RTW Leg 150

RTW Leg 150
Noon
EGHE-EGLC 302 nm.
Scilly Isles-London: Cornish Coast, Dartmoor, Exeter,
Portland Bill, Bournemouth, Stonehenge, Biggin Hill
ETE: 2.2 Hours.
Non-Terminal Departure and Terminal Arrival

NARRATIVE

First, we fly back to Lands End and up the northern Cornish Coast. We first pass over St. Ives, a quaint fishing village and now a tourist center. Clustered around the harbor is the old town of winding streets and color-washed stone cottages housing fishermen, artists, and potters. Fishing and tin mining were important until the late 19th century; since then the mild climate and sandy beaches have attracted vacationers, and tourism has become the economic base. The name St. Ives has been given to a style of pottery established there by Bernard Leach in 1920. (Years ago MM and his wife entered the narrow streets but couldn't find a parking place anywhere near the harbor. Later, over a pub's beer, they saw the parking lot covered with the rising tide--and several frantic owners trying to extricate their cars. Sometimes it pays to be lucky.) This is a spectacularly beautiful coastline, with its dramatic rocky cliffs all along.

Then past Padstow (another tourist haven) which hosts a May Day procession of a man-horse. The central figure, “Oss Oss,” is a witch doctor disguised as a horse and wearing a medicine mask. The dancers are attendants who sing the May Day song, beat drums, and in turn act the horse or dance in attendance. Ah, the reserved English traditions.

We continue to Tintagel Head, a rugged promontory joined to the shore by a narrow isthmus. The Norman castle, the ruins of which stretch across the isthmus, was built on the site of a Celtic monastery that appears to have existed from about 350 to 850. Legend has it that King Arthur was born there. The earls of Cornwall occupied the castle in Norman times and built the chapel. The old post office, a 14th-century stone house, stands in the village. (In 1999 a stone slab marked with the 6th-century Latin inscription Pater Coliavi ficit Artognov, meaning "Artognou, father of a descendant of Coll, has made this," was unearthed by archaeologists digging at Tintagel Castle. Some scholars rushed to claim that this was proof of the historicity of King Arthur, whereas others argued that Artognov was not close enough to Arthur to be conclusive.)

Then we turn east over an area of elevated, open terrain, Bodmin Moor, a bleak granite intrusive 800 to nearly 1,400 feet (240 to 425 meters) high, having only grass cover because of high winds and infertile soils. (FS does not get this right.) Then a lower, rolling landscape comprising sedimentary soils suitable for fodder crops and the rough grazing of dairy cattle.

We pass over the north reaches of Dartmoor. This wild upland area in the west of the county of Devon extends for about 23 miles (37 km) north-south and 20 miles (32 km) east-west. The moorland is bleak and desolate, and heather is the chief vegetation. (Again, FS2002 doesn't do it justice.) Isolated weathered rocks rise from the granite plateau; the highest are Yes Tor (2,030 feet [619 m]) and High Willhays (2,038 feet). Dartmoor was a royal forest in Saxon times; since 1337 the central area has belonged to the royal duchy of Cornwall. In 1951 Dartmoor and its wooded fringes were designated a national park, covering 365 square miles (945 square km). Grazing in the area supports wild ponies, sheep, and cattle; quarrying (granite and china clay) and tourism are other important activities. There are few settlements; the largest is Princetown, founded in 1806 to serve adjoining Dartmoor Prison, which was built to hold French captives from the Napoleonic Wars. Since 1850 it has been England's chief confinement centre for serious offenders. Dartmoor's wild picturesqueness has made it a popular setting for English mystery fiction, notably Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Hound of the Baskervilles.

The city of Exeter (coming before the airport and the NDB) was southwest England's chief city in the middle ages. Over its history it was subjected to a number of sieges (including one by William the Conqueror). Over the years it built a cathedral, developed an extensive guild system, and established a university. Exeter is one of the best examples of the historic English town, which developed from a Roman-British centre to a medieval cathedral city and county town and now is an administrative and service centre for an extensive region.

Southeast lies the Isle of Portland--which is actually a craggy peninsula. The land is connected to the mainland by Chesil Beach, an unbroken shingle ridge about 30 feet (9 m) high and 600 feet (180 m) wide, stretching 10 miles (16 km) west as far as Abbotsbury. The beach is separated from the land by the shallow Fleet Lagoon, making this landscape stand out from the aerial perspective. (Facing the dominant Southwesterly winds, the beach has a dangerous undertow that has claimed many sailors.) The island's precipitous shores render it virtually inaccessible from the sea, except toward the south. Its highest point is Verne Hill (490 feet). At its southern tip, the Bill of Portland, there are storm-worn caves, a raised beach, and the Pulpit Rock.

