This was our last day on the Mach Loop before we left for RIAT. As we only planned to spend just half a day, we planned to go up Cad West. After our fantastic time on the Bwlch the day before, we still hoped for some more exciting planes to come through!
Day 3: Thursday 18th July 2024: Cad West
This was yet another early start. We were surprised that there was no milk for our breakfast cereal. It seems the kitchen had run out over the evening and there had yet to be a delivery. We picked up our lunches and and set off for the hills.
Cad West
To get to Cad we had to go over the pass. The laybys for Spur were filling up and Bwlch’s layby was nearly full. The excitement of yesterday had clearly encouraged more visitors to stay and more to arrive! The layby for Cad West still had spaces at 7:20 am.
The walk along the hillside was ok but the subsequent climb up the hill was mas brutal as I remembered. This is much steeper then the Bwlch and is relentless. We passed lots of folks on the hill as we climbed. Our target was the sty that gave access to the other side of the fence and some relatively flat spaces.
Above us there were large groups where the top fence cut across the hill.
F-15 Strike Eagles through Cad West at 10:21 am
The second F-15 was much higher.
F-15 Strike Eagles through Cad West at 10:24 am
F-15 Strike Eagles at 10:34 am
The next F1-15E was the plane decorated for a previous RIAT. It still had Liberty on the air brake.
Atlas C1 (A400M) at 10:39 am
We had been watching an Atlas on FlightRadar and then here it came towards us through Cad.
Look closely at the side window of the cockpit in the cockpit waving at us as the Atlas passed by.
Another first for this visit to the Loop.
F-15 Strike Eagle at 10:41 am
Lunch time
We had already eaten nearly half of our packed lunches to make up for our missed breakfasts. On one of the Facebook groups for the Loop we noticed comments about a car being stuck at an exit to a farm below. Here it is:
Hawk T2 at 1:50pm through Cad West
This fast Hawk came through from Poison Lake.
Same Hawk T2 at 1:53pm
At 1:30 pm the hill was looking empty below us
F-15E Strike Eagles above Cad West
We left after 2 pm and the layby was still full below us.
Dinas Mawddwy
We made a quick stop near the Red Lion before our long drive to Worcester.
Premier Inn near Worcester
This was the note that we received when we checked in:
Hello,
Due to unforeseen circumstances at Premier Inn Worcester M5 J6 we are unable to open our restaurant on Thursday 18th July 2024.
Any meal deal packages that have been booked, dinner allowance will be removed (and refunded if applicable) however breakfast packages will remain unless advised otherwise.
Breakfast will be running as normal: Monday-Friday from 06:30am-10:30am.
A couple of local places were listed as alternatives. We chose to go to the Barn Owl which was about 10 minutes walk away.
We checked on Cad after we left and we had missed the Canadian C-130 Hercules making a pass through…
While we were enjoying our starters we were asked if we wanted to join in the quiz. This meant downloading an app – it looked like giving us some light relief. After the first round we sussed that we had to read the question on the screen and pick an answer. Early correct answers gave more points! This became more serious and I had to look up and join in.
We won the quiz in the pub and came third in the whole country! Our Prize? A £50 voucher – which paid for both our meals.
I was awake early ready for our day at RIAT.
Leave a Reply