Established as RAF Shanwell during the second world war, this abandoned meteorological station located a short walk east from Lundin Bridge, Tayport, initially provided weather reports for the RAF Leuchars airbase, located several miles to the south, beyond the tall pines of Tentsmuir Forest. Balloons were launched up to four times a day, every day, into the upper atmosphere to measure temperture, pressure, humidity and wind speed.
In the 1950s, the site was renamed the Shanwell Upper Air Station when the facility transferred from the RAF and, in 1981, it was taken over by the Met Office and became known as the Shanwell Observation Station. It remained in operation until 1992 when the site was finally abandoned.
The fenced compound contains various derelict buildings, all of which have been heavily vandlised and daubed with graffiti. There was a time when explorers had to seek out holes in the chainlink fence to access the compound but now it is much more accessible.
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Secret Scotland 