First time at Kelling Heath - any recommendations please?

[Cjg]

I cannot make the AstroCamp in Wales this year, the dates are too close to a trip to Greece, so I have a pitch booked at Kelling Heath, next month, my first time. Am planning to take my 5inch ED125 scope for an attempt at some of the Caldwell Catalogue.

Is there anything I should be aware of at Kelling, any and all advice gratefully received.

Cheers,

Chris

[Peter Drew]

If you bring some clear nights with you, everything else will pale into insignificance!  Usually pretty cold at this time of year so bear that in mind. Can be windy depending on the pitch position.    ?

[Cjg]

6 minutes ago, Peter Drew said:

If you bring some clear nights with you, everything else will pale into insignificance!  Usually pretty cold at this time of year so bear that in mind. Can be windy depending on the pitch position.    ?

Thank you, clear nights have been quite rare at Seething, so hopefully will get one or two great ones at Kelling. 

Am on the Red area and have a tunnel tent so will pitch tail to the wind.

Cheers,

Chris

[barkis]

Used to enjoy Kelling. I only went twice, but had a great time both occasions. What I found difficult was the journey down there, the A1 was a big put off, I hate that bleeding road. I don't know if Improvements have made it any safer.

For Star Party events, Lucksall does it for me,. Mostly Motorway travel. Always a great rewarding, and  friendly SGL Venue.

Ron .

[Cjg]

Thanks, I'll try to get to an SGL event, but as I live in Wymondham approximately 36 miles away from Kelling, travel won't be an issue (I hope). My last trip to Cwmdu took 5 hours with the roadworks around Cambridge, Coventry and more! 

Chris

 

[barkis]

4 hours ago, Cjg said:

Thanks, I'll try to get to an SGL event, but as I live in Wymondham approximately 36 miles away from Kelling, travel won't be an issue (I hope). My last trip to Cwmdu took 5 hours with the roadworks around Cambridge, Coventry and more! 

Chris

 

Living so close to Kelling is great then  Chris. So you can avail yourself of the Good skies the site affords Astrophotographers. SGL did have. Regular place there, for a while, it was lost to us for whatever reason, I don't recall now. All I do remember, is the good skies, and fantastic cameraderie. Oh! And the grub?.

Ron 

[mike chadwick]

The  A1 is more like a motorway  nowadays  siince they removed all the round abouts , it's the A17  that I don't like

It's like. a single lane motorway with round  abouts  ?.....

Mike

[carastro]

OK, Kelling is great, a great atmosphere, and because it is large the atmosphere is something special for Astronomers.

I am sure you will already be aware of the red light (no white light) rules.

If you are interested in nice walks and wildlife Kelling is set amongst 300 acres of woodland and rare open heathland in an area of outstanding natural beauty and has a breeding programme for red squirrels.  There are adders around, though I have never seen one.   

Some nice nature reserves around, and there is a steam railway close by with a "hail down" stop at Kelling.  

Astro traders come on Saturday, and you can also sell your own stuff if you put a table outside your tent with prices and catch passers by.

I love it at Kelling, but it's a long drive for me, and so I tend to only go in the Autumn when there are (for me) better imaging targets. 

Carole 

[Cjg]

Thank you Carole,

Didn’t know about the steam railway, or the adders on the heath, hoping for clear skies.

Best,

Chris

[carastro]

Quote

Didn’t know about the steam railway

Yup.  It goes to Holt in one direction, and Sheringham in the other.  Many of the stations feature "period items", such as old suitcases, and I recall buying some WW11 CDs for my mum at Weybourne station.

At Kelling Halt, (You need to walk accross the heathland and down to hill to get there) you have to Hail the train to stop going in Sheringham direction, though the drivers are normally hanging out of the train if they see people on the platform calling out and asking if you need them to stop.   But coming back from Sheringham, it doesn't stop at Kelling because of the incline as the train might not be able to re-start again going up hill, so you have to travel to Holt and come back again.  Quite unique I think.

http://www.nnrailway.co.uk/kelling_heath_halt.php

Carole 

[Cjg]

Wow, thank you, think that sounds a journey worth making! Hopefully the weather will mean that I'll be too tired having stayed up all night, but if not, thank you that's great advice!

