Golf Hotel Whiskey

Golf Hotel Whiskey: for pilots and aviation enthusiasts

Airports

Blackpool (EGNH)

Airport information

Nearest town: Blackpool (3m by car), Lancashire

Opening Times: Summer – 06:00 to 20:00; Winter – 07:00 to 21:00

Longest Runway: 1869m, Asphalt

Fuel: AVGAS 100LL, AVTUR JET A-1

Phone: 08700 273 777 (Admin)

Website: www.blackpoolinternational.com, Wikipedia entry

AIP: plates and airport diagram

Landing fees: from £10 singles, £15 twins

Airport map

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Airport services

Pubs

  • Bay Horse Inn,Bay Horse Lane, Ellel, Lancaster (20m), 01524 791204. Lovely gastropub with real fires.
  • Brannigans, 29-37 Market Street, Blackpool, 01253 752277. Known to host a lively crowd and parties every week.
  • Tapas Bar, 11-13 Queen St, Blackpool, 1253 293287.  Friendly service and a range of appetizers.

Restaurants

  • Twelve, www.twelve-restaurant.co.uk, Marsh Mill Village, Thornton Cleveleys, Lancashire, 01253 821212. Restaurant and lounge bar in the shadow of a working windmill.

Hotels

Golf courses

Activities

  • Blackpool Pleasure Beach, (www.blackpoolpleasurebeach.com), amusement park and rides, children’s theme park, musicals, circus and a range of restaurants all in one place.
  • Blackpool Tower, (www.theblackpooltower.co.uk), circus and other entertainment options, especially for children.
  • Blackpool Zoo, (www.blackpoolzoo.org.uk)
  • Grundy Art Gallery, in central Blackpool. Exhibits include Victorian as well as modern British art and photographs of historic Blackpool.

Useful information

Elvington (EGYK)

Airport information

Nearest town: York (27m by car), Yorkshire

Opening times: Dawn to dusk

Longest runway: 3000m, Concrete and Asphalt

Fuel: 100LL Jet A1

Phone:   01759 305851

Website: www.elvingtonairfield.co.uk, Wikipedia entry

Note: York Elvington Aerodrome is an unlicensed private aerodrome and pilots use it at their own risk. PPR required. PPR is at sole discretion of the aerodrome owners by telephone to Elvington Events Limited (01759 305851)

Airport map

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Airport services

  • Handling: From £ 12
  • Taxis: Victoria Travel (01759 306 910), Central Taxis (01759 302146), Car 9 (01759 306 596)
  • Car Hire: Thrifty (01904 438844  , www.thrifty.co.uk), Enterprise (01904 623000  , www.enterprise.com)
  • Facilities at airport: Cafe
  • Charter: Available from Prive Jets (02080 990 375  , www.privejets.com)

Pubs

  • The Black Bull, 18 Market Place, Pocklington,   01759 302649  . Good value menu.
  • The Black Swan, Peasholme Green,   01904 686911  . Traditional pub with great beers, lots of character and a reputation for being haunted.
  • The Gillygate, 48 Gillygate,   01904 654103  . Excellent fish and chips.

Restaurants

  • 1331 Gastrobar, 13 Grape Lane, York,   01904 661130  . Decent gastropub fare sourced as locally as possible in this fashionable locale.
  • Betty’s Café and Tearooms, 6-8 St Helen’s Square, York,   01904 659142  . A local institution, now combined with a shop selling gorgeous snacks.
  • The Blue Bicycle, 34 Fossgate, York,   01904673990  . Good seafood served in an atmospheric former brothel.

Hotels

  • Acer, 52 Scarcroft Hill, York (01904 653839). Small – just four rooms – comfortable and welcoming. Good breakfasts.
  • Mount Royale Hotel, 119 The Mount, York (01904 628856). Set in mature English gardens, antiques in every room.
  • The Parsonage Country House Hotel, Escrick, York (01904 728111  , www.parsonagehotel.co.uk)  Classic hotel with a modern twist. Restaurant features ‘Yorkshire farmers’ menu’.

