Low flying in the Lake District?

[Tmyers123]

A couple of weeks after RIAT, I’m heading to the Lake District for a week, and will be hoping to photograph some low flying aircraft while training. We’re staying just next to Lake Windermere. Does anyone know how frequently the aircraft fly through the Lake District, and where the best spots are?

Thanks.

[psquiddy]

I spent a week in and around Windermere last spring and dont recall seeing anything at all.

[5944]

I saw a couple of RAF helicopters over Windermere a couple of years ago. Saw more over Derwent Water though, a pair of C-130s and a pair of Ospreys. A few Hawks and Typhoon around Grasmere one day as well. We were there for a week and saw something each day, but very infrequently.

[Tmyers123]

Okay, thanks you two. Thinking of spotting on the hills near the M6 as it seems that’s not a bad place for spotting.

[HeyfordDave111]

Go north from Windermere, Ambleside, past Grassmere towards Keswick. distance is about 10m total.
As you climb the rise from Grassmere, you will come to a part of the road that's divided into a 500 yard or so dual carriage way.
Get to the end of that, turn round, and come back (it's easier this way) towards Grassmere. At the end of the dual carriage way there's a layby on the left with an old school AA telephone box. Park there, go over the style into the sheep field and start to climb. The higher up the better..... i tend to go on the junction between the stone wall going up and the right angle of the stone wall going to your right as your looking up the hill.

Your above the trees, and level or slightly above all (maybe not F-15's though) aircraft going through there.

sometimes your lucky, sometimes your not. Like the cad, it's the luck of the draw.
I've done it 4 times in the last year.....
1st time, Typhoon, Tornado, 3 x Tucano
2nd Time 7 x F-15's, 2 Tucano
3rd time 2 Hawk and 1 Tucano
4th time 1 x Tornado (albeing on the back of storm Hector in the early afternoon)

Hercules, Hawk, Puma, Chinook, Squirrel, Tornado, Osprey, Typhoon, F-15, Tucano, A400 have all been through including some more exotic items in the last 12-18 months.

Hope this helps.
cheers
Dave

[blue1]

Had a superb week there in May, wall to wall sunshine. Had a lovely low fly past of two RAF C130s along the length of Lake Coniston.
Saw several Typhoons from Ambleside. Got "attacked" whilst on an end to end boat cruise on Lake Ullswater, two Typhoons, two Hawks and a Tucano.
Heard several more but missed seeing as either in next valley or too fast!

[Tmyers123]

Sounds good! Thanks for the replies. I’ll be sure to post some pictures if any of them are decent.

[Tim Dix]

Hi
I had a week in the Lakes during the week of June and had a great time. I purposely book a particular place in Grasmere as I can walk up the Mountain behind the House to watch the Low flying (If my Girlfriend and Family ever read this, of course I book this place because of its stunning views of Lake Grasmere, space for lovely family time and wonderful walks that can be had without having to use the car again, the low flying is just a bonus ).

Anyway, if you can get yourself anywhere near Dunmail Raise just outside of Grasmere then you will have a good chance of capturing something. We didn't see much at the beginning of the week, but later on i caught F-15s, Tornados, Tucanos, Hercs (the best), Chinooks, Hawks, and even the Coastguard Sikorsky doing some Training. If i can ever work out how to post pics, I will stick some on (they are no-where near as good as the usual fare on here from the loop, but i enjoyed myself!)

Add to that wonderful birds and other wildlife (even saw a Stoat weaving in and out of a dry-stone wall) then the Lakes is great fun.

Good luck!
Tim