The natural beauty of Cumbria and the Lake District provides an excellent training area for all types of RAF aircraft. Situated within Low Fly Area (LFA) 17, the region provides a terrain reminiscent of many parts of the world and therefore attracts a lot of use from frontline aircraft, all of which can gain valuable training by flying at low-level in the area. Ground-attack aircraft such as Tornado GR4’s and Harriers make particular use of the long, deep, flowing valleys, as well as C-130 Hercules aircraft and pretty much all other types in the current RAF inventory. While not as busy as the Welsh valleys of LFA 7, LFA 17 is extensively used by the Tucano training aircraft based at RAF Linton-on-Ouse in a similar way to how LFA 7 is used by the Hawks based at RAF Valley.

Various RAF, Army and Navy Helicopters can also be seen in LFA 17, although these tend to be few and far between these days, especially with so many deployed abroad at the present time. In the skies above LFA 17 is  Overland Training Area (OTA) Foxtrot, this is used exclusively by aircraft carrying out Air to Air Combat better known as Dog fighting. Clear skies can often draw aircraft (mainly Tornado F-3’s) into this area and occasionally they may well drop down into the valleys of LFA 17. Up until the end of 2003 the sight of F-3’s in the OTA was more  commonplace with many sorties involving practice Combat Air Patrols (CAP). These CAPs often produced aircraft through the valleys as they prowled the skies looking for low-level attack aircraft that were going about their business.

There are a number of things to consider before embarking on a visit to LFA 17. First and foremost it is very much a tourist area and therefore attracts many visitors virtually all year round. This causes the usual problems not least the amount of traffic that it creates in the summer months, so make sure that you allow yourself enough time to get to and from your desired location. It is also for this reason that the valleys are sometimes closed to low-flying aircraft, especially in the first few months of the year while certain activities take place to prepare the area for the tourist season and also in the summer months when many outdoor events are scheduled to take place. If you have access to the Notices to Airmen (NOTAM’s) then it is well worth checking them before making a visit to see whether or not the area is to be avoided on your chosen day. It is also worth bearing in mind that the area does have a large number of days throughout the year when nothing at all will use the valleys, with or without NOTAM’s, which is often the case in the summer months particularly between mid-July and mid-September when RAF crew leave coincides with school summer holidays. With this in mind you then need to decide which location you would like to visit.

Cumbria hosts many valleys that are available for low flying, in particular the Lake District, which  has valley after valley that are used. However, most traffic flows through three main valleys these being the M6 Pass at Tebay, the Kirkstone Pass and Dunmail Raise. All three valleys are flowed, meaning during daylight hours traffic (except Helicopters) should only route in one direction, this being south to north.

All lens recommendations within this guide are based on a DSLR with a 1.6x crop sensor.

M6 Pass.

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Probably the easiest valley for most people to get to is the M6 Pass at Tebay. This valley stands out due to the open space at either end and is difficult to miss when approaching it along the M6 from either the north or the south. All viewing locations along the valley are accessed by leaving the M6 at junction 38 and by then joining the A685 through Tebay village. Tornado F-3s and Jaguars once frequented this valley, so much so that a visit here without a pass by one or the other was very rare. Unfortunately as mentioned previously, the reduction in numbers of both types has led to these being a rare sight through the Pass and the valley now seems to be predominately used by Hawks and Tucanos, although Tornado GR4s and Harriers are not uncommon. The valley also seems to be becoming increasingly popular with the Typhoons out of RAF Coningsby.

A pair of Hercules turn in to the pass rounding the mast hill. Photo Chris Chambers

The first two location in the pass are on the western side of the valley with the first being the small car park on the A685. After driving through Tebay village and then crossing over the railway and motorway, follow the A685 for a mile or so until the road starts to climb. As you continue up the hill you will come to a small car park on the left. This car park affords good views down the valley and is suitable for photography, although the position offers mainly underside shots due to being on the outside of a right hand bend. A 300mm lens should be adequate for most types from here, although 300-400 is necessary for Hawks and Tucano’s.

