Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Macchu Picchu
Peru • 10 days, 9 nights
Peru: Machu Picchu & the Last Incan Bridges
from
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Saquon Barkley Plaque
Kirkkasik Bedesten inside
Kirkkasik Bedesten
Someshwar Temple
Someshwar Temple
Grilled cheese and tomato soup are soulmates.
The Palisades Restaurant
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The local catch is delicious fried as well.
Terry's of Charlevoix
Carlson’s Fishery is a Great Lakes institution.
Carlson’s Fishery
The Cathedral Café maintains the building’s original church exterior.
Cathedral Café
Exterior of the historic Dyffryn Arms pub.
Dyffryn Arms
Most of what’s on the menu here comes from Michigan.
The Glenwood
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Siegfried Tieber specializes in sleight-of-hand magic using small objects, as well as mentalism, which gives the illusion of reading minds.
Does a Magician Really Never Reveal Their Tricks? AO Wants to Know.
10 days ago
Decoy’s wines reflect the terroir of California.
How a Wooden Duck Migrated From the California Wetlands to a Wine Label
13 days ago
There’s more to the French capital than the Eiffel Tower.
Dear Atlas: What Are Some Non-Touristy Things to Do in Paris?
17 days ago
The plants around Liz Dauncey in this photo are not poisonous, but many common garden and houseplants are.
Are Some of Your Favorite Houseplants Poisonous? AO Wants to Know.
23 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom England Upper Heyford RAF Upper Heyford
RAF Upper Heyford is permanently closed.

This entry remains in the Atlas as a record of its history, but it is no longer accessible to visitors.

RAF Upper Heyford

A rotting air force base is now home to rare birds and scarce plants.

Upper Heyford, England

Added By
Rob Cannon
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
RAF Upper Heyford   kingrat / Atlas Obscura User
RAF Upper Heyford   kingrat / Atlas Obscura User
  kingrat / Atlas Obscura User
The runways are silent and unused.   kingrat / Atlas Obscura User
Unused launch consoles.   kingrat / Atlas Obscura User
One of the abandoned structures.   kingrat / Atlas Obscura User
A rainy day hanger.   kingrat / Atlas Obscura User
Hangers and bunkers dot the landscape.   kingrat / Atlas Obscura User
  jwebbal / Atlas Obscura User
  jwebbal / Atlas Obscura User
  jwebbal / Atlas Obscura User
  jwebbal / Atlas Obscura User
  jwebbal / Atlas Obscura User
  jwebbal / Atlas Obscura User
  jwebbal / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Royal Air Force, Upper Heyford was a Royal Air Force station located 5 miles outside of Bicester but thanks to budget cuts and a damnable peace, the airstrips and bunkers now sit dormant, slowly being taken back by an enemy they didn't expect: nature.

During the Cold War, Upper Heyford initially served as a base for United States Air Force Strategic Air Command (SAC) strategic bombers and later United States Air Forces In Europe (USAFE) tactical reconnaissance, fighter and fighter-bomber aircraft in the UK. With the end of the Cold War however, the presence of the 20th TFW was deemed no longer necessary in England. Thus the presence of active military at RAF Upper Heyford was gradually phased down until no one remained.

Peregrine falcon, skylark, buzzards and other uncommon birds now rule the quiet landing strips while rare grasses push through the cracking concrete. Some of the buildings on the base are still used for vehicle storage in a half-hearted attempt to keep the site from giving itself back to the land entirely, and a few of the residential spaces are also inhabited with tenacious renters. However unless something drastic happens, the formerly strategic RAF Upper Heyford may disappear beneath the natural camouflage. 

Related Tags

Abandoned Ruins Military History Birds Animals Military

Community Contributors

Added By

kingrat

Edited By

Annetta Black, jwebbal

  • Annetta Black
  • jwebbal

Published

September 16, 2013

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Upper_Heyford
  • https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152033231723084.1073741838.381991388083&type=3
RAF Upper Heyford
Upper Heyford, England, OX25 5LG
United Kingdom
51.929405, -1.279624

Nearby Places

Deddington Castle

Deddington, England

miles away

Memento-Mori Hamsterley Brass

Oddington, England

miles away

J.R.R. Tolkien's Grave

Oxford, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of England

England

United Kingdom

Places 2,199
Stories 144

Nearby Places

Deddington Castle

Deddington, England

miles away

Memento-Mori Hamsterley Brass

Oddington, England

miles away

J.R.R. Tolkien's Grave

Oxford, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of England

England

United Kingdom

Places 2,199
Stories 144

Related Places

  • L-tower

    Vienna, Austria

    Flak Towers

    Giant WWII fortresses that fired 8,000 rounds a minute, now home to thousands of pigeons.

  • The salt marsh south of the nature center.

    Brooklyn, New York

    Marine Park Salt Marsh

    This preserved wilderness hides the remains of a colonial grain mill used to feed George Washington's troops.

  • Grain Tower.

    Medway, England

    Grain Tower Battery

    This abandoned gun tower was built to defend the River Thames from a French naval attack.

  • Gålö Seal Training Station

    Haninge C, Sweden

    Gålö Seal Training Station

    This secret facility trained seals for the Swedish navy during the Second World War.

  • The ruins.

    Washington, D.C.

    Ruins of the Columbian Cannon Foundry

    These recently uncovered walls are all that's left of Washington, D.C's first defense contractor.

  • The tower.

    Friskney, England

    RAF Wainfleet Control Tower

    The control tower at the historic weapons range is now available as a highly unusual vacation rental.

  • Camber Castle.

    Rye, England

    Camber Castle

    Henry VIII's forgotten castle was built by the gunpowder-obsessed king to be defended solely by cannons.

  • Waugoshance Lighthouse

    Carp Lake, Michigan

    Ruins of the Waugoshance Light Station

    During WWII the U.S. Navy conducted primitive drone strikes on this Lake Michigan lighthouse.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.