Day 2, Flight 3 – Haverfordwest to Caernarfon (Captain: Simon)

This turned out to be an excellent decision as it meant we transited the RAFs playground, just off the coast of Wales, out of hours, when there was no danger area activity.

Time-check en-route to Caernarfon
Time-check en-route to Caernarfon
Heading north along the Welsh coast over Pembrokeshire Coast National Park
Heading north along the Welsh coast over Pembrokeshire Coast National Park

Simon takes us up the Welsh coast and the scenery gets ever more impressive the further north we go.

The scenery gets much more interesting over Snowdonia National Park
The scenery gets much more interesting over Snowdonia National Park

All of us see our first lenticular clouds formed over the hills around Snowdonia. Blind calls into Caernarfon were made as the airfield, is closed but we understand HM Coastguard is based there 24 hours. A quick “Cessna-Selfie” on the grass parking in front of the hangars.

Caernarfon Cessna "Selfie"
Caernarfon Cessna “Selfie”

The gentlemen in the new Bristow’s HM Coastguard hangars are very helpful and provide us with a taxi number and a swift exit out of the airfield to the main road. We got to be a little nosey with their excellent new equipment too…

New Sikorsky S-92s operated by Bristow for HM Coastguard
New Sikorsky S-92s operated by Bristow for HM Coastguard

Taxi out from the airfield at 21:20, long day. At least the time of year and sunset is in our favour.

Our taxi-driver takes us into town and drops us in the centre to get food as it’s so late. The only place open is Wetherspoons! My food-snobbery from the day before has come back to haunt me and I spend Wednesday night at “Curry Night”! A short walk back from here to the hotel at just after 11pm ends a long day. Wake-up time is set for the morning giving us enough time to make use of the pool, sauna & steam room in the Royal Celtic Hotel. Another great find Simon!