taras
Least Haunted
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2002
- Messages
- 1,624
- Location
- Edinburgh
I visited Rendlesham Forest in Suffolk a couple of weeks ago, and would recommend it as a nice, eerie evening's walk, if you have a car to get there.
I found that popping the postcode IP12 3NF into my satnav took me right into the forest, and to a convenient free car park at the edge of RAF Woodbridge and about half a mile's walk from the paid car park.
I understand the UFO trail is largely made up, but does take you to some of the 'famous sights' if you've read about the case. The trail actually starts in earnest near the free car park I mentioned above - not at the visitor centre. However, you'll need to go to the visitor centre to pick up a free UFO trail map, which also features a fairly good summary of the case.
It's then a nice, easy and flat walk of around 3 miles, all along forest tracks. Here's some pics (resized to tiny so I could upload them with the shiny new attachment feature).
Looking into the forest from near the East Gate, where the 'object' was first sighted.
Peering through the fencing into RAF Woodbridge. Pictured: a very tiny lamp post.
A view across the field to the 'barnhouse' where Lt Col Halt + his men thought they heard the animals going crazy (in reality, there were no animals and they were probably hearing foxes or other animals in the forest). This is the field they walked across trying to get to the mysterious light. It is also the direction of the now-decommissioned lighthouse at Orford Ness.
But wait... what's that in the trees?! Could it be?....
Yes, it's a large, hollow metal 'UFO' sculpture, sitting in a clearing.
In summary, worth a visit, more enjoyable in the evening as there's nobody else about and you get some idea of what the 1980 'witnesses' would have experienced. Read up on the case first to get the most out of it, and if you're feeling particularly brave, take a copy of the original Halt dictaphone recording to listen to on your MP3 player (available on Ian Ridpath's site)......
I found that popping the postcode IP12 3NF into my satnav took me right into the forest, and to a convenient free car park at the edge of RAF Woodbridge and about half a mile's walk from the paid car park.
I understand the UFO trail is largely made up, but does take you to some of the 'famous sights' if you've read about the case. The trail actually starts in earnest near the free car park I mentioned above - not at the visitor centre. However, you'll need to go to the visitor centre to pick up a free UFO trail map, which also features a fairly good summary of the case.
It's then a nice, easy and flat walk of around 3 miles, all along forest tracks. Here's some pics (resized to tiny so I could upload them with the shiny new attachment feature).
Looking into the forest from near the East Gate, where the 'object' was first sighted.
Peering through the fencing into RAF Woodbridge. Pictured: a very tiny lamp post.
A view across the field to the 'barnhouse' where Lt Col Halt + his men thought they heard the animals going crazy (in reality, there were no animals and they were probably hearing foxes or other animals in the forest). This is the field they walked across trying to get to the mysterious light. It is also the direction of the now-decommissioned lighthouse at Orford Ness.
But wait... what's that in the trees?! Could it be?....
Yes, it's a large, hollow metal 'UFO' sculpture, sitting in a clearing.
In summary, worth a visit, more enjoyable in the evening as there's nobody else about and you get some idea of what the 1980 'witnesses' would have experienced. Read up on the case first to get the most out of it, and if you're feeling particularly brave, take a copy of the original Halt dictaphone recording to listen to on your MP3 player (available on Ian Ridpath's site)......