The next location is the most popular within the valley and is commonly referred to as the “Mast”. From the car park, carry on up the A685 another half mile or so until you reach the top of the hill where you will find a junction. At this junction turn left onto the B6257 signposted for Sedburgh and continue for around a quarter of a mile until you come to a lay-by on the right. Park in this lay-by and then walk back to the large metal gate that is used for the track up to the mast on the top of the hill. Go through the gate (please make sure that you close the gate behind you) and walk up the track to the top of the hill, bearing in mind that this track is quite steep and can be quite a strenuous climb. At the top of the hill you get a superb view to the south where you can see all the possible routes that the aircraft can take into the valley. The photography position is now below you on the eastern side of the hill, so you will need to make your way through the gateway and down the hillside. Due to the different lines that aircraft can take through the valley (the entrance is quite wide) it is difficult to say exactly where you should position yourself and what focal length of lens will be needed. Generally 300mm should be enough for Tornados, but ideally 300-400mm will be required especially for Hawks, Tucanos and even Harriers. The best advice would be to position yourself where you think is suitable and then wait for a couple of aircraft passes before deciding whether or not it is ideal or if you need to move lower etc. Beware that aircraft can enter this pass abruptly depending on the direction they are coming from, so you may need to keep alert.

The next location is on the eastern side of the valley and is located on the fells above the farmland at the apex of the bend. This location has become a little tricky to access due to the large number of people now taking up this hobby. Access to the position was once gained by crossing farmland, but while the farmer had never given permission for this he allowed people to do it. Unfortunately with the large numbers of people now wishing to do this he has asked us to stop using his land and to use an alternative route up. A ‘No Access’ sign has been placed on the gatepost, so under NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you cross this land, instead you should use the following directions. Coming from Tebay village, where the A685 drops before starting to climb there is a left hand turn onto a minor road. Take this turn and follow the road for about half a mile until you come to a farm. At this farm you need to turn left again and continue to follow the minor road until you come to a small bridge over the river. Park on the other side of the bridge (it is possible to park two or three cars) and then make your way along the public footpath that starts next to the river. Continue to follow this path up through the trees and past the waterfall until you eventually reach the top, level with the top of the farmland. You can now access the fells where you will notice a path that runs up the side of the hill, which will take you towards the sort of position that you need to be. As with the Mast location, you may need to start by guessing where you need to be as again there are various lines taken by the aircraft, with 300-400mm being required here. Most aircraft will be topside here as they make the turn for the bend, but with good views to the south you should have plenty of warning of anything approaching.

Thirlmere / Windermere to Keswick

Probably the main route through Cumbria these days is the route from Windermere to Bassenthwaite and the area along the A591 between Grasmere and Keswick provides some great locations for photography. The main thing to remember about this route is that it lies in the heart of the of the Lake District tourist area and as a result it can be heavily affected by NOTAMs, as mentioned in the introduction. Many events take place in and around this route and it has been known for traffic to be affected by NOTAMs for 2-3 weeks at a time, so if you do have access to NOTAMs it is always worth checking them first.

Dunmail Raise.

The easiest and most suitable place to start photography along this route is Dunmail Raise, which is situated along the A591 between Grasmere and Thirlmere. The location is accessed from the south by leaving the M6 at junction 36 and then joining the A590. Continue along the A590 until it eventually becomes the A591 and then carry on along the A591 following the signs for Keswick. Once through Grasmere you can see the high narrow valley in front of you and you need to continue along the road until you come to the large lay-by on the right-hand side of the road after the long climb up the hill. From the north you should leave the M6 at junction 40 onto the A66 towards Keswick and then join the A591 at Keswick towards Grasmere. Again, on approach to the location you will be aware of the high narrow valley and as you go over the top of the hill you will be able to see the lay-by ahead of you on the left. If you are not sure of exactly where the lay-by is then look for the very short dual carriageway section of the A591 and the lay-by is just to the south of this.

