Scotland - Airfields/Open Spaces

[andygilmore]

Hi all, hoping anyone can help! I'm planning a 'Gumball Rally' type event from Oxford to Edinburgh this summer for my friend's stag do. I was looking to see if there are any airfields/open spaces we could possibly use as a meeting point and to use as a place to set a rough course up for some time trial challenges for one day. No racing. We're just a group of enthusiasts looking to enjoy some of the great roads and scenery in Scotland and have a bit of fun too. Any recommendations on this would be greatly appreciated. Look forward to your responses.

Cheers
Andy

[6C4GTS]

Ocean terminal car park. Top to bottom against the clock?

[JohnS]

You might be able to hire Crail airfield for a day: http://www.crailraceway.co.uk/activity.php?ID=8

[Djdan]

How many cars? When Rally Events (Organisers of Barcelona Bangers) organised a mass road trip in britain the police phoned them up almost instantly informing them that they would not be letting it happen. All be it this was in banger cars but is a reason most similar events occur from calais. If your using decent cars without graphics etc you might get away with it

[Djdan]

But on the brighter side, Spey Bay Aerodrome could be a shout, its crown owned but the 63 car club already use it for autotests etc.

[andygilmore]

Cheers guys, some great suggestions, keep them coming.

I'm thinking it more of a road trip so I'm hoping we'll just float under the radar of the feds, there will only be about 5 or 6 cars, as it's just a stag do. I've found a couple of airfields on a few forums so I'll post any findings if people find it useful! Most of the proper tracks will probably need permission/insurance. This place looks ok:

http://ukga.com/airfield/wigtown/21437

Even beaches or old industrial places. Not breaking any land speed records just want to rip about but not on any of the roads!

@Djdan do you have a link for the Aerodrome I couldn't find it? Cheers.

[Djdan]

No sorry i dont, theres a recycling centre on most of it these days and the surface is pretty broken up, only a couple of hundred useable feet! It used to be fair game to anyone round here but travelling folk moving in forced them to stick a lock on the gate. If you stick "spey Bay" into the google maps and zoom out a bit you will see it, shame its been left to ruin really. It belongs to the crown estate, if you were to get in touch with "63 Car Club" they hold a yearly motorsport lease.

[bigblock]

andygilmore said:

@Djdan do you have a link for the Aerodrome I couldn't find it? Cheers.

It might be worth bearing in mind that Spey Bay is 175 miles north of Edinburgh, if that is your proposed destination.

Are you looking for a location in reasonable proximity to Edinburgh or just somewhere in 'Scotland', all 30,000 square miles of it.

[bigwheel]

Djdan said:

No sorry i dont, theres a recycling centre on most of it these days and the surface is pretty broken up, only a couple of hundred useable feet! It used to be fair game to anyone round here but travelling folk moving in forced them to stick a lock on the gate. If you stick "spey Bay" into the google maps and zoom out a bit you will see it, shame its been left to ruin really. It belongs to the crown estate, if you were to get in touch with "63 Car Club" they hold a yearly motorsport lease.

Just look for "Dallachy".
I drove my cousin's car there when I was under-age and took my 2 kids to drive before they were old enough for a licence.

[andygilmore]

bigblock said:

It might be worth bearing in mind that Spey Bay is 175 miles north of Edinburgh, if that is your proposed destination.

Are you looking for a location in reasonable proximity to Edinburgh or just somewhere in 'Scotland', all 30,000 square miles of it.

Haha yeah, well camping first night round Loch Doon, then not sure. So if somewhere was good enough, we would probably make the trip. I'm pretty sure there are enough spectacular views around Scotland to keep us interested!

[Djdan]

Id suggest is isnt worth the trip! I seem to recall that there is a Private tarmac runway near Tain, the land owner was willing to let local boy racers rip up and down it, further but would mean you could go all the way up the west coast

[6C4GTS]

andygilmore said:

Haha yeah, well camping first night round Loch Doon, then not sure. So if somewhere was good enough, we would probably make the trip. I'm pretty sure there are enough spectacular views around Scotland to keep us interested!

Look up EACC and the sprint track at Kames - near Loch Doon
http://www.eastayrshirecc.co.uk/

- you have to join the club (a few quid) but you can hire the whole track for a few hundred quid IIRC and have a ball!

[SSC!]

Djdan said:

Id suggest is isnt worth the trip! I seem to recall that there is a Private tarmac runway near Tain, the land owner was willing to let local boy racers rip up and down it, further but would mean you could go all the way up the west coast

That wouldn't happen to be near Fern would it? If so the runway is well knackered as a few of us scoped it out back in 2006 for something similar.