Drone Scene

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Gloucester Docks, Gloucester & Sharpness Canal added to Rivers and Canals in South West by clinkadink on 21/11/2022

Parking: 51.864407, -2.251596
TOAL: 51.864046, -2.252143

Be aware that Gloucester Prison is 150m to the north. The North Warehouse separates the prison and docks. The photo was taken pointing south-south-west.

Gloucester Docks form the most inland port in the country. Elizabeth I granted Gloucester the status of customs port in 1580. The first customs house was at the Old Quay which stretches north from the lock at the North Quay. The house still stands and still wears the royal coat of arms.

Tolls were collect for many years before 1580. The ‘Old Quay’ was in its day a new quay! The river Severn split into three sections at Gloucester and re-joined further up river. The split in the river was the reason why the Romans built a fort here – it was the most southerly crossing point into Wales.

The most easterly arm of the river came much closer to the city lapping St Mary de Crypt – actually it was the other way around; the church was sited close to what was the river. This was the site of the Roman Quay. The bridge that crossed the river here (Westgate St) was ‘Foreign Bridge’, at the end of Westgate was ‘Westgate Bridge’ crossing the middle arm. The western arm was crossed at ‘Over Bridge’

The eastern arm silted up in the C14th hence the need for a second Quay. River traffic increased in the C18th. The development of the Main Basin and ship canal saw the decline of the second quay after which it became known as the Old Quay.

In 1793 Parliament gave the go ahead to build a ship canal to negate the difficult to negotiate tidal section of the river.

By 1797 the Main Basin had been dug, the canal took another twenty years the last years being influenced by Thomas Telford.

The hole – 16’ deep was dug by hand.

The Barge Arm, an extension of the basin was added (1824) before the canal was linked up (1827), to allow smaller barges to keep out of the way of ships.

In 1849 the Victoria Basin was opened as the port became busier. Warehouses continued to be built until the 1870’s.

Corn from Ireland and Europe, sugar from the Caribbean, timber from Scandinavia were main imports, salt from Worcestershire exported.

Imagine 30 tall ships, barges and other small craft manoeuvring around the docks. Warehouses being filled ships loaded, trams steam engines horses vying for space among the barrel and boxes piled high, imagine the dust from Corn Mills and timber yards the smoke and soot from fires and engines mixing with the sweet talk of labourers and seamen. Welcome to C19th Gloucester.

During the C19th Gloucester flourished through the canal and railway Ages and continued until the rise of motorways and container ships in the 1960’s

https://www.gloucesterdocks.me.uk/studies/historydocks.htm

View and discuss this location in more detail on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.86395, -2.252449 • what3words: ///spice.tinsel.healers

The originator declared that this location was not inside a Flight Restriction Zone at the time of being flown on 20/11/2022. It remains the responsibility of any pilot to check for any changes before flying at the same location. Landowner permission may be required before taking off.

Where to fly your drone

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St Quintins Castle, Vale of Glamorgan (By gasbag43)

Llanblethian Castle, also known as St Quentin's or St. Quintin's Castle, was likely built by Gilbert de Clare in the early 14th century. Its key remains include a twin-towered gatehouse and a northern curtain wall. At its centre is an earthen mound with remnants of what may have been an earlier keep.


The site features ruins such as a rectangular keep stump, a semi-octagonal tower at the southeast corner, traces of a similar southwest tower, and an ivy-covered gatehouse flanked by polygonal towers.


Features include cross-shaped arrow loops, a spiral stairway leading to now-ruined rooms, and parts of the bailey walls, though much of these walls have collapsed or are buried.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.45748, -3.456552 • what3words: ///richly.decks.cabbages

Candleston Castle, Bridgend (By gasbag43)

Candleston Castle is a 14th-century fortified manor house, in ruins since the 19th century.

It comprises a D-shaped courtyard about 30m across with a very ruined wall 1.1m thick rising 2m to the wall walk from the inside but rather more above the ground outside, plus a two storey hall block and tower on the east side

Candleston's original long and narrow rectangular structure lay across the western end of a low narrow promontory, suggesting a defensive position.

