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A grade 1 listed historic parish church of St Michaels in the west sussex village of Up Marden

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Co-ordinates: 50.92098, -0.869826 • what3words: ///beaks.poets.dock

Perched prominently in the coastal hamlet of Stoke, near Hartland, St Nectan’s Church has served as a beacon for both mariners and parishioners for centuries. Dedicated to the 6th-century Celtic martyr St Nectan, the site originally housed a holy well and a hermitage. The present Grade I listed structure dates largely from the 14th century, though it underwent major 15th-century expansions.


Historically tied to nearby Hartland Abbey, this majestic building is affectionately known as the "Cathedral of North Devon" due to its incredible scale and heritage, and at 128 feet, is the 2nd tallest tower in the county.

The image of its west tower isolates the church's defining feature. As the second-tallest church tower in Devon, its weathered grey stone rises sharply above an extensive, sloped churchyard packed with historic headstones.

The second photo expands the view, capturing the church in context with the sweeping Abbey Valley. In the distance, Hartland Abbey sits nestled among lush woodlands, underscoring the ancient relationship between the two estates.

The Top-Down shot illustrates the traditional cruciform layout, showcasing the detailed slate work of the nave, chancel, and aisle roofs flanked by symmetrical porches.

Today, St Nectan’s remains a striking monument of medieval craftsmanship, standing tall against the Atlantic gales.

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Co-ordinates: 50.99485, -4.516198 • what3words: ///shipwreck.violinist.rent

The epic Cawdor Castle, home of the Thane of Cawdor as per Shakespear's 'Scottish Play'...

Permisison to fly needs to be obtained before visiting, via the Cawdor Castle Webste, use the contact us form and ensure you include a copy ofyour Public Liability Insurance.

Permission will be given for a maximum of 5 monutes flight time, to ensure other visitors are not disturbed by an extended drone flight.

TOAL on the grass in front of the castle - it means you have to pay entry, but it also means a good VLOS is available.

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Co-ordinates: 57.52425, -3.926483 • what3words: ///aviators.suiting.grew

Perched dramatically on the rugged cliffs of North Devon, Hartland Point Lighthouse stands as a testament to maritime resilience. Built by Trinity House in 1874, this vital beacon was engineered to guide mariners safely through the treacherous waters where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Bristol Channel—a notorious stretch historically dubbed the "Wrecker’s Coast."

These photographs capture the lighthouse’s precarious isolation, nestled against fractured, near-vertical rock strata that reveal millions of years of violent geological shifting.

Originally, the complex included a keeper's dwelling attached to the tower. However, as automation swept through the service, the lighthouse was fully automated in 1984, leading to the eventual demolition of the old living quarters to prevent cliff-erosion hazards.

Also featured in the shot is the Hartland Point Coast Guard Watch Tower. Though no longer manned by coastguards, the clifftop structure continues to house electronic surveillance and radar equipment, functioning as a key observation point on the South West Coast Path.

Paid parking is available at the Hartland Point car park (around £3 cash), or you can park further back for free at the National Trust’s Titchberry car park and hike 1.2 miles in. Note - the paid parking is much closer but padlocked outside of “office hours” so not much use for sunrise or sunset shots.

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Co-ordinates: 51.0221, -4.525289 • what3words: ///outboard.herb.severe

Dating from the 11th century St John the Baptist ancient parish church is a Grade 1 listed building in the south downs national park hamlet of Sutton.

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Co-ordinates: 50.93112, -0.608275 • what3words: ///hotspots.cucumber.closes

Location Overview

This is a fantastic, scenic local spot situated right on the edge of the residential estate, offering a brilliant mix of open landscape and technical natural features. It’s a beautifully vibrant, green space perfect for traditional aerial photography, cinematic cruising, and casual multi-rotor sessions.


Traditional Camera Drones: For standard GPS drones (like the DJI Mini series), the wide-open fields offer a brilliant, unobstructed view of the South Hampshire countryside. The classic S-bend of the river and the contrast between the modern estate and rural farmland make for excellent top-down photography and smooth panos.

FPV & Proximity Flow: If you fly FPV, the winding gravel footpaths, established hedgerows, and a charming wooden footbridge provide excellent natural features for low-altitude ground-skimming, banking turns, and gap-hitting.

Pilot Notes & Best Practices
Ideal Craft: This spot is best suited for Sub-250g drones (recreational camera drones and micro-whoops/toothpicks). Keeping to quiet, lightweight aircraft ensures a completely peaceful, non-intrusive environment for the local dog walkers and neighbours.

Flight Boundaries & Hazards: Massive power pylons run along the estate side of the field. Traditional drone pilots should be mindful of their altitude and line of sight around these structures. Treat them as a natural boundary marker—the best, safest flying and clearest camera shots are found along the river line and open grass / fields away from the lines. Signal testing has proven rock-solid across 2.4GHz/5.8GHz bands in the main flying area.

Community Etiquette: As this is a popular local walking route, always yield right-of-way to pedestrians on the footpaths. Setting up your launch area just slightly off the main paths keeps the thoroughfare completely clear and ensures a welcoming, hassle-free environment for everyone!

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Co-ordinates: 50.88359, -1.056408 • what3words: ///flattery.milkman.material

Drone footage of a walk I did with friends around the Slaidburn (Forest of Bowland) including Stocks Reservoir. Great rugged trails and fabulous views of the stunning countryside. Lots of drone footage of the area including photos and video of Slaidburn village, Whinn Fell and Middle Knoll, Stocks Reservoir and the Hydro station.

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Co-ordinates: 53.98625, -2.430623 • what3words: ///throats.compress.desktops

Deerleap is a spectacular heritage reserve and viewpoint on the southern edge of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, located just 3 miles northwest of Wells.

On a clear day you can easily see Glastonbury Tor as well as all across the Somerset levels right over to Weston Super Mare.

Car parking is free (for now) and they have picnic tables available to use.

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Co-ordinates: 51.24059, -2.69048 • what3words: ///puns.string.tentacles

There is nothing quite like an aerial view to make you appreciate the sheer scale of ancient history. These shots capture Clovelly Dykes (also known as Ditchen Hills), an impressive Iron Age hillfort located just a stone's throw from the North Devon coast. While it looks like a series of gentle, grassy waves from the ground, getting up into the air reveals its complex, concentric architecture.

The first image provides a close-up look at the innermost enclosures. The preservation of the massive earthen ramparts and deep ditches is remarkable, showcasing the engineering skills of the people who dug these defences over 2,000 years ago.

Pulling back in the second shot, the magnitude of the multi-ditch fort comes into focus. You can see how the sprawling outer banks cut across the modern Devon fields, dwarfing the nearby houses and roads.

An absolute must-see for anyone interested in British archaeology, and a rewarding subject to photograph from above.

There is no public access to the site and being completely surrounded by tall trees and bushes, it is invisible from the ground outside its perimeter (I stumbled on it by accident looking at Ordnance Survey maps).

Parking and TOAL point is a disused service station the other side of the road from the site.

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Co-ordinates: 50.98616, -4.407758 • what3words: ///together.forklift.dives

The ancient tiny church of St Mary's in the south downs national park village of Stoughton is a Grade 1 listed building dating from the 11th century.

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Co-ordinates: 50.898, -0.862362 • what3words: ///erupts.committed.remarked