This was my first visit to the Mach Loop in North Wales. This is an area which is used for low flying training by the RAF and other visiting air force aircraft. It is between Dolgellau and Machynlleth and to be there bright and early we stayed at the Cross Foxes hotel close to Brithdir.
Seeing many aircraft in the Mach Loop in late November was always going to be dependent on the weather. The day before we arrived there had been a brief snowfall However, overnight we had a very hard frost and awoke to relatively clear skies. After a fantastic full Welsh breakfast we set of from the hotel to Cad West.
As we parked in the lay by two pairs of F15E Strike Eagles came down the valley at about 09:30 over our heads – no pictures as we were just getting out the car! This was our view with the remains of yesterday’s snow on the hills.
After climbing up to the fence on Cad West we started our wait. There were a couple of other guys higher up the fence than us which probably would have been a better position to see the F15Es when they came back for another pass. On this second pass we guessed that they came through much higher than the first time.
Across the valley on Cad East we could see two hardy souls with the Stars and Stripes flying.
After shooting some ‘landscape’ pictures we moved higher up the hill, again alongside the fence. The downside of being so much higher was the increase in the chill wind. To my right we looked out along the A487 back towards the Cross foxes
And to our right we looked down the valley towards Tal-y-llyn and the turn called Corris Corner.
The F15Es had gone straight out to sea not making the turn. We were joined by a local gentlemen who regaled us about all the sights he had seen over the years on the Mach Loop and gave us tips on where else we could go and watch.
Next up was a Hawk T2 which passed above us and flew down the valley and then made the turn at Corris Corner.
Afternoon at the Mach Loop
By now it was time for lunch and for some more warming tea from our flasks as we watched and waited for some more aircraft.
This is my friend Shaun Alexander watching and waiting. My mistake was to decide to change the lens on my camera just before the next Hawk passed overhead and I didn’t manage one shot! Another lesson learned – stick with the lens you have on the camera.
We then had a rain shower and decided to leave early but as we were descending we met the two guys with the US flag who had decided to switch to this side of the valley. They were convinced that the F15Es would be back based on the Twitter feed of the Station Commander from their base.
Shaun and I then decided to stay a bit longer but to move lower down on the hill.
Next up we had a Tucano. This flew past up above us down the valley and then made the turn at Corris Corner.
The clouds were now coming down and we could occasionally see Hawks way away in other parts of the loop. Next we heard fast jets pass overhead, way above the cloud cover. The guys from further up the hill came past us on their way down and commented that the F15Es had just flown by but had not had clearance to fly into the valley. Perhaps next time we would invest in a radio so we could listen in to air traffic control?
This is when we decided to leave for the day. Our tally was 4 F15Es seen twice, two Hawks and a Tucano. Hopefully we’ll see more on our next visit.