The kids want to go to the beach this weekend.......

[Monocock]

Any good suggestions within an hour of Central South (@100kts)?

Ideally somewhere where it is easy to actually get to the beach from the airfield (and not Sandown cos I can't bear the town!)

Any ideas welcome.

[Flying Boat]

How about 2 hours? Or 1.5?:)

Jersey is an option with St Oeuns beach, the whole of the West of the Island, only 1.5 miles away. If you land on 09 you will fly over it. You can get a taxi for about £7 to the beach.
Jersey is 50 minutes from Bournemouth. £9 landing fee if in a PA28, parking up to 7 days. Aeroclub handles all aircraft up to 2.5/3 tonnes. VAT free fuel.

If that is too far you could try Alderney, farthest north of the CIs and you can walk to the beach from the airport. If I remember correctly the landing fee is waived if you buy fuel (VAT free & super cheap). The duty free is also cheap, people from Jersey fly to Alderney to buy cheap booze & fags.

Have a good one with the kids.

FB

[jayemm]

How about Le Touquet? Huge sandy beach, entertainment, ice creams, Crepes, all you could want to keep kids entertained.

Also, I've been to Bembridge before and walked onto the beach nearby (15 min walk). Not much apart from the beach and the water, but it's pleasant enough.

There's Shoreham, but you'll need a taxi to get to the beach.

[Monocock]

Some nice ideas but unfortunately the better half won't let me take the juniors across the water yet!

Last time I managed to persuade her she changed her mind half an hour before departure and flight plans etc. all had to be cancelled. I ended up going on my own the next day!

Bembridge is another option although as you rightly pointed out, there aint a vast amount to keep kids entertained.

Pity there isn't a strip somewhere near one of the Dorset coastal towns.

[Brooklands]

How about Swansea? The airfield is on the Gower peninsula, and there's a beach (Three Cliffs?) quite near - you pass over it in the circuit for one of the runways. Its been a while since I've been there, and I can't remember if its in walking distance or not, but you could always give Swansea a ring and ask them.

Brooklands

[capt_sparky]

Other seaside suggestions...

Exeter - take a taxi down to Exmouth (about £15 each way);

St Mawgan (Newquay) - again need a taxi; or

Clacton (600m grass) - again you will need transport to the beach.

[pulse1]

Perranporth - short walk to deserted beach but a quite a climb back or easy bus ride to the town beach.

Lands End - quite a walk, especially back to the airfield but taxi about £6.00

[Kolibear]

There's always Southend-on-Sea, of course..

[Lemoncake]

Clacton's great fun. Flew there a couple of weeks ago. Run by a friendly bunch. £5 landing fee, and a 2 minute walk to the beach, and 20 to the pier.

[Hilico]

EGSQ 171300 - 12015 CAVOK 10/03 or somesuch, I just made it up, but come to Clacton and freeze your nuts off basically. East Coast not the place to come for warmth at the moment, and the closer you are to the sea the colder it is!

[Lemoncake]

Fair point Hilico. I did forget to mention that it was bloody cold even when the sun was out. Looks like they are forecasting easterlies over the weekend, so safe to say that windchill factor will be sub-zero :E

[jayemm]

How about Caenarvon (never quite sure how you spell this)?

Spectacular flight if the weather's clear, and pretty near the beach (although I've never got beyond the museum there).

[matspart3]

Caernarfon gets my vote...3 minute walk to a beach that was absoluetly deserted when I went. If it's cold, the museum might keep the kids entertained.

Given the recent wx, F065 over the top of Snowdon is pretty impressive too!

[BRL]

Hi. If you decide to come to Shoreham for Brighton then I will personally come and pick you up and drop you back off at the airport when you are done. I could drop you off in the centre of Brighton, and pick you up whenever you want to go back home.
There are some great places to see and also some great little places to eat. Also got the pier, loads to do on the pier for the kids just don't eat the fast food on there. :yuk:

If you want to go to other nearby places, Arundel or Lewes for example, you can even borrow my car if you really want, no problems. If your up for it let me know. :)

[Monocock]

Big Red L, That is a very kind offer indeed. I will let you know our plans.

I'm desperately trying to persuade the better half that the trip to Marshlands airfield to visit her mother really won't be a good idea and will pass your kind offer on.

I must admit you are brave letting my kids in your car, especially as they are addicted to Cornettos
:} :yuk: :} :yuk:

I'll be in touch if we head that way. :ok:

[Genghis the Engineer]

I've done Southend on Sea with the Engineer family, loads of beach, lots of cheap(ish) B&Bs, lots of amusements, plenty of pubs for mum and dad, reasonably inexpensive and very friendly parking / facilities at the airport.

Downside is that you need a taxi ride from the airport, the eateries basically are chicken in a basket or mediocre fish and chips, and the entertainments are largely thoroughly tacky. But, that's likely to enhance it for children:O

G

[pulse1]

I found parking for four hours at Southend to be very pricey but I suspect that, if you go to the Flying Club, it might be a bit cheaper.

[LowNSlow]

I'll back up Brooklands in a vote for Swansea. Very helpful staff and some of the best beachs in the UK within a 30 minute drive. Nice hotels too, so get on the net and book a weekend. Just think of the time you won't spend sitting in traffic! :D :D

[andrewc]

If you want to go to the beach...what are the legalities, issues
of landing directly there?

I know it can be done in some places...anybody done
beach landings in the UK? I'm really talking about
light aircraft rather than microlights...

-- Andrew (in search of enlightenment)

[Diamond 'katana' geezer]

You wanted Dorset Coastal town, i give you Bournemouth [fanfare]:hmm:

The airport is a while out of town, but there is a bus which runs..eventually:p

Call Bournemouth flying club, and if they've got a space for you i'm sure they'll fit you in. Also its a lot cheaper to pay over at the club, rather than in the terminal. The terminal people seem to like to add on tasty 'extra's' to the landing fee :uhoh:

Bournemouth is perfect for the kids too, and now has pubs/trendy wine bars on the beach!!!

life just could(n't) be better

Geez:cool:

[Flying Boat]

Monocock

You'll have to tell us where you went & how good it was.

Have fun this weekend.

FB;)

[Monocock]

In the end the wife won over the kids with a promise of ice creams when we got to Grannys!

It was a beautiful trip. We departed at 1230 and climbed to 4500 ft (above the haze) and set course for the field up near Kings Lynn. The air was smooth up at that altitude and there was surprisingly little traffic about.

That North easterly made the outbound trip 1 hr and 15 minutes and the return trip 45 minutes!!!

Got back at 1930 for a glass of wine in the garden.....what more could anyone ask for?!:cool:

Thanks for all the suggestions, I suppose one good thing about not going to the beach is the lack of sand all over the upholstery!

P.S Any of you lot flying a Chipmunk West bound over Grafham Water at about 4750 feet last night? If so......I did see you (quite late though!!):eek:

On a enjoyable scale of one to ten, the whole day hovers somewhere between 7 and 8!!