Bolt Head

Bolt Head

25th June 2004

Memorial situated in the National Trust car park, which was roughly the location of the intersection between the two, Somerfeld Track runways	RAF Bolt Head & RAF Hope Cove Memorial Plaque	Handcraft Hut	Air Ministry type hut on its last legs
Handcraft Hut	Handcraft Hut	What is believed to be the remains of the original perimeter fencing	It would appear that the farmer is still picking up the Sommerfeld Track fixings
Judging by the armoured door this structure could have been a pyrotechnics or SAA store		What appears to be a modified farm building	Pre-cast concrete sections filled with earth were installed to provide blast protection

RAF Bolt Head has long since reverted back to agricultural use, although in 1952 an R6 type semi-submerged Rotor Radar Operations Block was built on the site, which was later converted to a Regional Seat of Government and in turn a Sub-Regional Control, Sub-Regional Headquarters and Regional Government Headquarters under various Home Office schemes. RAF Bolt Head, a satellite airfield to Exeter, occupied a position on the cliff top close to Salcombe, with RAF personnel billeted in the adjacent camp situated at Hope Cove. Today there is little sign of what used to be a very active fighter squardron station, although when I first visited the site early in the morning, I found it to be strangely atmospheric. Bolt Head continues to be used by light aircraft and there are regular fly-ins during the Summer months. A rather nice memorial has been constructed in the National Trust public car park, at what was originally the intersection between the two Somerfield Track runways.