From this lay-by you have two choices, either go over the style next to the lay-by and go straight up the hill or walk back along the road to the brow of the hill and make your way over the style that is situated there, going through the gate and up the hillside. The first position is more than suitable but will require a 300-400mm lens. The second position offers superb photographic opportunities and is by far the closest point at any location in Cumbria that you will get to the aircraft as well as being the most consistent location for photographers. To give you an idea as to how close you are, this is the only place in Cumbria where a Tornado consistently overfills the frame with a 300mm lens typically you will be looking for around 270mm to capture one fully side-on. All other Fighter/Trainer types will be fine here with 300mm. There is a very good view to the south from here and you will notice aircraft turning into the valley from three directions, all of which offer plenty of warning. From the car this location should easily be accessible within 20 minutes.

Being a south-north valley this eastern side location is only suitable on a sunny day until around 13.00, so you may want to move to the other side of the valley to make the most of the afternoon sunshine. To do this, make your way back down and then walk slightly north of your position before crossing the A591. You will notice a gate on the western side of the road, go through this gate making sure you close it behind you and then make your way up the hillside. WARNING, this side is very steep and can be a very tricky climb in certain conditions. The normal position used by most photographers is very high across the top of the scree, but you may want to use your judgement as to where you feel is suitable as you do not need to venture that high. From the high position you will need 300-400mm, but lower down 300mm will be suitable.

Raven Crag.

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Looking south from the rocky outcrop just north of Raven Crag. Aircraft typically appear through the 'V' at Dunmail Raise before following the lake up past the photo location. Even a fast jet will offer upto thirty seconds of warning. If spotted early enough Tucanos can be seen two minutes away.

Raven Crag is the high ground located at the north-western end of Thirlmere reservoir and is accessed by taking the minor road off the A591 at the north end of Thirlmere and then parking in the triangle under the trees estern side of the dam. From here walk down the road to the right until you come to a footpath going up through the trees and then follow this path all the way to the top of Raven Crag. From here you get fantastic views down the valley, but 400mm is going to be needed for photography unless you get an aircraft that pulls up around the Crag, which isn’t uncommon.

Alternatively, about half way up towards Raven Crag you can access a small ledge by leaving the footpath and going through the trees. This location requires 300-400mm for photography, but you should allow yourself around 40 minutes to reach it from the car. The only problem with both of these locations is the inconsistency, as another valley is accessible by the aircraft about three quarters of the way down the lake and many aircraft do use this leaving you cursing your luck, which is why Dunmail is a much more consistent location. However, on a bright clear day the views are outstanding and the warning of approaching aircraft is one of the best anywhere.

Great How

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This is the view of Great How from one of the crags on the western side of Thirlmere.

Great How is the hill that stands on the north-eastern tip of Thirlmere Reservoir. Unless you are staying in the nearby campsite, the nearest parking is where you would park if you were heading for Raven Crag. From here head eastwards over the dam until you come to the Permissive Footpath that goes round the hill. Take the footpath to the southern end of the hill where you will come to a footpath intersection. Take the rightmost footpath all the way up the hill to the viewing location.

The view towards Dunmail Raise is slightly obscured by trees so you may need to pay attention if an aircraft is not going to sneak up on you. After about 13:00 BST (12:00 GMT) the sun will start to become a problem so a trip over to a location on the western side is usually required. This will take at least an hour.

Most aircraft will flyby to the west of you but some do fly over St Johns in the Vale and will be to the east of you and cannot be photographed from here. A 300mm lens will be sufficient for Tornados and the like but for Hawks and Tucanos a 400mm lens will be better. Anything that remains low over the dam may provide an opportunity to get a shot of an aircraft over water.

