The ‘Needs to Know’
There aren’t any on this latest fabulous walk that’s been sent to us by Alec & Anne, two lovely friends that we toured Australia & New Zealand with in 2019.
Alec & Anne live way up in the north of Scotland in Lossiemouth, which you’ll see has fantastic beaches. It’s also home to RAF Lossiemouth which is home to a squadron of Typhoons. As another squadron is based at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire, Alec & I had much to chat about as there’s nothing like the roar of a Typhoon taking off under full burn!
Shall we see what their “Walk from my Doorstep” looks like in their own words?
Let’s Walk!
1. Hi here’s our walk from today…
2. We started at industrial estate, then headed for windswept brewery…
3. We walked past RAF Lossiemouth. The picture round church is St Aidan’s & is on the base…
We walked straight to end of road
4. We crossed over & walked onto the golf course. Our pictures are looking towards the town & the lighthouse
You only need to Google ‘Lossiemouth Golf Courses’ to realise you’re in God’s own country of golfers. The most famous course in the area is Moray Golf Club which five times Open Champion Tom Watson, said about…”It took me a number of years & visits to Scotland, before I caught on that links golf was the really traditional way to play the game, & above all, that it was fun!”
5. We walked across the course & onto beach…we’re so lucky to live here & be able to walk on the beach every day…
6. Note the coastal defences from Second World War…
The coastal defences consisted of of 2 or perhaps 3 rows of concrete pillars, known as Tiger Teeth, intended to inhibit the progress of tanks coming off the beach & climbing the dunes
On the beach were many tall posts, to make it impossible for gliders to land on the beach at low tide. There is a near intact machine gun post (pill box) at the head of the cliff that the lighthouse is on. There are some examples of these still in good nick along the coast east & west of the town. The natural rockiness was also a factor
7. We reached the lighthouse & heading into Silver Sands caravan park
8. The featured caravan is my mums & it’s for rent. We head back onto the golf course passing hangers & landing lights
RAF Lossiemouth is one of the largest & busiest fast-jet stations in the Royal Air Force. Since the closure of RAF Leuchars in 2015, Lossiemouth is the only operational RAF station in Scotland & is one of two main operating bases for the Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 in the United Kingdom. It’s home to four front-line units which operate the Typhoon, each of which contribute to the Quick Reaction Alert (Interceptor) North capability which provides continuous protection of UK airspace
The airfield opened in 1939 & was operated by the RAF, predominantly as part of Bomber Commans until 1946 when it transferred to the Fleet Air Arm & became known as RNAS Lossiemouth or HMS Fulmar. Lossiemouth was used as a training station by the FAA until it was handed back to the RAF in September 1972, after which it has largely operated as a fast-jet base
Click on the link below to see a Typhoon do a full burn take off from Lossiemouth!
9. Our route now heads for Lossiemouth passing the main gate of the RAF station & the Station Commander’s house
10. The last picture is a long view towards our street
Thank you so much Alec & Anne for sharing your “Walk from my Doorstep”. You are truly lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the country