# RAF Riccall / Skipwith Common nature reserve



## wirelessmast (Sep 26, 2010)

RAF Riccall was a heavy bomber field, closed in 1949, and mostly returned to agriculture. However, although much of the runways were ripped up, theres a surprising ammount of concrete left, and this includes a fair ammount of peritrack, hanger bases, dispersal pans etc, along with a number of air raid shelters, and several buildings on sites further out. Most of the old airfield is now covered by either farm buildings, or the nature reserve.

The nature reserve itself is worth a visit even without the airfield remains!

There is a monument to the aircrews to be found in the reserve, which is alongside the remains of the airfields bomb dump, of which a lot of low level brickwork, loading ramps etc still remain.

I explored this with my 'junior' assistant, 'smonster', who found two of the shelters. There is another which we didnt find this time but have an idea where it is

I appologise in advance for the poor photography, i have a habit of forgetting the camera, and these were taken using my phone (which is old!)
































and in keeping with my posting about the mushroom farm, my favorite thing about the nature reserve - the wide variety of mushrooms!


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## devonian42 (Sep 26, 2010)

Thanks for the report wirelessmast. Looks like all reports now have to end with a fungi!

What are the objects in picture 3? Is it a butterfly? So its insects and fungi then - that might be a challenge.


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## wirelessmast (Sep 26, 2010)

devonian42 said:


> What are the objects in picture 3? Is it a butterfly? So its insects and fungi then - that might be a challenge.



yes, a peacock. We were quite surprised to find it down there, it was well inside the shelter. There were the usual snails on the walls of course

Theres a good flock of Hebridean sheep on the nature reserve ('gruffalos'  ) and some very impressive but intimidating cows, some highland type (not angus) with HUGE pointy horns!!! Thats why theres no photos from the southern end of the peritrack, it would have meant going past the cows, and normal dairy cows freak me out if i have to get close, let alone mooies with bloody javelins either side of their heads!


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## hydealfred (Sep 26, 2010)

Good one WM - those rings appear to be camouflage tie downs on the walls. Its surprising where butterflies get to - have seen a few recently clinging to the ceilings of pillboxes - like mini-vampires


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