Kirkstone Pass / Ullswater

The other main south to north route through the Lake District is centred on the Kirkstone Pass following the valley north past Hartsop and Patterdale and then taking the natural right bend of Ullswater. Only the section between Hartsop and to about three quarters up Ullswater is flowed but, not surprisingly, this does result in most traffic flowing south-to-north. Ordnance Survey Explorer maps OL5 and OL7 are recommended for anyone planning a visit.

Whilst a route taking in the Kirkstone Pass would be the most obvious one to follow aircraft have been observed following several routes. Working from west to east the first route is north over Ambleside and up Scandale Beck, over the Scandale Pass and then down into Caiston Glen. The next route is northeast over Ambleside up Stock Ghyll - over the Kirkstone pass then following the main valley north. Thirdly is for aircraft to route in from the east and head north up Troutbeck following the A592, taking a left-right dogleg through the Kirkstone Pass and then follow the main valley north. Lastly is for aircraft taking the Troutbeck route to miss out the dogleg and head straight on over Threshwaite Mouth then drop down into Pasture Bottom to then join the main route north at Hartsop.

Nearer to Ullswater, aircraft have been observed leaving the valley south of Patterdale to jump over the ridge at Boredale Hause into Boredale.

Kirkstone Pass

 

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This is the view looking south. Aircraft approaching you will appear from either Pasture Bottom on the left or from round the corner at Brothers Water (not visible in this view). If you are really alert you will see the aircraft breaching the skyline as they pass over Kirkstone Pass.

Given that not all aircraft transit through the Kirkstone Pass but most end up between Hartsop and Patterdale a viewing location near to Patterdale should result in seeing more traffic. Fortunately there are some crags to the west of the A592 just to the south of Patterdale that offer potential. Parking can be a problem at this location and you may need to use one of the nearby pay and display public car parks.

There is a public footpath that starts at the White Lion public house that heads in the general direction of where we want to go. Following this path, after a while you will come to a gate that is the start of more open countryside. From here you have a choice for heading straight to the crags to the south or remaining on the path and when the path splits, heading upwards and southwards. If you follow this latter route, at some point you will have to leave the path and head eastwards towards the crags. You should be warned that whatever route you take there is no defined path, the ground is very uneven and during the summer the bracken is very high so it is not a location to try on your own.

As this is a south-to-north location the lighting may be a bit awkward until after midday.

The Kirkstone Pass lies on the A592 between Windermere and Patterdale and fortunately there is a large car park at the top of the pass along with a pub and public toilets. This location is very busy with tourists and the car park can become full in high summer. Uniquely among all the locations you are likely to visit in the UK to photograph low flying aircraft, you are quite likely to be sharing a vantage point with the general public rather than fellow enthusiasts. The pass is one of the highest in England at 1478 ft and the drop into the valley to the north is nearly 1000ft and witnessing an aircraft make this drop makes this location worthy of a visit.

As this is a south-north route changing sides around the middle of the day will be required to keep the sun behind you. For a morning location, simply follow the path eastwards from the car park until you get to the top of the ridge to the east. From here, on a clear day, commanding views of the southern part of the Lake District will enable you to see a multitude of aircraft movements up Windermere; in and out of Morecambe Bay and so on. There should be plenty of warning of aircraft coming your way.

To get to a location on the west side follow one of the many paths up the hill to a suitable location. You may need to head south a little to ensure that you can see down Stock Ghyll for incoming aircraft. The view from the west side is not as grand as the east side but it is still worth it on a clear day.

This is the view from the car park looking down Stock Ghyll towards Windermere.

It is thought that this is the less busy of the two routes north through the Lake District but there is no doubt that on some days this can be the busier route. Not all aircraft are low through the pass so you may end up with some sky shots. A lens of between 300mm and 400mm will be required for the fast jets.

This 111Sq Tornado F3 is descending rapidly to make the 1000ft drop into the valley ahead.

Photo: Brian Hodgson

Photo: Brian Hodgson

This 12Sq Tornado GR4 cut the corner and missed out the dogleg and the pass.

Photo: Brian Hodgson