Just east lies Weymouth, a free borough and merchant port from the thirteenth century. Weymouth sent six ships against the attacking Spanish Armada (1588), and at least one enemy ship was brought into the harbor. During the 17th and early 18th centuries there was much trade with North America. By 1750 the port had declined to a fishing village. Happily, its reputation as a seaside resort then grew, especially following a series of visits by the English king George III in the 18th century in what have been called the first "beach trips" of the modern era. During the 19th century the port revived with the expansion of trade with the Channel Islands.

Just up the Channel Coast lies Bournemouth, a bustling seaside resort town. The actual town dates only from the early nineteenth century. In 1841 there were only 26 buildings, but Bournemouth grew quickly with the arrival of the railways in 1870. A piped water supply made possible large-scale residential development of the well-drained but agriculturally inferior pine woods and sandy heaths that front the cliff coast east of Poole Harbour. The heaths are dissected by small, steep-sided river valleys, or chines. One of these small streams, the Bourne, now enters the sea through ornamental gardens on the site of the first pier (1860). The main shopping and entertainment center, with assembly halls and theatres, has grown near the river mouth.

The pleasant climate of southern England, with notably mild winters, not only lengthens the summer tourist season and attracts winter visitors but also favors Bournemouth as a town of retired people. The beaches extend from Alum Chine to Hengistbury, with a seven mile sandy stretch kept in pristine shape by daily cleansing (and a dog ban--quite a concession given local custom). Extensive residential areas with distinct local shopping centers lie behind the seafront. Inland sites of light industries have added to the economy of what is still predominantly a resort and residential town. It has also become one of England's main conference and convention centers.

As we pass over Bournemouth International, we can see the Bournemouth Aviation Museum below. ( http://www.aviation-museum.co.uk/alt_frameset.html ). Here are housed a goodly sampling of Britain's aircraft heritage, with a special emphasis being placed on operational military jets to mark Britain's role in the development of jet aviation. The museum is new, having opened in 1999. The stated aim of the organization is to preserve these aircraft and to keep them flying. Admirable stuff.

Salisbury Cathedral towers over the plain

The spire of Salisbury Cathedral reaches to the heavens.

Then north toward Salisbury. As we pass waypoint [SALIS], on our left we can see Salisbury Cathedral tower over the Salisbury Plain. Unlike most cathedrals, built over centuries and mixing architectures, the main body of the cathedral was built in 38 years by 300 men and is of one piece. The spire reaches 404 feet, making it the tallest spire in England and the tallest medieval structure in the world--all the more amazing as it sit on a foundation only four feet deep. Like Winchester Cathedral 25 miles east, and Sherborne Abbey 25 miles west, Salisbury Cathedral now has to undergo years of restoration work due to today's polluted environment. However it has stood the test of time and is more intensively used now than ever before. (For a tour, go to http://jefferson.village.virginia.edu/salisbury/docs/cathedral.html .)

The next part is a bit tricky--we want to see Stonehenge. [Be sure to pick up the Stonehenge Bug Fix by David Howarth. See "Additional Scenery" below.] Fly north from the Bournemouth VOR to the airport at Boscombe Down along the 14 degree radial, passing over Salisbury on the way. (There is a DME at Boscombe Down, but no VOR nor NDB.) On reaching the airport, then head west by northwest on the 306 radial for 4 miles. If flying low and slow, you should be able to identify the classic stoneworks at Stonehenge just south of the highway. (The stock FS textures put Stonehenge in a woody are with nearby farmhouses. In fact, it is on an open plain.) Circling the site should give a good view of one of ancient history's truly stunning legacies. For more, see below.

We turn east over the Salisbury Plain threading our way between the Heathrow and Gatwick airspaces. On the way, we overfly Farnborough airfield, the site of the international airshow. (For tickets to July's show, see http://www.farnborough.com/) On reaching the the famous airfield at Biggin Hill, we turn north to London. Biggin Hill as an RAF base played a central role in the Battle of Britain--being a main target of the Luftwafe's nearly successful counter-force strategy and then a base for the immediate defense of the southeast. The airfield now serves as a major General Aviation center for the London area. We might normally stop here, but 10 miles from central London, but we have permission to proceed directly to London City Airport which lies in the heart of the city.

London City did not begin operations until 1987. Beforehand, it had been part of the rough-and-tumble docklands section of London. With the new airport, both regional airlines and private jets now provide convenient service connecting the city of London with the rest of the European Union--to the tune of about 1.6 million passengers a year. However, the special geographical setting requires noise abatement (normally) and the capacity to fly an approach at a 5 degree rather than the normal 3 degree descent. (These restrictions rule out a number of airliners.) Depending on the winds and ATC's instructions, you may have a chance to drop down over Canary Wharf before landing on runway 10. Be sure to get a look at the nearby Millennium Dome.

Of course, London is a wonderful place to visit. We shall do a quick flight down the Thames tomorrow for sightseeing purposes. This afternoon we can visit the British Museum, attend the House of Commons, or pick up a silk scarf to replace the one we bought in Singapore. Tonight is a good time to get an Indian and take in a play (or two).

