Mach Loop For Beginners

By Søren Augustesen

I recently went on my second trip to the Mach Loop low flying area, and I thought I would share my experiences as a Loop newbie, with others considering going for the first time. Seasoned Loopers won’t find much new information here I think 🙂

Before you go

Before you go to the loop, I think there are a couple of things that you should consider, or at least one major one – get your walking boots on!

By that I mean, that if you are not used to walking in steep terrain, find the steepest hill in your area, get your walking boots on, and walk/climb up and down that hill as many times as you can – preferably while carrying your camera gear. Most of the climbs in the Mach Loop, are quite steep, and getting some practice in before going, will help prevent being put out of action by sore legs after the first climb.

If you have trouble walking up or down steep hill, consider if the Loop is really for you. The altitude of the Cad East location, can be reached by car, but still requires a walk over flat but uneven ground.

What to bring

Besides the obvious (your camera gear), there are a couple of things that I would consider worthwhile bringing:

• Hiking boots – a pair of good, waterproof hiking boots, that have been broken in, but still have good threads underneath is a must to climb to some of the locations.
• Water and wind proof cloths – top and bottom. As the weather in Wales can be quite wet and windy, bringing an outer layer of cloths to stop the wind and the rain is definitely a good idea.
• Cloths so you can dress in layers. Unless you are going during the summer, and the forecast is for blue skies and 25 degrees, consider bringing cloths that you can put on in layers, so you can adjust to the weather conditions. And even if you go in mid-summer, remember, that even though it’s nice, warm and calm in town or down in the valley, you are much more exposed to the elements, once you are up in the hills.
• Something to sit on. You will most likely spend a fair amount of time up the hills, once you have walked/climbed up there. And since you don’t just “pop down to sit in the car for 10 minutes”, having something to sit on, will make your stay nicer – especially if the ground is damp/wet. Personally I brought a small inflatable “outdoor” pillow. A light-weight foldable chair is also an option. What ever you bring, it’s a plus if it can be pegged to the ground, so it doesn’t blow away when you are not using it.
• Food and water. Bring a reasonable amount of food/snacks and something to drink with you. Spending 8-9 hours on a hill side, is a bit more fun if you are not starving or dehydrated 🙂
• Handsanitiser and toilet paper. Spending 8+ hours outside, might mean you get a call from nature, so it’s best to be prepared.
• Plastic bag for trash. A couple of plastic trashcan bags for your rubbish is nice to have.
• Big black, heavy duty bin bag. A big heavy duty bin bag, that you can either use to keep your camera bag and gear off the damp/soggy ground, or put your camera bag/gear into, when the inevitable rain shower comes, is very useful.

And remember EVERYTHING YOU BRING UP, MUST COME BACK DOWN WITH YOU.

The hills are private property, and often used for sheep, so if the farmer sees trash laying around, he might just close access to the spot. So if you see some trash on your way up or down, pick it up and bring it with you down. Also REMEMBER TO CLOSE ALL GATES SECURELY BEHIND YOU!

Where to stay

If you are traveling from so far away, that you don’t want to drive back home, or if you are planning to spend several days in the Loop, there are plenty of pubs in the area, as well as hotels in the town of Dolgellau.

The Red Lion

Personally, I have only stayed at the Red Lion in Dines Mawddwy. It’s an old traditional Welsh pub. Sure the floor in the upstairs rooms have some dips and curves, that can make walking a bit challenging first thing in the morning, and the room isn’t huge. But the bed is soft, the shower hot, the staff and locals super friendly, and the food is great. The pub is located only 5-15 minutes drive from various Loop locations, making very easy to get to where you want to go. And if you don’t feel like going to the loop one day, you can sit out behind the pub, and if you are lucky, helicopters going through the loop, will make low-level turns right behind the pub. Prices are around 65 pounds per night per person (March 2023).

One downside of The Red Lion, is that it is located in a VERY small village, so you don’t really have any other options than eating and drinking there, unless you want to drive.

Cross Foxes

The Cross Foxes, is another very conveniently located pub, right at the entrance to the Loop. Judging from their website, it looks a bit more posh and modern, compared with The Red Lion, which is also reflected in their prices, with a double room starting around 123 pounds (March 2023). Like the Red Lion, you are out of luck, if you don’t want to eat or drink at The Cross Foxes, as there is nothing else within walking distance.

The Royal Ship

If you want even more poshness, and want to stay somewhere more central, and with more options when it comes to food and drink, The Royal Ship in Dolgellau, might be something for you.

Things to consider while there

If it’s your first time in the Loop, and if you (like me) haven’t got a ton of experience climbing up and down hills, there are somethings that I think it’s important to consider/remember while you are there.

Cellphone service might be patchy

Your ability to reach people on your phone might not always be guaranteed while you are in the Loop area. This might not seem important, since you are there to photograph aircraft, not talking on your phone. But if you are going up there on your own, being aware that contacting the “outside world” in case of an emergency, might not be possible. So avoiding taking unnecessary while climbing up or down from a shooting location, is extra important if you are on your own, as it might be a while before someone comes along and finds you.

Is it worth the risks?

