Golf Hotel Whiskey

Golf Hotel Whiskey: for pilots and aviation enthusiasts

England

Leeds Bradford (EGNM)

Airport Information

Nearest town:Leeds (7 miles by car), West Yorkshire

Opening Times: 24 hours

Longest Runway: 2250m, Grooved Concrete

Fuel: AVTUR JET A1, AVGAS 100LL

Phone: 01132 509696 (Admin), 01133 913282 (ATC)

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

AIP: plates and airport diagram

Landing fees: £6.59 per 0.5 metric tonne or part thereof for aircraft weighing upto 3 tonnes and £13.18 per metric tonne or part thereof for aircraft weighing over 3 tonnes

Note: The airport is PPR in winter from 2300 to 0700 hours and in summer from 2200 to 0600 hours.

Airport Map

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Airport Services

Pubs

  • The Eagle Tavern, North Street, Sheepscar, Leeds (01132 457146). A little outside the town centre, this is a friendly Samuel Smiths pub with a well-kept range of ales.
  • The Cross Keys, 107, Water Lane, Holbeck, Leeds  (01132 433711, www.the-crosskeys.com). Traditional decor, but the food is more in the gastro-pub line. The focus here is on beers from the micro-breweries in the region.
  • The Duck and Drake, 43, Kirkgate, Leeds (01132 465806, www.duckanddrake.com). Quite popular pub that serves a large range of pubs; known more as a venue for some great music from local performers.

Restaurants

  • Anthony’s, 19, Boar Lane, leeds (01132 455922, www.anthonysrestaurant.co.uk). Elegant high end family-run restaurant that has a reputation as one of Leeds’ finest. Known for its innovative use of fresh ingredients.
  • Haleys, 8, Shire Oak Road, Headingley, Leeds (01132 784446, www.haleys.co.uk). Elegant restaurant that does modern British food. They occasionally display work by local artists.  (The Haley’s hotel which houses this restaurant is also a good option to stay in).
  • Viva Cuba, 324, Abbey Street, Penzance (01132 750888). Comfortable restaurant that serves some good Cuban and Spanish food, including tapas.

Hotels

  • Britannia Leeds Bradford Airport Hotel, Leeds Road, Bramhope, Leeds (08712 220027, www.britanniahotels.com). At 2 miles away from the airport, this is one of the closest options for travellers stretched for time. It helps that the hotel itself is set in a fairly quiet location inside 3 acre grounds.
  • The Queens, 1, City Square, Leeds (01132 431323, www.qhotels.co.uk). Interesting art-deco hotel located very conveniently in the town centre.
  • Cresta Guest House, 3811, Street Lane, Leeds (01132 661706). Very comfortable family-run guesthouse on the outskirts of Leeds. This is a good option if you have some time and plan to explore the surrounding Yorkshire countryside.

Golf Courses

Activities

  • Leeds is the only city in the UK, outside London, to have its own opera and ballet companies. Should you be so inclined, you can catch an opera (www.operanorth.co.uk) or ballet (www.northernballettheatre.co.uk) performance!
  • The Yorkshire Sculpture Park (www.ysp.co.uk) is a unique and much-acclaimed open air park situated on estate grounds;  it holds exhibitions of work by well-known British and international artists.
  • Outdoor enthusiasts will be interested in a trip to the Chevin Forest Park (www.chevinforest.co.uk) nearby, which covers almost 500 acres of woodland and moorland.

Useful Information

Turweston (EGBT)

Airport information

Nearest town: Brackley (4 miles by car), Northamptonshire

Opening Times:

  • Winter: Mon-Fri 0900-1800 (0800-0900 and 1800-2000 on request);
  • Sat 0900-1800 or SS; Sun/Public Holidays 1000-1800.
  • Summer: Mon-Fri 0800-1700 (0700-0800 and 1700-1900 on request);
  • Sat 0800-1700; † Sun/Public Holidays 0900-1700.

Longest Runway: 915m, Asphalt

Fuel: AVGAS 100LL

Phone: 01280 705400 (Admin), 01280 846798 (ATC).

Website: www.turwestonflight.com, Wikipedia entry

AIP: plates and airport diagram

Landing fees: From £12 for singles to £60 for aircraft over 2.5 tonnes

Note: Turweston is a PPR airfield at all times [Read more…] about Turweston (EGBT)

Land’s End (EGHC)

Airport information

Nearest town: Penzance (6 miles by car), Cornwall

Opening Times:

  • Winter: 0900-1700 or SS (whichever is earlier) and by arrangement.
  • Summer: Mon-Sat 0800-1700; Sun 0800-1600 and by arrangement.

Longest Runway: 792m, Grass

Fuel: AVTUR JET A1, AVGAS 100LL

Phone: 01736788771 (Operator); 01736 788944 (ATC)

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

AIP: plates and airport diagram

Landing fees: £13 (single), £18 (double), £36 (commercial) and £6 (microlight)

Note: Land’s End is a PPR airfield
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Airport services

Handling: Westward Airways (01736  788771)

Taxis: Village Cars, St.Buryan (07703 112031), Baileys Cars, St.Just (07712 070676), Country Cars, Penzance (01736 333919)

Car Hire: Enterprise Rent A Car (01736 332000, www.enterprise.com), Europcar (01872 266307, www.europcar.co.uk). Note: These are based out of Penzance, not at the airfield itself

Facilities at airport: Cafe (open Monday to Saturday)

Pubs

  • The Alexandra, Alexandra Road, Penzance (01736 365165). A friendly pub quite popular among the local community for its good range of ales from smaller Cornish breweries. The walk along the sea-front is an added bonus.
  • The Turks Head, Chapel Street, Penzance (01736 363093). One of the oldest pubs in town (parts of the building date back to the 13th C.), this one is a fixture on the tourist circuit. Inspite of that, it is a pretty good option – the service continues to be good and the food excellent pub fare.
  • The Star Inn, , Fore Street, St.Just, Penzance (01736 788767, www.thestarinn-stjust.co.uk). Once serving the thriving mining community in this area, this 17th C. family-owned pub is now a good option for its community feel and St.Austell beers.

Restaurants

  • The Cornish Range Restaurant, 6, Chapel Street, Mousehole, near Penzance (01736 731488, www.cornishrange.co.uk). Originally a pilchard-processing factory, this is now a smart restaurant with a focus on seafood. Displays local artwork.
  • The Abbey, Abbey Street, Penzance (01736 366906, www.theabbeyonline.co.uk). Comfortable restaurant with modern British food and a good wine list. The service here has been rated especially well.

Hotels

  • Warwick House, 17, Regent Terrace, Penzance (01736 363881, www.warwickhousepenzance.co.uk). Extremely comfortable Regency period guest house with fine views over the bay.
  • Higher Faugan Parc, Chywoone Hill, Newlyn, Penzance (01736 351648). Situated in the village of Newlyn, this boutique style guest house is not in the town centre, but its slightly remote location in beautiful surroundings will appeal to those looking for something out of the ordinary.
  • The Abbey, Abbey Street, Penzance (01736 366906, www.theabbeyonline.co.uk). Apart from the popular restaurant, the Abbey is also known for its eight well-furnished, comfortable rooms.

Golf Courses

  • Cape Cornwall Golf Club, St.Just, Penzance (01736 788611, www.capecornwall.com). An 18 hole golf course and club with other facilities such as a spa, sauna and swimming pool. Great location with views over the cape. Visitors welcome although reservation is advised.
  • Praa Sands Golf Club, Germoe Crossroads, Praa Sands, Penzance (01736 763445). A challenging course that experienced golfers will enjoy. Visitors welcome.

Activities

  • The Minack Theatre (01736 810181, www.minack.com) at Porthcurno is a much admired open-air theatre, built like a traditional ampitheatre into the side of a hill and with fantastic views over Porthcurno Bay. For those with no time to catch a play, a day visit would still be worthwhile.
  • The West Cornwall coastline is ideal for water-sports enthusiasts or simply for lazing on the beaches!
  • St.Michael’s Mount, the historic island castle is a walk away on an ancient causeway (when tides are low) or accessible through a short boat-ride from the village of Marazion.

Useful Information

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Bournemouth (EGHH)

Nearest town: Bournemouth (4 miles by car), Dorset

Opening Times: Winter – 0630-2130; Summer – 0530-2030

Longest Runway: 2271m, Asphalt/Concrete

Fuel: AVTUR JET A1, AVGAS 100LL

Phone: 01202 364110 (Admin), 01202 364150 (ATC)

Website: www.bournemouthairport.com, Wikipedia entry

AIP: plates and airport diagram

Landing fees: Bournemouth is a fairly expensive place for GA with landing fees starting at over £25

Note: Bournemouth is PPR for all unscheduled aircraft

Pilot notes

Regional airport on the south coast of England.  Good IFR facilities and reasonable GA handling.

VFR approaches and departures at the airfield are an exercise in map-reading. You will be given a series of VRPs to fly to.  Some are listed but on our approach we were vectored by towns and other landmarks on the 1:500,000 map from about 10 miles out.  Because of the proximity of Southampton Airport and the Solent CTA, as well as airways routing south and danger areas to the Northwest, it is more important than usual to be spot on with heights and positions.

There are regular scheduled services and a lot of maintenance facilities on the airport so be prepared to mix it with large aircraft and make allowances for the odd Ryanair flight arrival or departure.

GA Handling

Aircraft under 3 tonnes park in a special GA apron near the threshold for runway 26 and are subject to PPR and handling by Bournemouth Handling.  This is a new approach to GA and seems friendlier than the previous ‘park on the apron and go through the main terminal’ system.  Heavier aircraft require handling by Servisair or Execair.

Because it is a Customs and Exercise / Terrorism Act designated airport, it is a handy stopping point for trips to and from the continent.

Airport History

Bournemouth saw its first flight in 1910 and an airfield in the town served as a training centre for WWI pilots. The current airfield was built during WWII.  When Eisenhower arrived to take over the Allied Armies, he flew into the airport. His pilot was none other than Paul Tibbets who went on drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima!  After the war, it was used as a base for BOAC and Vickers built Viscounts and BAC1-11s there.

Airport Map

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Airport services

  • Handling: Bournemouth Handling (01202 590888) Note: Aircraft under 3 tonnes park in a special GA apron near the threshold for runway 26
  • Taxis: United Taxis (01202 556677)
  • Car Hire: Hertz (08708 460004, www.hertz.co.uk), National Alamo (01202 577194). Both these are located beside car park 2.
  • Facilities at airport: Food court, Bar, Cafe, Duty free & other shopping, wi-fi
  • Flying Schools: Bournemouth Flying Club (01202 578558, www.bfclub.co.uk), Solent School of Flying (01202 590800, www.solentsf.co.uk)

Pubs

  • The Porterhouse, 113, Poole Road, Westbourne, Bournemouth (01202 768586, www.theporterhouse.com). A friendly and quiet pub (with ‘quiet’ a relatively rare commodity among the Bournemouth pubs), this one serves the Ringwood range of beers with an occasional guest ale.
  • The Bear Cross, Magna Road, Kinson, Bournemouth(01202 574413). Traditional pub that has reinvented itself as a gastro-pub and now serves some excellent ‘modern’ British food, besides real ales.
  • The Cranleigh, 1, Clingan Road, Bournemouth (01202 421530). Popular community pub – on most days, you can find locals of all ages here. Attractive prices too.

Restaurants

  • Chewton Glen. This Michelin-starred restaurant is about 20m away by taxi and is well worth a visit, either for lunch or to make a long weekend of it. I’ve been twice: once with my flying buddy Stuart and once with my wife, making it the first restaurant to be reviewed twice on this site.
  • Chez Fred, 10, Seamoor Road, Westbourne (01202 761023, www.chezfred.co.uk). Rated as one of the best fish and chips in town and vouched for by the crowds that tend to gather here.
  • Basilica, 73, Seamoor Rooad, Bournemouth (01202 757722, www.basilica.biz). This Mediterranean restaurant serves up a mean mezze platter. The focus is on fresh ingredients cooked with a light touch.
  • Wessex Tales, 20, Ashley Road, Boscombe, Bournemouth (01202 3098696). An excellent option for vegetarians and vegans. Everything here is homecooked and the menu is very imaginative, including vegetarian takes on traditional favourites.

Hotels

  • Chewton Glen. See restaurant review above.
  • Norfolk Royale, Richmond Hill, Bournemouth (01202 551521, www.norfolk-royale.co.uk). A large 4-star hotel considered one of the best luxury stay options in Bournemouth.
  • The Chocolate Boutique Hotel, 5, Durley Road, Westcliff, Bournemouth (01202 556857, www.thechocolateboutiquehotel.co.uk). An unusual boutique hotel where each of the 13 rooms has something to do with chocolate. The service and decor is impeccable and for chocolate buffs, the chocolate weekends and workshops are totally worth it.
  • Hotel Miramar, East Overcliff Drive, Bournemouth (01202 556581, www.miramar-bournemouth.com). A well-maintained Edwardian era building with rooms that have fine views over the bay.

Golf Courses

  • Knighton Heath Golf Club, Francis Avenue, Bournemouth (01202 572633, www.khgc.co.uk). An 18-hole challenge course set on 90 acres of countryside. Visitors welcome on weekdays with reservations.
  • Queens Park Golf Course, Queens Park West Drive, Bournemouth (01202 437807, www.littledowncentre.co.uk). A centrally located golf course that welcomes visitors.
  • Solent Meads Golf Club, Rolls Drive, Hengistbury Head, Bournemouth (01202 420795, www.solentmeads.com). A par 3 links course open to visitors.
  • The Club at Meyrick Park, Central Drive, Bournemouth (01202 786000, www.theclubcompany.com). A 100 year old 18-hole course set on a vast stretch of beautiful woodland and parkland. Visitors welcome any time.

Activities

  • The Bournemouth Aviation museum (01202 473141, www.aviation-museum.co.uk), located on the grounds of Adventure Wonderland overlooking the airport, is definitely worth a visit. It has a collection of aviation related art as well as models of older aircraft.
  • For outdoor enthusiasts, activities such as snorkelling and diving (www.swanagepiertrust.com) on the Dorset coast are easily doable as a day trip from Bournemouth.
  • The Russell Cotes Art Gallery & Museum in Bournemouth (www.russell-cotes.bournemouth.gov.uk) is worth a visit for its extensive collection of 19th C. British art.

