using a raspberry pi as a wifi network access point + web server. so i can work on the ipad with a mini offboard web server with no internet connection at all.
setting up the rpi as a network access point hbut do not carry out the bridge instructions): https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/configuration/wireless/access-point.md
setting up a VNC server: https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/remote-access/vnc/ (you can get it working straight on ipad away with the realvnc client (it uses unix authentication), but the realvnc interface is ... interesting ... so i downgraded to vnc authentication so that i could use "screens" app instead.
out there: