Tain Viewing

[Mike]

Hi Spike, have moved this into the Tain section - there's very few places at Tain to get a decent view of the action, the seafront at Inver village could be an idea though.

[neilf92]

For the fit and interested it can be interesting to get yourself on the North side of Suie Hill to the West of Tain overlooking the Firth , in front and down from the radio mast on top. With a decent lens ( 400 min) you can watch and shoot aircraft passing low over the firth as they run in or exit the range .
Finding an easy /short way up is tricky . There is a farm / landrover track leads in at Rheguile , left off the A836.
I would recommend you Google down onto it and familiarise yourself with how it passes through a farm yard and Google van coverage stops at a rusty old shed where there would be space to park without bothering anyone . From there I think it's a case of a long walk up the rest of the track which ascends the hill from the East , curving North to reach the mast.
Mostly the aircraft are quite far out over the firth but I missed two Falcons over my head as I reached the bottom of the hill and two GR4's which curved close by before I had got more than half way up . A local
assured me that the jets do pass near to the hillside on occasions .
Another way to access it is from the front of the North face . Google down onto the A836 just between an "A836"to the right and Ardvennie to the left and look for an unusual stone and slate mini tower cottage on the right . Go West a few hundred yards along the A836 and you will find a wide forest road entrance on your left . I parked in there and made my way up through the forest onto the hillside but it is not easy and parts are very steep and need to be avoided. Once clear of these awkward bits its a slog up a heather clad hillside .
As I say , more for someone who enjoys hillwalking combined with the off chance of a low level shot.

It may be worthwhile contacting the range to find out if/ when any Lossie Sqns are intending to use the low , approach along the firth . I think XV Sqn sometimes has a part of the course that uses low level approaches over a week or so. Otherwise it's hit or miss depending on individual sorties on the day . I've seen it quite busy and stone dead.

[ranger703]

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[Unknown74]

I go on family holidays to Brora quite often and although you can't see the range at all as it's further North you can often see the Tornados running in for one of the Targets it's quite amazing when they go low and loud.

[Angel15]

2 Gripens orbiting @ about 4,000 feet this morning from around 9:30-10:30 with a single Tornado doing a few low runs from the NE. Apart from that very quiet over Tain Range. Did see a single Tornado at about 3-4000 feet around 17:00.

Gripens have been over the range every morning Monday-Wednesday so far in the morning although for Thursday I'm heading for Lossie for some close up stuff:)

[Angel15]

Hi all , does anyone know where the best spot is for viewing at tain , only i have a mate down from Inverness and he was hoping to go there when he gets home. Any help would be very much appreciated , many thanks spike .

If you drive up to the tower they will let you photo/watch from there