Whelford

Whelford is a village in the civil parish of Kempsford, in the Cotswold district, in the county of Gloucestershire, England. Whelford lies in the Cotswold hills on the River Coln, 2 mi south east of Fairford. In 1864, a chapel of ease was constructed in the Early English architectural style. In 1870-72 it had a population of 178.

Location
To the north-east of Whelford is the Whelford Pools nature reserve a Site of Special Scientific Interest run by the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust.

Whelford is situated within the Cotswold Water Park which is home to 180 lakes. Located in the eastern section of the Water Park, the Water Park has lakes offering recreational and residential properties with the Lakes by Yoo development located less than 2 miles to the north.

Proximity to RAF Fairford
Whelford sits in close proximity to RAF Fairford, with Whelford Road running parallel to the easterly end of the runway. With RAF Fairford hosting United States Air Force personnel, there are frequent deployment from the United States Airforce to support military exercises in Europe.

In recent years deployments have included the B-2, B-52 and B-1 aircraft making Whelford Road a popular destination for aviation enthusiasts and photographers.

Whelford and the surrounding area also support the annual Royal International Air Tattoo which is the worlds largest military airshow. Due to its proximity to the air base, Whelford provides one of the main access routes for visitors attending RIAT with camping also on offer in the local area.