Where to Spot at Hawarden
How to get there from Chester:
Leave Chester on the A483. This road crosses the River Dee by the race course. This stretch of the road (up to the traffic island) is called "Grosvenor Road". It's name changes to "Wrexham Road" after the roundabout, and is signed to Wrexham.
The roundabout is where you pick up the A5104. This will be signed to Saltney and Broughton. The roundabout itself is something of a marvel of highway construction, so keep your eyes open and keep going around until you see your exit - it is clearly marked!
Now you just keep going until you reach Broughton. You will see signposts to the Raytheon facility, and will pass Airbus on your right. Don't get too excited, you can't see anything around here!
There are now a set of traffic lights, and then two traffic islands. Go straight over the lights and the first roundabout, keeping the airfield on your right. As you approach the second island, take the right-hand lane. You are going to go all the way around the island to pick up the B5125 signed for Hawarden (Penarlag).
Spotting Point 1
A few meters on your right you will pass some large
white gates and the threshhold of one of the runways. You can see most of the airfield from here, but most of it is quite distant (especially anything outside the Raytheon hangars, which is near impossible to see from here).
Please observe all the "no parking" signs here. These gates are used by the emergency services and must not be obstructed.
Carry on past the gates, and on the right is a minor road named "Wood Lane". You should be able to park up safely here and walk back across the road to the runway threshhold.
Spotting Point 2
Return to your car and continue along the B5125 until you come to a newly constructed traffic island, you want to take the second exit (the exit is on your right as you approach the island), it is clearly marked B5129 "Sandycroft". It is also signed for "Hawarden Industrial Estate". The road is named "Manor Lane".
Turn into Manor Lane, and continue along a short distance to a roundabout. Turn right at this roundabout and drive onto the industrial estate proper, you will pass an "Arriva" bus depot on your left.
The rest is self-explanatory when you arrive. You will see the main runway in front of you. There is a substantial stretch of cleared wasteland between you and the runway. This may well be re-developed in the future, but for now a good view across the airfield is available.
You will also be quite close to the control tower, which is off to your left as you face the airfield.
I haven't encountered any problem crossing this land up to the boundary fence (watch the scrub and ditch just in front of it!), but remember your obligation to the spotting community, and, indeed, to the airfield owners.
Never impinge on the airfield itself, and always behave in a responsible manor.
Update 25th April 2008
Building work has now commenced
across most of the expanse of this formerly unused area. Some structures
are already in place, and a large part of the remainder has had
substantial earthworks and/or survey markers applied. Good views are
still available, and this area still provides the best spotting location
at Hawarden, it remains to be seen if this will remain the case when the
building work is complete.
Approaching the boundary fence is
NOT recommended due to the construction work, a great deal more caution
should now be exercised by everyone in this area due to the activities
of the building contractors.
Spotting Tip:
The Eastern Airways Bristol (Filton) shuttle service always parks up by the control tower, which is on the opposite side of the airfield to the main Airbus offices. Passengers are bused from the Airbus offices to the aircraft via a boundary road which crosses the main runway threshhold just in front of Spotting Point 1. Access to the section of the road that crosses the threshhold is controlled by half-barriers which are clearly raised when it is safe to use the road. It is worth watching the barriers if visibility isn't too good and you are not listening to ATC. If the barriers are lowered a movement is likely.
Please bear in mind that this does not always apply. For example the barriers could be lowered due to high winds, but it's worth bearing in mind.
Spotting Point 3
Return to the roundabout, you are going to exit along the road to your right (as if you had carried on straight over the roundabout and missed out spotting point 2).
Carry straight on until you come to a second roundabout and carry straight on, the new Airbus facility for manufacturing A380 wings is on your right.
Parking here is very difficult, but there is a gateway on your left which you may be able to use, be careful not to obstruct the local farmer!
By crossing back over the road you can climb over the fence/hedge just after the Airbus plant and cross the field up to the perimeter fence. You should now be able to see the aircraft outside the Raytheon hangars.
Spotting Point 4
Carry on along this road which now crosses a small railway bridge. You can pull in on the left and park. Be careful getting out of your car, and crossing the road.
On the opposite side of the road you will see the ex-Soviet fighters outside. If the hangar doors are open you may even be lucky enough to see the An2's inside (I never have, but I am told it can be done!).
Spotting Point 5
And finally!
Continue along this road up to the point were it turns sharply to the left. At this point, on the right, is a rough track with enough space to park up.
You are now at the opposite threshhold of the runway you started from at spotting point 1 above.
From here you are quite close to the Raytheon hangars, but they are side-on.
You can, however, see anything parked outside the control tower. It's a bit of a way off, but you should be able to log any registrations from here.
Summary
So that's it. Please don't blame me if you get lost! I have tried my best, but you follow this guide at your own own risk.
If anyone can add or improve on anything here, please let me know.
