected onto the mountain - there's plenty of history in the US for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted June 26, 2014 Report Share Posted June 26, 2014 Lan, Very nice pix's. That had to be an exciting days outing. Thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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