Hunterston

[Rennhack]

If anyone has lodging information for this facility, please post it here.

[Rennhack]

This is the place to talk about how your outage is going or other general discussions related to this facility. You can talk about most anything directly related to this facility, as long as is complies with the forum rules. 
Don't forget to rate this facility, and discuss your vote. Keep it positive and civil. Use your head when posting a comment; you don't want to get the corporate lawyers after either of us. If this section gets abused, it will be removed. Review the forum rules before posting here.

[Rennhack]

Reply with 'local flavor'. This would include places to eat, as well as other points of interest.  If you have a weekly get together, post it here and invite other NukeWorkers in the area.

[FatMalky]

Hunterston 'A' was my home plant before I moved to the US.

The one thing I'll say (from an HP point of view) is the guys who work there are great!!  Something that really helps when you have to work so many hours in one place!

I also worked a couple of Outages in Hunterston 'B' and enjoyed it very much!!

One thing I'd say to them, though, is they'd love it here in the States.

[HydroDave63]

Looks like some forced outage money to be made....who will get the contract?

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aQKukM3X_aLg

has the story...

[South_African]

Hunterston....

Its an AGR (Advanced Gas Reactor), and anyone who is used to PWR's will find this so different. In a PWR the reactor building is fairly accessble. In a AGR the temperatures in the reactor are so high that you need special suits to enter. And only 6 to 8 people at a time.

There are two towns close to Hunterston where most people stay, and they are Largs or Ardrossan. Personnaly  prefer Ardrossan. There is a big ASDA (Walmart) there. And also the ferry to the Isle of Arran leaves from Ardrossan. So if you have a day off, its only about 8 pounds to take the ferry as a passenger, and there are some great walks on Arran. Goatsfell which is the higest peak at some 800m is a great walk.

Loch Lomond and Glasgow are also only about and hour away.

I enjoyed working at Hunterston. The hours are long, either 12 /13 hours a day, 13 days in a row with one day off.

The people are friendly, athough sometimes they are hard to understand.

[FatMalky]

As mentioned above, Loch Lomond and Glasgow are relatively close to Hunterston but there are also many other tourist sites - Culzean Castle being one. (40 mins away)

North of the plant is Largs and south of the plant is West Kilbride, Ardrossan, Saltcoats and Stevenston.

Depending on the time of year, there are Highland Games festivals throughout the area.  The Ardrossan Highland Games are the 2nd weekend in June every year. 

The Johnnie Walker distillery is in Kilmarnock, about 30 mins from the plant.

A lot of Open Championship golf courses are closeby also - Royal Prestwick, Royal Troon, Turnberry, all less than an hour and many more affordable links courses to play.

There are many pubs in the area (probably too many), especially in Largs and Saltcoats areas and they mostly all serve food also.

There are Bed and Breakfasts in all those small towns and probably the nicest (but most expensive) hotel is the Seamill Hydro less than 10 mins from the plant.

The US Navy base at the Holy Loch is just north of the plant and the subs can sometimes be seen out in the Firth of Clyde, where the plant sits.

Like South African says, Arran is a great place to visit for a day, especially if you like hiking (or golf).  There is a car ferry that leaves Ardrossan Harbour.  From Largs you can take a ferry to Millport, on the island of Great Cumbrae... little town on a little island with a few pubs and restaurants.

Best places for shopping are either Irvine, Kilmarnock, Paisley or Glasgow.  There is a mall (Braehead Centre) between Paisley and Glasgow.

[FatMalky]

Sorry, the Firth is still used as a training post for the Royal Navy.