The castle is believed to be named after the Norman family of Cantilupe, thought to be its first feudal tenants.

As you can see from my photos, its pretty overgrown, but beautifully located in a heavily wooded area with lovely views to be had of the surrounding area from the air

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.48285, -3.626754 • what3words: ///meanders.exams.unscathed

Newton Beach, Bridgend (By gasbag43)

Newton is the most easterly beach at Porthcawl and is a ten minute walk from the picturesque village of Newton (several nice pubs!).

It is a long sand and rock beach backed by the very extensive and scientifically interesting Newton Burrows and Merthyr Mawr sand dunes. It is popular with windsurfers, jet skiers and power boat users so best to time any flight away from peak periods

There is a pay car park, but off season, I’ve always found it possible to park on the road no more than 100 metres from the beach

To the top right of the image in the distance you can see Dunraven, Monknash and Nash Point along the coast – all great drone locations

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.47914, -3.662567 • what3words: ///sweetly.inefficient.secondly

St Wolfram ovingdean, Brighton and Hove (By grandad1950)

While walking on the South Downs I found this church in Ovingdean East Sussex by chance. St Wulfram parish church dates from around 1100 and is a grade 1 listed building. I spotted it because a farmer had blocked the road so he could move is cows form one field to another and I went to see what was going on. Church right next to the farm.

Note I was walking and not driving so parking marker is just a guess

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 50.8157, -0.077372 • what3words: ///brisk.delivers.purifier

Wheatsheaf Pub, Coombe Hay., Bath and North East Somerset (By notnowcato)

A really lovely and interesting area with some remanants of the Coal Canal visible in the video.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.33911, -2.379892 • what3words: ///wishes.wiring.prom

St John the Evangelist, Chichester (By grandad1950)

The 12th century St Johns The Evangelist parish church is a grade 1 listed building sitting on the banks of the river Adur in West Sussex. Not a lot of parking places but an interesting church and good views of the river

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 50.90821, -0.55555 • what3words: ///undertook.abundance.superbly

Faraidh Head and Sea Stacks (By AlbionDrones)

A short flight on an exceptionally windy and grey day, within the Cape Wrath Range - permission obtained by phone from the range before we made the walk in and flew.

Faraidh Head is a good mile walk from the Balkaniel Beach car park, along the beach and then up through the dunes. The Sea Staks are offshore, and if the wind is not too rough can be flown, however on this day - 25 to 35mph winds and limited to flying my MINI3 Pro due to an accident earlier in the week damaging my AIR3 - I decided that capturing it from afar was the safer option.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 58.59808, -4.762101 • what3words: ///premiums.boardroom.solves

Thornham Harbour, King's Lynn and West Norfolk (By Martin54)

Fascinating salt marshes offering stunning panoramas and vertical shots

Easy free parking and TOAL spots. Heading east, turn off the A149 just before Thornham village. Follow the road down to the harbour area or free parking. Fascinating views looking vertically down over the marshes and harbour.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 52.9665, 0.573311 • what3words: ///initiated.embraced.juggles

Shalford Common, Guildford (By grandad1950)

Another large common in Surrey with lots of room to fly. Interesting pond and the locals were very friendly

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.21252, -0.564986 • what3words: ///pages.basis.swung

Tiny Farm Bando, Milton Keynes (By DaveJaVu)

Tucked in the middle of fields to the west of Milton Keynes. Sadly now surrounded by ever encroaching new build housing so... enjoy this one whilst it's still here.

Is *just* on the edge of a red zone on the Dronescene maps. This is for HMP Woodhill and the restriction is for helicopters, not drones.

Park in the lay by in front of the gates. You can literallty stand there and fly, there is also a footpath that runs down the side of the fields. Easily accessible should you need to recover from a mishap

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 52.03099, -0.829146 • what3words: ///sharpened.contents.thudded


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