Leg 80 - Paris, France (LFPG Charles de Gaulle) to Edinburgh, Scotland (EGPH Edinburgh Airport)
This leg: 725Nm, 3:10 flying time
Total so far: 89,750Nm, 343:43 flying time
Well, the time has come. This is our final leg - coincidentally our 80th (Around the World in 80 Days anyone?). It seems like a long time since I first left Edinburgh way back on 20th August last year, just a couple of days after the sim launched. But now we are finally heading home. Obviously we are not doing that in a very direct route and will be fitting in a long list of sights that we’ll be taking in along the way.
Heading North from Paris, we’ll take in:
- Cliffs of Dover
- Canterbury Cathedral
- Archbishop’s Palace Maidstone
- Tower Bridge
- Waterloo Bridge
- Vauxhall Bridge
- Albert Bridge
- Wandsworth Bridge
- Wimbledon
- Wolvesey Castle
- Stonehenge
- Clifton Suspension Bridge
- Principality Stadium
- Warwick Castle
- Villa Park
- Iron Bridge
- Jodrel Bank
- Anfield Stadium
- Blackpool Tower
- Fountain Abbey
- Durham Cathedral
- Tyne Bridge
- Floors Castle
Finally, of course, we’ll land at Edinburgh Airport.
So, we should get going. And guess what, it’s a bit cloudy in Paris. Hopefully, for our final leg, it won’t be like that this the whole way
Heading North towards the English Channel
Some low cloud as we reach the French coast, but then it clears as we start to cross the Channel - albeit with some thick dark clouds ahead perhaps
Our first place to visit is the Cliffs of Dover
And on to Canterbury Cathedral
Next stop is Maidstone and the Archbishop’s Palace - and the clouds have come in with some rain too. The Palace is down there through the heavy cloud
So on to London, and quite a few sights to see here of course including Tower Bridge, Waterloo Bridge, Vauxhall Bridge, Albert Bridge and Wandsworth Bridge
Further South we can see Centre Court of Wimbledon and the Lawn Tennis Association
Heading further West towards Wolvesey Castle and the typical British weather continues - a mix of cloud, rain and sun
The day does seem to be brightening up a bit as we head to Stonehenge
Further West now to Bristol and the Clifton Suspension Bridge
Into Wales and to Cardiff and the Principality Stadium, first crossing the Bristol Channel
Looping back around to the North East towards Warwick and Warwick Castle
On to Birmingham and Villa Park Stadium
Passing a small village called Iron Bridge with…an Iron Bridge - a famous industrial landmark
And North to Jodrel Bank radio telescope
On to Liverpool and Anfield Stadium, home of Liverpool Football Club
Further North to Blackpool Tower
East to Fountain Abbey
North to Durham and the Cathedral there
Newcastle is next up
In Southern Scotland, Floors Castle, is our final stop before heading, at last, for home
On our final leg now to Edinburgh
On final approach
And down and parked
Well, that’s it. We are back home. Nearly 90,000Nm and nearly 350 flying hours. What a marathon journey. We’ve seen some incredible sights, got to know the TBM 930 really well and had an absolute blast.
I’ll post a wrap up shortly, once I’ve had a stiff drink at the bar and a fish supper!