Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
User avatar
By Iceman
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1895219
What is the state of Davidstow Moor ? Has anyone used it recently ? I would like to take the Maule in there so runway length is not an issue but any recent experiences would be useful.

Iceman 8)
By djtaylor
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1895374
We visited there last July. The runways are not in a good state but the taxiways are worse . There was enough cleanish distance to land and take off in the Jodel. We were careful and I did not notice any extra dings in the prop afterwards. Plenty of sheep but they ignored us and mid week there were no other flyers. Absolutely fabulous location and view, one of the best in the UK in my opinion.
Iceman liked this
User avatar
By Charles Hunt
#1895470
My brother lives just down the hill in Tremail. Every time I've wandered around I've struggled to find an area that looked debris free and big enough to be usable.

Deciding factor may be your attitude to risk of prop damage, or dropping a wheel in a pothole.
User avatar
By Iceman
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1895696
Thanks for the feedback. It sounds doable in the Maule but I certainly don’t want to damage the prop. Looking at alternatives in the area, Sheepwash, Manstage and Gorrel Farm, does anyone have any recent experience of those ?

Image

Iceman 8)
User avatar
By Dave W
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1895698
I was going to say I thought Sheepwash closed a while ago, but apparently not. :)

It is a great strip (800m on quite a slope) with holiday cottages on site.

Must go back now. :thumleft:

Gorrel Farm has good reviews from last year in the SkyDemon Notes.
Iceman liked this
User avatar
By Iceman
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1895699
Thanks @Dave W, that would probably be my first choice. I’ve got to visit a place just east of Bude in June, and then on to Lundy from there, hopefully for a night stop.

I just read the Gorrel Farm comments. Now that does sound useable and friendly.

Iceman 8)
Dave W liked this
By WingsOff
#1895724
It's got a lot of FOD, big stones, big holes, big sheep, teenagers learning to drive, boy racers who think they can drive....etc. etc. Suggest very close inspection in advance of giving it a go! Such a shame as would be great to have a reasonable strip in that part of Cornwall. After the war it was extensively used for motor racing in the 50s, in fact they hosted three F1 Grand Prix. Colin Chapman saw his first Lotus win there. Great little museum there today, oh and Europe's largest cheese factory!

Iceman liked this
User avatar
By Miscellaneous
#1895750
Iceman wrote:I’ve got to visit a place just east of Bude in June, and then on to Lundy from there, hopefully for a night stop.

You must be kicking yourself for not 'buying' a STOL sooner. :D

Great to see you are enjoying the Maule. :thumright:
Iceman, Flyin'Dutch' liked this
User avatar
By Iceman
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1913819
I have no idea what I hit, and I wouldn’t know how to repeat it, but apparently, I ‘bumped’ this post when I looked at it earlier, the effect being to bump the post back up to most recent. Is that a new forum feature ?

Iceman 8)
User avatar
By kanga
#1914187
I note from the latest report on the 'illegal rave' at 'Davidstow' (not more precisely specified in earlier reports that I spotted) that it was on a 'disused runway'. More specifically:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-61705366

"..a farmer and councillor for Davidstow Parish Council, said the partygoers were "good people" and had caused "no harm" to the area.

He said: "These people here have come down here, yeah it may be an illegal rave, but they're insisting they're cleaning up behind themselves.

"It's a disused runway ... there's no grazing in there and all that area is is a dog park ... they haven't destroyed nothing.".."

[so that's all right then ? :roll: .. although local ornithologists, quoted, disagree ]

I further note from my last Pooley's that the airfield is on 'unfenced moorland' and that the (now disused) Southern ends of the two shorter runways go off into nearby woodland, which seems (from pictures) to have been the location of the 'rave'.

I don't know if there will now be a greater FOD hazard on the airfield .. :?
User avatar
By Iceman
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1914194
On the basis that the Maule has just had a £4K+ prop overhaul, and the slightly concerning state of the runways at Davidstow Moor, with the agreement of the farmer, I will be landing at Gorrel Farm.

Iceman 8)
Flyin'Dutch' liked this