Luce Bay (original) (raw)

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Bay in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, UK

Luce Bay
Scotland
Aerial view of Luce Bay. Looking across the eastern part of Loch Ryan and over Stranraer. In the distance can also be seen the Isle of Man
Luce BayLocation of Luce Bay within Outer HebridesShow map of Dumfries and GallowayLuce Bay Luce Bay (the United Kingdom)Show map of the United Kingdom
Coordinates	54°50′42″N 4°52′07″W / 54.845°N 4.8687°W / 54.845; -4.8687
Type	Missile Range
Site information
Owner	QinetiQ
Operator	Qinetiq
Controlled by	Royal Air Force
Site history
Built	1930 (1930)
Airfield information
Elevation	2 metres (6 ft 7 in) AMSL

Luce Bay is a large bay in Wigtownshire in southern Scotland. The bay is 20 miles wide at its mouth and is bounded by the Rhins of Galloway to the west and the Machars to the east. The Scares are rocky islets at the mouth of the bay.

From the 1930s to the 1990s, it was a bombing range used for training purposes by RAF aircraft (and later allied aircraft on a leasing basis) based at West Freugh. Discharged bombs were retrieved by a retired minesweeper based at Drummore. It is still a licensed Ministry of Defence range with byelaws[1] restricting access during test and evaluation activities conducted by QinetiQ[2] on behalf of the MOD.

Once an important commercial fishery, Luce Bay is now seldom used for this purpose. It contains important marine and littoral life, and has been declared a Special Area of Conservation by Scottish Natural Heritage

Places on Luce Bay coastline

[edit]

• Ardwell, Auchenmalg
• Chappel Rossan
• Drummore
• Glenluce
• River Luce
• Maryport, Mull of Galloway
• Monreith
• Port William
• Sandhead
• Terrally Bay, Torrs Warren
• Deep Sea Range on the Outer Hebrides
• RAF Tain on the Moray Firth

1. ^ "Luce Bay Gunnery and Bombing Range" (PDF). GOV.UK. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
2. ^ "Office Location". Archived from the original on 5 October 2016. Retrieved 5 October 2016.

• Qinetiq