Useful Information

Nottingham (EGBN)

Airport information

Nearest town: Nottingham (6 miles by car from city centre), Nottinghamshire

Opening Times:

  • Winter: Mon-Sat 0900-1700; Sun 1000-1700
  • Summer: Mon-Fri 0800-1700; Sat 0800-1800; Sun 0900-1800

Longest Runway: 1050m, Asphalt/Concrete

Fuel: AVTUR JET A1, AVGAS 100LL

Phone: 01159 811327 (ATC), 01159 815050 (Admin)

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

AIP: plates and airport diagram

Landing Fees: Starts at £10 for a light single aircraft

Note: Nottingham is a PPR airfield; however, the airfield is also available outside published hours on advance notice.

Airport Map

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Airport services

  • Handling: Truman Aviation (01159 815050)
  • Taxis: DG Cars (01159 607607), Nottingham Cars (01159 700700), EMT Private Hire (08458 392137). Note: Taxis operate out of Nottingham, not from the airfield itself
  • Car Hire: Avis (08706 086354, www.avis.co.uk), Hertz (01159 580575, www.hertz.co.uk), Europcar (01159 581644, www.europcar.co.uk). Note: Car Hire outlets operate out of Nottingham, not from the airfield itself
  • Facilities at airport: Restaurant
  • Flying Schools: Truman Aviation (01159 815050)

Pubs

  • The Trip to Jerusalem. Allegedly the oldest pub in England. A bit like visiting a hobbit hole as the pub is set into a sheer cliff face and several rooms are actually in the living rock.
  • The Hand and Heart, 65, Derby Road, Nottingham (01159 582456). Unusual location for a pub – inside the sandstone caves of Nottingham! A good selection of ales and live music events every other day. If you’re interested, there is an independent art gallery of the same name above the pub.
  • The Keans Head, 46, St. Mary’s Gate, Nottingham (01159 474052). Fairly small but popular and centrally located pub that mainly serves Castle Rock beers. It’s also a good place for food at any time during the day.
  • Bunkers Hill Inn, 36-38, Hockley, Nottingham (01159 100114). Serves some excellent beers from the Nottingham brewery.

Restaurants

  • The Larder on Goosegate, 16-22, Goosegate, Nottingham (01159 500111, www.thelarderongoosegate.co.uk). Modern British food in very comfortable and pleasant surroundings. Here, the focus is on seasonal ingredients; the steaks in particular are rated very highly.
  • MemSaab, 12-14, Maid Marian Way, Nottingham (01159 570009, www.mem-saab.co.uk). Leagues above your usual curry house fare, this elegant Indian restaurant focuses on unusual Indian regional specialties.
  • Antalya’s, Forman Street, Nottingham (01159 537788). Popular Greek restaurant that is good value for money.

Hotels

  • Park Plaza Nottingham, 41, Maid Marian Way, Nottingham (01159 477200, www.parkplaza.com). Elegant and centrally located hotel convenient for accessing all the usual tourist hot-spots if you need!
  • Brown’s Old Orchard Cottage, Holbeck, Near Worksop, Nottingham (01909 720659). Not in the city itself, but this B&B is an ideal option for those who’d like a bit of rural quiet and comfort. Comfortable rooms and friendly service.
  • Cockliffe Country House Hotel, Burntstump Hill, Nottingham (01159 680179, www.cockliffehouse.co.uk). A stylish four star hotel set amidst beautiful gardens.

Golf Courses

  • Beeston Fields Golf Club, Old Drive, Wollaton Road, Beeston, Nottingham (01159 257062, www.beestonfields.co.uk). An 80 year old course that has something for golfers of different abilities. Visitors welcome with reservations.
  • Cotgrave Place Golf and Country Club, Stragglethorpe, Nottingham (01159 333344, www.cotgraveplacegolf.co.uk). A relatively new club that has not one but two 18-hole courses. Visitors welcome with reservations.
  • Nottingham City Golf Club, Bulwell Hall Park, Norwich Gardens, Bulwell, Nottingham (01159 272767, www.nottinghamcitygolfclub.co.uk). 100 year club that hosts many popular events. Visitors welcome.
  • Ruddington Grange Golf Club, Wilford Road, Ruddington, Nottingham (01159 211951, www.ruddingtongrange.com). A par-72 course set in beautiful parkland that includes water hazards. Visitors welcome.

Activities

  • A visit to Nottingham castle is worth it, both for its interesting architecture and museum and for the great views over the countryside from its position on a hill overlooking the city.
  • Visit Cresswell Crags (www.creswell-crags.org.uk), an archaeological site with records of Ice age life in Britain.

Useful Information