Golf courses

Activities

Useful information

Lelystad Aerodrome (EHLE)

I flew to Lelystad, Holland on Saturday. It’s a purpose-built GA airport about 30m east of Amsterdam. The flight from Denham was fabulous in good weather – we flew right over the top of Schiphol at 9,000 feet.

The airport is very welcoming. They have customs and immigration officers on site (although the book says to give four hours notice) and there is a cafe in the small terminal building. The landing fee was around €50 which compares well with about €300 for the same Cirrus at Schiphol the week before.

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Although Lelystad has NDB approaches, they are only active outside daylight hours. Arriving in daylight, you have to end your IFR flight plan just past Amsterdam and descend below 1,500 feet.

The best part about Lelystad is that there is a aviation-themed cafe (with staff in pilot uniforms!) called Flantuas and an excellent aircraft museum – the Aviodrome. Both are a few minutes walk from the terminal.

Flantuas – with aircraft models and a view of the runway

Lelystad’s reconstruction of the Schiphol’s terminal building from the 30s

Outside the Aviodrome with a view of their KLM 747

Guernsey (EGJB)

Airport information

Nearest town: St. Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands

Website: www.guernsey-airport.gov.gg

Landing fees: £4.10 – £8.10

Longest runway: 1463m, Asphalt

Fuel: AVGAS, Jet A1

Admin 01481 237766, ATC 01481 238957

Opening times: Winter 0630 – 2100, Summer 0530 – 2000

AIP plates and airport diagram.

Wikipedia entry

Airport map

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Airport services

  • Handling: Aiglle: (up to Gulfstream V): 01481 239544. Aurigny Air Services: 01481 237426. Flybe: 01481 237574. Rock Aviation: 01481 268281
  • Taxis: Delta Taxis (01481 244444), Island Taxis (01481 700500). Pre-booking recommended.
  • Car Hire: Europcar (01481 237638), Value (01481 243547), both located on concourse.
  • Le Goffre food village, Ritazza café/bar, newsagent, flower shop, cash point, duty free shop.

Pubs

  • The Mermaid Tavern, Herm Island, 01481 710170. Welcoming pub on idyllic island, a ferry ride from Guernsey.
  • Laska, St Peter Port, 01481 727444. Fashionable cocktail bar with lush interiors.
  • The Queen’s Hotel, St Martin’s, 01481 238398. Good pub grub menu.

Restaurants

  • L’Escalier, St Peter Port, 01481 710088. Classy menu in romantic setting.
  • Saltwater, St Peter Port, 01481 720823. Good seafood, fine harbour views.
  • Le Nautique, St Peter Port, 01481 721714.

Hotels

  • The Clubhouse, St Peter Port (01481 710331). Choice of town accommodation from three star hotel to luxury self catering apartments and quiet family cottages.
  • La Trelade, St Martins (01481 235454, www.latrelade.guernsey.net). Indoor pool and health spa.

Golf courses

  • La Grand Mare, Castel (01481 256576). Full 18-hole course and golf shop at this hotel complex.

Activities

Useful information

Glasgow (EGPF)

Airport information

Nearest town: Paisley (8m by car), Glasgow

Website: www.glasgowairport.com (See also Wikipedia entry)

Opening times: H24

Longest runway: 2658m, Ashphalt

Fuel: 100LL, Jet A1

Phone: 0870 040 0008 Airport, 0141 840 8029 ATC, 0141 887 7449 Atis, 0141 848 4141 Airfield Operations.

Plates: AIP plates and airport diagram (free registration required)

Map

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Airport services

  • Handling: Signature (+44 141 887 8348)
  • Taxis: Cabfly, in front of the terminal building (0141 848 4588)
  • Car Hire: Budget (0141 889 1479), Avis (0141 842 7599, www.avis.com), National (0141 887 7915, www.nationalcar-europe.com), Sixt (0141 887 0044), Thrifty (0141 848 5002, www.thrifty.com)

On the airport or within walking distance

  • Travel agent, book shop, high street shops, chemist, electronics store, memorabilia, florist, massage, luggage store, duty free. Selection of pubs, bars, coffee shops, restaurants and fast food outlets. Internet access. Play area, arcade and baby changing facilities. Business lounge.

