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.

Luce Bay
Scotland
Aerial view of Luce Bay
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 Bay is located in Dumfries and Galloway
Luce Bay
Luce Bay
Location of Luce Bay within Outer Hebrides
Luce Bay is located in the United Kingdom
Luce Bay
Luce Bay
Luce Bay (the United Kingdom)
Coordinates54°50′42″N 4°52′07″W / 54.845°N 4.8687°W / 54.845; -4.8687
TypeMissile Range
Site information
OwnerQinetiQ
OperatorQinetiq
Controlled by Royal Air Force
Site history
Built1930 (1930)
Airfield information
Elevation2 metres (6 ft 7 in) AMSL

Bombing range

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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

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See also

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References

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  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.
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