UK trip

[GrahamB]

Hi all,

I recently got back from a 3-week trip to see my parents (a 10 year absence) and had a few aviation-related experiences. This is not surprising as they live in 'Bomber Country', i,e. in Washingborough, a village east of Lincoln, directly under the northern flightpath to Waddington (boy, those Vulcans were noisy back in the 70s). On a couple of trips out to the Lincolnshire coast to do some birding we passed through Coningsby (more active now as Waddington is undergoing a major run-way resurfacing programme) and Woodhall Spa. I took photos of the two 617 Squadron (Dambuster) memorials and a nearby EE Lightning. A Vulcan is conveniently parked near the spotters' area at Waddington - this is the one that bombed the Port Stanley airfield during the Falklands War. Another 'moment' was driving along a road near Metheringham that used to be the main WW2 runway - eyes closed (not my father who was driving!) imagining four Merlins roaring away.

Closer to home - literally - I took photo of a fairly new (to me)  poster near Washingborough railway station (long since defunct) about the Zeppelin raid in 1916. I knew about this from my father who was told about it by his father who passed by on his way to work the day after. There were two casualties as an indirect result of the bombing. The railway bridge is still there (it was my favourite fishing spot 40 years ago) where the driver hid. I didn't get to the church (where my sister was married) to see the Zeppelin-theme stained windows.

Had to have a few pints and a massive Sunday roast in a pub in Bassingham (The Bugle Horn) where my great great great great grandfather was landlord in the early 1800s!  Hell, I really, really miss English pubs and beer here in in NZ.

Cheers,
GrahamB 

[Nigel Jackson]

Love the EE Lightning, Graham.

That Sunday roast looks enormous. A couple of weeks ago when tracking our way back to Stansted airport from Telford, Ena and I stopped off to see our son and his fiancée in Northampton. We all decided to go for a Sunday roast at a wonderful and popular old pub called The Lamplighter in the backstreets not too far from the town centre. Maybe not quite as large as your feast, it was nevertheless, delicious.

Best wishes
Nigel

[IanB]

It's Thanksgiving here in the US, what I wouldn't give for a roast like that right now....(excluding any of my stash of course!)

Ian

[Ian from Doncaster]

Have to say I prefer home made...

Can't substitute for gravy made from the roasting meat juices, then use the remaining meat bones or chicken carcass to make more stock for broth later....

[GrahamB]

Hi,

'twas a damn' fine roast for 6 quid, even if not home-cooked. Good value - probably still the case back in the early 1800s when the pub was used by Scottish drovers bringing cattle down to Smithfield, avoiding the main toll roads (Fosseway and the like). They'd be canny customers!

Cheers,

Graham

P.S the Lightning might even get me to build a kit of a jet for the first time in about 40 years too. So gorgeous.

[Ian from Doncaster]

Hi,

'twas a damn' fine roast for 6 quid, even if not home-cooked. Good value - probably still the case back in the early 1800s when the pub was used by Scottish drovers bringing cattle down to Smithfield, avoiding the main toll roads (Fosseway and the like). They'd be canny customers!

Cheers,

Graham

P.S the Lightning might even get me to build a kit of a jet for the first time in about 40 years too. So gorgeous.

And someone else gets to do the washing up and the cooking too!

It is ages since I took in a pub sunday lunch on on a trip out, with a few pints of decent real ale, much to my shame!

And yes, do build a Lightning - such an iconic aircraft in UK aviation history!

[lcarroll]

   In my 70 years of life on this planet I have visited the UK over a dozen times, and if there was only one reason to keep going back it would be "the Pub"! What a concept; oft imitated, never matched, and truly a grand experience. My last time over was 10 days in a rental car in Northern Scotland; incredible experience. Great people, warm and comfortable atmosphere, and of course the best of all dark ales. You folks do it right and then some more in that regard!
Cheers,
Lance

[Ian from Doncaster]

   In my 70 years of life on this planet I have visited the UK over a dozen times, and if there was only one reason to keep going back it would be "the Pub"! What a concept; oft imitated, never matched, and truly a grand experience. My last time over was 10 days in a rental car in Northern Scotland; incredible experience. Great people, warm and comfortable atmosphere, and of course the best of all dark ales. You folks do it right and then some more in that regard!
Cheers,
Lance

Whereabouts did you get to there Lance?  I lived and worked up there for a couple of years, and would go back like a shot if the situation was right...

[lcarroll]

Ian,
    We did a 10 day Tour with  my Brother in Law & Spouse. Rented a vehicle in Edinburgh and spent the first 5 days on Loch Earn at St. Filians in Perthshire doing day trips in all directions. We then went to the Glen Shiel area and stayed on Loch Duich to tour that area and Skye. Then back to Stirling for a day and departed from Edinburgh on day 11. A day tour of Stirling Castle was about the only "structured" event we took in if you don't count the numerous visits to Distilleries!
   Incredibly beautiful country, Pub fare to never forget, wonderful people without exception, and just a genuinely relaxing holiday. I'd return in a heartbeat!
Cheers,
Lance
 

[Ian from Doncaster]

Glad you enjoyed it Lance. I was further up myself, more around Speyside, Inverness and the Black Isle areas. 

 I would love to visit some of the countries that are home to many of the posters on here.

[lcarroll]

Glad you enjoyed it Lance. I was further up myself, more around Speyside, Inverness and the Black Isle areas. 

 I would love to visit some of the countries that are home to many of the posters on here.

   
   That same area would be my choice if I returned, Ian. A tour of the Macallan Distillery on the Spey and a day or two wandering around the areas at the north tip would be terrific. Ah well, perhaps some day.........
Cheers,
Lance