Pubs

  • Soba, 11 Mitchell Lane, Glasgow, 0141 204 2404. Fashion-conscious cocktail bar with Asian fusion menu.
  • Arisaig,140 St Vincent Street, Glasgow (0141 204 5399). One of the best for good eating.
  • Molly Malones, 224 Hope Street, Glasgow, 0141 332 2757.

Restaurants

  • TaPaell’Ya, Robertson Street, Glasgow, 0141 225 2047. Tapas bar with friendly informal service and good wine list.
  • etain, Springfield Court, Queen Street, Glasgow, 0141 225 5630. First Conran restaurant outside London.
  • Brasserie and Bar at Malmaison, 278 West George Street, Glasgow, 0141 572 1000, www.malmaison-glasgow.com/indulge/brasserie. Consistently excellent dining in stunning location.

Hotels

  • Abode, Glasgow (0141 5726000, www.abodehotels.co.uk). Recently restored Edwardian building.
  • Langs Hotel, Glasgow (0141 3335712 , www.langshotel.co.uk). Ultramodern city centre hotel with full spa.
  • Dalmeny Park Country House Hotel, Glasgow (0141 8819211, www.dalmenypark.com). Mansion house set in seven acres of impressive garden.

Golf courses

Activities

  • Glasgow Cathedral, Cathedral Square. One of Scotland’s most impressive medieval buildings.
  • Glasgow Necropolis, Castle Street (0141 2873961). Contains about 3,500 tombs and a monument to John Knox.
  • Auchentoshan Distillery, Dalmuir (01389 878561, www.auchentoshan.co.uk). Try one of the few remaining lowland single malts.

Useful information

Elstree (EGTR)

Airport information

Nearest town: Elstree (4m by car), Hertfordshire

PPR

Website: www.egtr.net

Opening times: 0900-SS daily – unlicensed after 2000 or SS whichever earlier. Aerodrome also available at other times by arrangement.

Longest runway: 651m, Ashphalt

Fuel: 100LL, Jet A1

Phone: Tower/Admin 020 8953 7480

Plates: http://www.egtr.net/byair.php#2 (Note noise abatement and joining procedures).  AIP plates and airport diagram

Map

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Airport services

  • Taxis: Hatton Hire Ltd (01923 468 125), Ambassadors (01923 230 309), ABA Car Service (020 89536144).
  • Car Hire: Prestige Car Hire (020 8952 2850, www.prestigecarhire.co.uk,), Europcar (020 89515444, www.europcar.co.uk), Godfrey Davis (020 8565 7272)

On the airport or within walking distance

  • Pooleys Pilot Shop (www.pooleys.com)
  • Licensed Restaurant and Bar with terrace overlooking the runway (0208 953 6013). This is a friendly cafe-style restaurant.

Pubs

  • The Waggon and Horses, Elstree, 020 8953 1406. Family friendly.
  • The Lord Nelson, Barnet, 020 8449 7249. Homely atmosphere and pleasant backstreet location.
  • The Green Dragon, Barnet, 020 8449 2972. Out of the way pub with renowned menu.

Restaurants

  • The East, Elstree, 020 8953 1088. Oriental bar and restaurant.
  • Noodlewood Noodle Bar, Borehamwood, 020 8236 2388. Excellent choice of pan-Asian and fusion dishes.
  • Cavendish Restaurant, Corus Hotel, Elstree, 0870 609 6151. Good value English menu, pleasant views.

Hotels

  • Grim’s Dyke Hotel, Old Redding (020 8385 3100, www.grimsdyke.com). Carefully restored country house, former home of Sir William Gilbert. Winner of Visit London’s ‘Best Small Hotel in London’ award. Worth the trip from the aerodrome.
  • Elstree Inn (0208 953 3175, www.elstreeinn.com). Small and friendly.
  • Holiday Inn London Elstree (0870 400 7203). Formerly Elstree Moat House, three stars. Convenient to M25, decent bar.
  • See also the airport’s list of nearby hotels: www.egtr.net/hotels.php.

Golf courses

Activities

Useful information