Chris

[Guest]

fairly odd as you are the secretary of Norwich AS and they run the star camp that you know nothing abut it.

 

Owen

[Cjg]

19 minutes ago, obrazell said:

fairly odd as you are the secretary of Norwich AS and they run the star camp that you know nothing abut it.

 

Owen

It's my first time there Owen as I usually travel to Wales and the AstroCamp at Cwmdu.

[michaelmorris]

It's a great event and the site is very good. 

Depending upon your network, mobile signal tends to be rubbish/non-existent.

As Owen said, ask your own society members!

 

[carastro]

Oh yes, forgot about the mobile signal, that goes for phone signal too.  There are patches on the field (notably near the water taps by the road entrance to the red field) where you can occasionally get a signal.  But I have found if you go up to the reception area you can normally get a signal from there, or use the camp's free WIFI in or around the bar area.

Probably the main drawback to being in such a great location.

Carole 

[Anne S]

O2 is better than some other networks. Also Three has improved and gives me 4g in the yellow field. But not all the time!

[michaelmorris]

Signal is great as soon as you walk just beyond the top of the red field.

[carastro]

Quote

Signal is great as soon as you walk just beyond the top of the red field.

Didn't know that, I guess I just headed for reception having not got a signal in the RED field.

Carole 

[noah4x4]

Caution when driving on all North Norfolk rural roads approaching Kelling Heath. Almost all of these long rural roads are strictly 30 MPH and do expect speed guns or cameras around every corner. North Norfolk is notorious for vigorous speed enforcement. 

 

 

[Cjg]

2 minutes ago, noah4x4 said:

Caution when driving on all North Norfolk rural roads approaching Kelling Heath. Almost all of these long rural roads are strictly 30 MPH and do expect speed guns or cameras around every corner. North Norfolk is notorious for vigorous speed enforcement. 

 

 

Thanks for the warning! 

[carastro]

 Won’t matter if you get stuck behind a tractor.  Lol. 

Carole

[Cjg]

6 minutes ago, carastro said:

 Won’t matter if you get stuck behind a tractor.  Lol. 

Carole

Living in Norfolk, you get used to that. It’s 35 miles away from home. My last trip to Cwmdu in September took 5hrs, I could get stuck behind a tractor the whole way and still be there in around an hour or so...(I hope) ?

[Starlight 1]

5 minutes ago, Cjg said:

Living in Norfolk, you get used to that. It’s 35 miles away from home. My last trip to Cwmdu in September took 5hrs, I could get stuck behind a tractor the whole way and still be there in around an hour or so...(I hope) ?

Right I coming up on the steam engine.

[carastro]

Quote

Won’t matter if you get stuck behind a tractor.  Lol. 

Carole

Living in Norfolk, you get used to that. It’s 35 miles away from home. My last trip to Cwmdu in September took 5hrs, I could get stuck behind a tractor the whole way and still be there in around an hour or so...(I hope) 

It's not funny though when you have already had a 3 hour drive and then get stuck behind a tractor for about half an hour.  Lol 

Carole 

[noah4x4]

15 minutes ago, carastro said:

It's not funny though when you have already had a 3 hour drive and then get stuck behind a tractor for about half an hour.  Lol 

Carole 

Stuck behind tractor for 20 minutes. Then you safely overtake it, go round a long bend at a safe 40 MPH, spot 30MPH sign, brake sensibly and progressively, then within 20 yards caught by a speed gun operator hiding in hedge, 34 MPH., £100 fine + 3 points. My last visit to Kelling Heath. Be warned, speed restrictions are ruthlessly employed in Norfolk to support the local economy.