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Getting shots of the Great Central Railway is tricky because a lot of it is either urban (so difficult to get far enough away) or in wooded cuttings. However there are a few bridges which allow access and a good view of the track. Good if you want to practice tracking moving objects.
Swithland Sidings has a lot of interesting things to shoot, but strictly speaking you’ll need a spotter because the TOAL spot is hemmed in by trees. Once above the trees. from the road bridge the line heads North across Swithland Reservoir – with good atmospheric shots - and South past the sidings towards Rothley (keep clear of the power pylons).

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Co-ordinates: 52.71376, -1.16807 • what3words: ///rental.joystick.stall

Getting shots of the Great Central Railway is tricky because a lot of it is either urban (so difficult to get far enough away) or in wooded cuttings.

However there are a few bridges which allow access and a good view of the track. Good if you want to practice tracking moving objects.

You get to Bridge 345 by taking Kinchley Lane out of Quorn and running along the side of Swithland Reservoir, then across the dam. You can either park at the end of the dam or follow the “Unsuitable for Motors” (bumpy) track to the bridge. It’s only a 5 minute walk to the bridge from the dam.

TOAL is from the bridge, or the lane adjacent. The bridge is about halfway between Quorn & Woodhouse and Rothley stations, so expect trains about 6 minutes after leaving either.

The timetable is on the GCR website (https://www.gcrailway.co.uk/timetables-and-fares/). A local dog walker told me the bridge can get busy when special trains are running.

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Co-ordinates: 52.72417, -1.18206 • what3words: ///beads.situates.manual

This is the war memorial in Stornoway.

It's in a predominant point in the outskirts of the town and can be seen from far and wide.

Used on remembrance day and when military history of the island is remembered.

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Co-ordinates: 58.2218, -6.400105 • what3words: ///writers.arranges.dreading

Lews Castle and surrounding grounds in stornoway is a picturesque area and the main harbour town of Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis.

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Co-ordinates: 58.2117, -6.394386 • what3words: ///clock.education.losses

Scenic grassy hillside interspersed with trees, just outside Grantham, great for FPVs

Be wary when flying here - try to fly weekends and evenings to avoid low flying training aircraft from Barkston Heath and Cranwell

Park on Cold Harbour lane, walk up the hill and turn left onto the private road ( don't worry, it's OK for walkers ) then follow a map until you find the field. The whole area is crisscrossed with footpaths, so probably could park various other places too.

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Co-ordinates: 52.91274, -0.621527 • what3words: ///meant.charm.loaded

Wilcrick hillfort is located on an isolated hill to the west of Magor. The roughly oval enclosure at measures about 194m north-east by south-west by 34m, and is defined by a series of scarps about the summit, indicating double banks and ditches. There is a possible entrance facing north-east.

It dates back to the Iron Age period (c. 800 BC - AD 74, the Roman conquest of Wales). Wilcrick Hill Camp hillfort stands on a steep-sided small hill entirely covered with woodland. In places this is dense and impenetrable. The defences consist of scarps and terraces on the steep sides of the hill. On the southern side four scarps are discernible, although they are hardly steeper than the natural slope in places. Where clear they are about 3m high. On the E side the hill slopes less steeply and the scarps are fragmentary. Towards the northern end of this side an old hollow way slopes up the hill in a NE-SW direction. It is approximately 3.5m wide and 0.8m deep, and is overgrown. The northern side of the hill is steep and a scarp is visible about halfway up, 3-4m high. This continues round to the western side, which is similar.

The site is well preserved and retains considerable archaeological potential, but is privately owned and securely fenced off.

I’m glad I finally got to explore this as I drove past it 2-3 times a week for 10 years as part of my commute along the M 4 to Cardiff and always wondered what there was to see there. Interestingly, it was the earthworks on the hill adjacent to the hill on which the fort stands that always caught my eye but it wasn’t until looking on the Ordnance Survey mapping of the area that I saw the fort was “next door”..

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Co-ordinates: 51.58594, -2.851682 • what3words: ///detriment.distorts.chitchat

Caer-went, established in about AD 75–80, served as a settlement of the Silures, a native tribe who became Romanised following the conquest of Britain. The original wooden structure was replaced by stone in AD330. It was a busy place complete with public baths, spread out in a typical well-ordered Roman grid.

The site offers a glimpse into a Romanised market town. Impressive remains include walls still standing up to 17ft/5m, excavated houses, market-place and Romano-British temple

An excavation of the site was featured on Time Team, Series 16, episode 4.

A motte and bailey castle, protected by a ditch, was built in one corner in the late 1060's and the mound can still be seen – its just visible in the top right hand corner of my photo (my last battery ran out as I was heading over to it so I didn’t photograph it separately)

CADW property - open all year.

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Co-ordinates: 51.61114, -2.768426 • what3words: ///briskly.rebel.masterpiece

The nature reserve is to protect the rare unimproved chalk grassland located very close to the old croydon airport. Open access gives a lot of interesting places to fly but parking is limited

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Co-ordinates: 51.35146, -0.118865 • what3words: ///blur.start.upper

The Gear is an Iron Age hillfort on the western outskirts of Newport, Gwent. Close to J28 on the Motorway, bordered by a railway on one side and a council estate & the motorway on the other sides of a roughly triangular site, it looks a bit unprepossessing, but I think it's got potential. It's badly overgrown, so the ditches and ramparts are not obvious, but at about 200' ASL, a drone reveals it's commanding position. With timber pallisates and cleared of trees, it must have been an impressive sight when it was built, about 400 BCE.

There is a clear space near the apex of the triangle, the highest point, and it is this that I have marked on the map. Once above the treeline, there are no obstacles and the position offers good views over the port, the Severn Estuary, the Gwent levels, Cardiff and the hills beyond, the Ebbw & Sirhowy Valleys, the Usk Valley, and the Wentwood hills.

I flew there yesterday evening and it was a disappointment, as a previously pleasant late afternoon morphed into a dreich & drear evening. I plan to return if I get a good autumn or winter day, when the trees will bare. The vistas should be spectacular in clear conditions.

I went by bus from Cardiff and walked from the stop, about 25 mins at my old man speed. Parking is freely available on the surrounding estate streets, which looked and felt quite 'safe'. Come off the Motorway at J27 High Cross, and take the B4591 towards city centre. 2nd exit at roundabout approx half-mile on to B4240, then about quarter mile turn sharp right on to Bassaleg Road at 'The Hand Post' Pub. With St.Woolos' Cememtery to your right, look out for left on to Gaer Park Drive, and follow that to the end. Short walk to the TOAL positon.

The site is an SSSI, but for historical/archaeological reasons rather than because of wildlife, so this will not impact your flying.

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Co-ordinates: 51.576, -3.026423 • what3words: ///shed.hike.piles

MINETY LAKE, LOWER MILL ESTATE

Lower Mill Estate, The Cotswolds, is a private estate amidst lakeside trails, rivers and hundreds of acres of green space. It boasts an award winning spa, numerous swimming pools, an outstanding restaurant and an activity centre. Whether you hire a kayak, try your hand at paddle boarding, practice your serve or enjoy a drink on your private decking. Minety Lake is just one of the beautiful water features of the Cotswold Water Park area not far from Cirecester.

Link to their website: https://lowermillestate.com/

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Co-ordinates: 51.64696, -1.973406 • what3words: ///unto.outnumber.marzipan