Tarbet Ness

Seen from the rocky shore at West Beach, Hopeman, this lighthouse was for months an important part of my training on the Jaguar. It lies just outside the bombing (and strafing) range at Tain so it was just right for updating the Jaguar's inertial navigation system (the “kit”) before turning on to the westerly attack track for the main target at Tain (circle around a spot target), which is beyond the seagull :-)

But to carry out that fix you had to overfly the lighthouse at low level, which must have annoyed the occupants and local inhabitants; when the Tornados started using Tain, in the 1980s, the update could be achieved using the aircraft’s radar, from a distance, so no further overflights were necessary – or allowed. 

Viewed from the Moray coast, that whole landscape was delightful. We loved being there and even Storm Floris, due tomorrow, might not have dampened that enjoyment. 

It helped that Mrs B and I met there 47 years ago . . .