I’m not trying to make it sound like going to the Mach Loop is a question about life or death, but I do think that you have to mindful of the dangers that climbing up and down a steep hill side has – especially if you are an inexperienced climber.

Keeping an eye on the weather forecast is key, as it will give you an indication about whether it will be worth the effort of climbing up to a location or not. Also take into consideration, the weather the previous couple of days, when choosing which location to shoot from. If it has been pouring down with rain for the last few days, climbing up to “Blue Bell” (which is a fantastic location, but I was told by the locals it’s the hardest climb), maybe isn’t a great idea. A place like Cad West or The Bwlch might be better options.

Also look at the weather for the entire day. Consider if it’s worth climbing up at 8 in the morning, if the forecast is for heavy rain and wind at 10 am. Ask yourself “How badly do I want these pictures?” and “What is the likelihood of anything flying through the Loop today?” Decide if you are willing to chance a potentially dangerous accent and decent from a location in the Loop, standing out in the wind and rain all day, just in the hope that something might fly through. Are you more likely to catch pneumonia, than a topside shot of an aircraft?

Handling the frustration

I know that it can be tempting to try and climb up every single day you are in the Loop, hoping that some brave pilot will go through, no matter how bad the weather is. But as mentioned above – I highly recommend making a Risk vs. Reward assessment, and deciding if the potential reward, is worth the risk of a poor weather climb up and down the hill.

And with the weather in Wales being – well Welsh – you can have your entire stay rained out. I just spend 5 days in Wales, and only had 1 day, where I judged the weather to be good enough for me to climb up to a location. I tried going up a second day, but turned around as I just didn’t feel it was safe, and the weather was too bad for me to stand in for any length of time.

And yes, it is super frustrating to just sit in a small Welsh village or town, while it’s raining, so having a backup plan of what to do if the weather is so bad you can’t/won’t climb up a hill, is a good way to handle the frustration. It’s a stunningly beautiful area, and there are plenty of hiking trails to choose from.

Locations in The Loop

There are tons of information online about where to stand and how to get there online – just search “Mach Loop locations” on YouTube or Google, and you will find everything you need.

I will only touch on a couple of locations here, and give you my take as a “Loop newbie” on what they are like.

Blue Bell

Blue Bell is a fantastic location in the loop, but is also the hardest climb (according to the locals). It took me about 45 minutes to do the climb (including 3-4 breaks). It’s a climb that I wouldn’t chance if the ground is wet and/or soggy, as it is fairly steep in places and the trail is quite narrow.

However, when you get there, and any double vision have subsided, you are presented with an 180 degree view of the valley. Aircraft will come from right to left, but as you are quite close to the “corner”, you only have a few seconds from the time you see them, until they are past you. So keep your camera handy all the time. You are facing north, so you will have the sun behind you all day.

Cad West

One of – if not the – best know places in the Loop. Topside shots are almost guaranteed as the jets flies through the gap between Cad East and Cad West. The first half of the climb is quite easy and straight forward, as you basically walk across the hill on a narrow path, which doesn’t have much of an incline. Ones you reaches the fence, and you start heading straight up the hill, it’s another matter. But at this point, you can basically climb as high as you feel you can, and then stay there, until you feel like going higher.

Cad East

Cad East, is properly the easiest place to get to, if you get up early enough (on busy days) to get one of the limited number of parking spaces at the top of the road leading up to Cad East. From Cad East, it will mostly be head-on shots as the aircraft comes into the gap, or underside as they fly through it. Top side shots can be had, if you walk far enough away from the entrance to the Loop.

Final Thoughts

The Mach Loop as almost gotten a legendary status amongst aviation photographers, and when something happens, it can be some of the most thrilling aviation photography you can do. However, it can also be some of the most frustrating time you’ll ever spend trying to photograph aircraft, as you can stand in perfect weather for 8+ hours, and see absolutely nothing. It’s very much like fishing – you can go where the fish should be, but you are never guaranteed what – if any – you are going to get.

So, if I where to give my 6 best tips to a newbie going to the Loop for the first time, it would be:

1. Prepare yourself. Get in reasonable shape, or at least try and climb a few local hills – if for nothing else than to break in your new boots.
2. Bring everything you think you need – but be careful not to bring too much. You do have to carry everything up and down.
3. Double check that you have everything you need for the day BEFORE you leave your car. You don’t just “pop down” to you car because your forgot something.
4. Be mentally prepared to “waist your time”. You do run the risk of being up the side of a hill all day, with nothing happening. So enjoy the views, take some landscape pictures, and enjoy the company (if there are others with you).
5. Don’t take unnecessary risk. Climbing up and down steep hillsides can be risky, and if you are on your own, trouble can multiply quickly if something goes wrong. So consider if the condition of the hill side/path and the forecasted weather, makes the risk/reward equation work for you.
6. Be happy with what you get. We all dream of getting the perfect topside shot of a Strike Eagle covered in vapour fluff. But the chance of that happening on your first visit isn’t great. But you never know – and that is one of the attractions of the Loop.

Any comments, questions, additions and corrections are more than welcome in the comments.