Big Thunder mountain.
Handley Page Halifax LK901 in Glenshee
(Distance covered =
0.57 mile/Ascent =+84m)
North American F100 Super
Sabre 56-2817 on Peter Hill.
(Distance covered =
2.82 mile/Ascent =+270m)
On day two of a 3 day break in
Scotland during the half term of 2021 I had planned on visiting the
crashsite of a De Havilland Mosquito that lay right up the top of Glen Esk,
but as day 1 had been a bit of a long tiring walk and the Mosquito site was
about 8 mile from the nearest road I decided to leave that one until I had
my Mountain Bike. Instead I went off to look for two sites that would
involve considerably less walking.
After a really good nights sleep I
was up and ready for the off at 5.30am the following morning. My first
walk of the day was going to be a mammoth 0.5 mile to visit the location
of a Handley Page Halifax crash in Glenshee. This was another crashsite
that I didn't have a grid reference for, but Stuart and Chris' had
provided me with an estimate
which turned out to be spot on.
When I'm out hillwalking my usual average pace is an impressive 1mph,
but that
includes stopping to take photos, stopping for a breather, stopping to
look at the scenery stopping to have refreshments, stopping to watch the
wildlife and of course looking for bits of
aeroplane. Therefore as this walk was a mere 1 mile there and back it
should have taken me 1 hour tops, but the scenery here was stunning and
throwing into the equation the glorious weather and the subliminal peace
and quite meant it was three hours later that I arrived back at the car;
taking one's time at it's finest!
In such and idyllic setting it was hard to imagine the scene of
devastation
that must have ensued here when the large bomber slammed into the rocky
hillside.
The only evidence remaining being a depression and a few scraps of alloy lying
amongst the rocks.
above and next three photos:-The area where LK901 ended it's days.
More crashsite photos
above and below:-The crashsite was in the rocks just above the
tree line.
After Glenshee my original plan was to head over to Tipperweir Hill in
Glen Dye to look for remains of a Hawker Fury on there. To get to Glen Dye
I would have to drive past the Glen that contained my planned walk for day
3; so I changed my plans again and went to the latter first.
I
was originally going to visit the F100 site on Peter Hill a good few years
back on the same day as going to an Avro Vulcan crashsite which was
located up the far end
of the same Glen, back then I'd run out of time as I had to pick the girls
up from a dancing competition in Aberdeen. Today I had no such time
constraints and the weather was still glorious, meaning I could take my
time again and properly enjoy the fantastic weather and scenery.
above and next three photos:-Heading off up Peter Hill.
As well as enjoying weather conditions more akin to Florida than Scotland
and being in possession of plenty of time, I also had accurate grid
references for any remaining F100 wreckage on the hill. Chris and his
family had visited this one recently and just as they did with the Bristol
Blenheim on Morven* they had completed a thorough search of the hillside,
accurately recording any remains they discovered.
Above and below:-The lower slopes of Peter Hill where the F100 lies.
Despite not being too far to walk it was still steep in places going up to
the F100 site and hard work in the very warm sunshine, so I was pleased I
was able to go at a very slow pace in an effort to stay cool, or should I
say to not get too hot!
above and below:- It was so warm these boyz couldn't even be arsed to
run away as I walked passed them on my way down off Peter Hill.
Above and below:-A couple of photos of gorse bushes. I think perhaps
artistically I liked the contrast of the yellow blue and green, or more
likely I was just taking random photos because I was in no hurry!
While on my way down to Glen Dye
after my walk on Peter Hill I stopped to have a nosey around an old
abandoned Watermill, which looked like it could be interesting. The old
dilapidated buildings still contained old tools and machinery giving the
impression that whoever worked there had just gone home one night and
never returned.
above and next two photos:-not a fault with my camera, that shed was
actually leaning over that much!, don't know how the H+S brigade haven't
had the place fenced off?
above and next three photos:-a water wheel and it's workings inside
the building.
above and next 6 photos:-Exploring the old sawmill in the scorching
hot sunshine brought back memories of The Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
ride in Disneyland Florida, however there wasn't a 90 minute queue to get
into this one.
The Shitroen parked in Glenshee at 5:30am.
I set off so early even the midge were still in bed.
Above and next 3 photos:-A rather beautiful spot!
Parked up and ready to tackle walk number two of the day.
The only waterfall I would see on this walk.
Another beautiful spot.
Judging by the amount of timber lying around it must have been a sawmill.
Old newspapers hanging in one of the workshops, the date on one was
December 1985.
Another workshop containing old tools and machinery.