Flight planning and narrative by
Jozef Kusters and Mike MacKuen
RTW Pilots #037 and #039

Please note that these RTW Narratives are produced using materials from various sites, in print and on the web. They are intended for the private use of the RTW Buzz pilots and are not meant for public dissemination.

ADDITIONAL SCENERY AND ADD-ONS.
You will almost certainly want to have the Stonehenge fix by David Howarth. FS2002 has a well-known bug as the program is missing Stonehenge and (worse yet) signals an error message when you fly nearby. So go to David's VFR Scenery Ltd site ( http://www.vfrscenery.com/ ) or download directly from http://www.vfrscenery.com/downloads/index.htm. While adding famous fixtures, try Howarth's Salisbury Cathedral (dhsabu10.zip 61kb, FS2000 scenery but works fine). And, again, you should try Pietro Mauri's mesh (uk-mesh.zip 6.3mb) which does make a difference, even in flat England.

For London, you will want to install a set of scenery corrections that will make the city more nearly realistic and attractive. (MS made a mistake in locating the Millennium Dome.) First, you want to remove the MS Millennium Dome which was misplaced, and then replace it with a new and better one. Get Oliver Minchin's MildomecanarywarfV1.zip (1.4 mb) and be sure to install the "removal" of the old dome before the replacement files (this means getting right the sequence in your scenery.cfg file). [This file was available at www.fsfreeware.com but is hard to find there, and unavailable at the usual sites. If you wish, email MM for a copy.] Then add in scenery for the South Bank which includes both the London Eye and other treats. We suggest Ralph Pegram's South Bank (London Eye and others, se1v1.zip 345 kb, with update due shortly) and his Bankside (banksv1.zip 626kb). Less complete but well-done is Steve Harding's London Eye (the wheel only, eye2002.zip 262 kb).

The Stonehenge that visitors see today is considerably ruined, many of its stones having been pilfered by medieval and early modern builders (there is no natural building stone within 13 miles [21 km] of Stonehenge); its general architecture has also been subjected to centuries of weathering. The monument consists of a number of structural elements, mostly circular in plan.

The modern interpretation of the monument is based chiefly on excavations carried out since 1919 and especially since 1950. Archaeological excavations in the latter part of the 20th century suggest three main periods of building—Stonehenge I, II, and III, the last divided into phases.

In Stonehenge I, about 3100 BC, the native Neolithic people, using deer antlers for picks, excavated a roughly circular ditch about 320 feet (98 metres) in diameter. Using the excavated chalky rubble, they build a high bank inside and erected a set of stones and dug a set of shallow holes. In addition, a timber henge (circle) may have been erected at the site. Stonehenge I was used for about 500 years and then reverted to scrubland.

During Stonehenge II, about 2100 BC, the complex was radically remodeled. About 80 bluestone pillars, weighing up to 4 tons each, were erected in the centre of the site to form what was to be two concentric circles, though the circles were never completed. (The bluestones came from the Preseli Mountains in southwestern Wales and were either transported directly by sea, river, and overland—a distance of some 240 miles [385 km]—or were brought in two stages widely separated in time.) The entranceway of this setting of bluestones was aligned approximately upon the sunrise at the summer solstice, the alignment being continued by a newly built and widened approach (the Avenue), together with a pair of Heel stones. The double circle of bluestones was dismantled in the following period.

Stonehenge III, initiated about 2000 BC, was when the linteled circle and horseshoe of large sarsen stones were erected, the remains of which can still be seen today. The sarsen stones were transported from the Marlborough Downs 20 miles (30 km) to the north and were erected in a circle of 30 uprights (only 17 of which are still standing) capped by a continuous ring of stone lintels. The sarsen stones are of exceptional size, up to 30 feet (9 metres) long and 50 tons (4,860 kg) in weight. About 1100 BC the Avenue was extended from Stonehenge eastward and then southeastward to the River Avon, a distance of about 9,120 feet (2,780 metres). This suggests that Stonehenge was still in use at the time.

Why Stonehenge was built is unknown, though it probably was constructed as a place of worship of some kind. Notions that it was built as a temple for Druids or Romans are unsound, because neither was in the area until long after Stonehenge was last constructed. Early in the 20th century, the English astronomer Sir Joseph Norman Lockyer demonstrated that the northeast axis aligned with the sunrise at the summer solstice, leading other scholars to speculate that the builders were sun worshipers. In 1963 an American astronomer, Gerald Hawkins, purported that Stonehenge was a complicated computer for predicting lunar and solar eclipses. These speculations, however, have been severely criticized by most Stonehenge archaeologists. “Most of what has been written about Stonehenge is nonsense or speculation,” said R.J.C. Atkinson, archaeologist from University College, Cardiff. “No one will ever have a clue what its significance was.”