Kinloss!!! Who's been, what can you tell me!!

[MrsTicklemouse]

As above really, does anyone have any info on RAF Kinloss? DH's (Army) regt are taking over next year, as it's currently RAF I don't have the usual inks to info and can't find a massive amount on the net, and as it's so bloody far away I can't do a quick recce!!

It's a way away yet, but I'm very impatient ;-)

TIA

I've never been but I'm RAF will ask on FB what the general view is but I think fm what I remember people saying that it's a good posting and facilities good

Oooh, thank you! :)

Only thing so far is apparently there is an RAF quarters group on FB and prob be one for Kinloss.

I know a lot of friends peeved it's going Army and don't want to leave and never heard anything bad about it. I recon if you're ok with Scotland then it will be a good one.

I'm fine with it going Army its far to north for this southern gal!

Many people say RAF quarters better generally than Army but I'm not sure now DE I think have a general standard of crap in most places (mustn't grumble). My Army friends love telling me what a palace I live in

We were at Lossie - which is just along the road. The area is lovely (apart from the A9 in snow) and there's a beach, pebble one at Findhorn. Also close Forres, nice wee town and not too far from inverness.

Someone said Forres was v nice and the area arround kinloss very very nice her description of the quarters were "usual, old and nasty! But that was ten years ago" lol pretty normal then

I loved it at Kinloss! We did just short of 9 years up there and it was one of our best posting ever.

MQs are behind the wire at Kinloss - these were originally officers MQs but apparently RAF are now housing everone/anyone in them. I am led to beleive but not sure that the other MQs (Airmens/Junior/other ranks) that are outside of the wire have been sold off.

Other MQs are in Elgin a few miles away. Elgin is your nearest city but a small one at that. MQs are in 2 locations. There are one lot of modernish (think Brookside close) houses and the other houses at Bishopmill in Elgin are the older more traditional MQs with UPVC porches stuck on the front. These are generally a little bigger than the more modern MQs the other side of Elgin. Both walkable into town, but Bishopmill nearer.

Lossiemouth is also an option with MQs.

Inverness is just over half an hour away and Aberdeen about an hour and half.

beaches minutes away. Aviemore 40 minutes.

Its Fab and lovely! 2 airports nearby at Inverness and Aberdeen to help keen in touch with family down south.

We were up there for 14 years. didn't live in MQ's but know the area well. Inverness a short train ride from Forres or Elgin. It is supposed to be the fastest expanding city in GB. Aberdeen quite cosmopolitan, due to all the oil business there( also lived there for 10 yrs.) Most modern MQ are in elgin ,but I would think ,from our experience , they are only available to RAF. I have been told army are to sort out more accomadation at Kinloss itself ,as there is nowhere near enough lower ranks available. also barracks need to be built for singly types. Elgin has some shops, and an M&S simply food. There is a lovely furniture / gift shop called Relax (i'm biased I worked there). As was said before 2 airports to chosse from and East coast main train line runs direct from Aberdeen.
One of the best beaches is at Hopeman, we used to walk down and watch the dolphin pods on summer evenings. My son still lives up there.

Its beautiful and on the camp itself good woods for dog walking. Beaches are fab esp at Lossiemouth, skiing nearby in the winter. I was born and brought up near there and also have experience from living there with the military. Be warned and I may be shot down for this, but some locals can be very very brusque. Its not because you're military, its because you're not NE Scottish...
2 good weather months in the year are April and September, the rest is pot luck weather. Fabulously long light summer evenings where the kids could be out at 0100 playing in the sunlight vice horrendously dark winters with the sun poking above the horizon at 1100 and lowering at 1500 . Aberdeen best for getting good shops, Inverness good for everyday stuff and nearer. The officers mess has been recently refurbished and is really nice. I think the Sgts mess is fairly new too with a massive function room. The pubs in Findhorn at good as is the Abbey pub on the corner as you turn into Findhorn (walkable from camp). Lots of hippies at the Findhorn foundation and a good healthfood shop in there!