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The Cockfield spoil heaps, located on Cockfield Fell in County Durham, are prominent industrial relics from centuries of coal and whinstone mining. These large mounds and ridges of waste stone and shale, often referred to as extraction heaps, now form a distinctive, weathered landscape that acts as a significant, preserved remnant of the region's mining heritage.

Location: Situated on Cockfield Fell, near the village of Cockfield in County Durham, UK.
Origin: They are the result of decades—and in some areas, centuries—of coal mining and industrial activity.
Appearance: From above, the heaps appear as sweeping, linear mounds and deep scars in the landscape, often described as having an "otherworldly" or artistic quality.
Significance: Cockfield Fell is recognized as one of the best-preserved industrial landscapes in England, with the spoil heaps serving as a powerful, visible reminder of the area's coal mining history.
Reclamation: The mounds have largely weathered, with nature slowly reclaiming the area, blending the industrial debris into the natural fell.

The site is popular for walking and photography, offering a direct view into the intense industrial activity that once dominated the area.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 54.62048, -1.807401 • what3words: ///joystick.fine.pound

The Priddy Nine Barrows are situated on the crest of North Hill, forming a sprawling Bronze Age cemetery on the Mendip Hills and date from approximately 2500 to 1500 BC. These mounds were built as monumental markers for elite burials, reflecting a sophisticated "Wessex Culture" influence involving complex funeral rites.

Historically, they have been described as a group of nine, but are often viewed as a group of seven round barrows and a separate pair. They are primarily bowl barrows, often considered some of the most impressive in Somerset, and in some cases covering earlier, lower stone cairns.

In the photo, the north-south alignment is perfectly visible and suggests a ceremonial procession route where the living would move alongside the ancestors.

The dark, pitted centres of the mounds are the lasting marks of 19th-century excavations. Rev. John Skinner famously breached these centres in 1815, discovering treasures like amber beads, bronze daggers, and "grape cups."

Approx 300 metres away is another cemetery site - the Ashen Hill Barrows. Priddy Nine Barrows consists mainly of nine mounds on the highest ridge, while Ashen Hill features eight barrows arranged in a linear alignment on a lower ridge.

Both sites are broadly contemporary, likely linked to the nearby Neolithic Priddy Circles, and reflect long-standing ritual use of the landscape. It is possible the Priddy Nine Barrows—being on the highest, most prominent point—were used slightly earlier or were considered more important than the Ashen Hill group.

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Co-ordinates: 51.26049, -2.66178 • what3words: ///tilting.inventors.installs

The Ashen Hill Barrows, located on the Mendip plateau near Priddy, form one of the most extensive Bronze Age funerary landscapes in southern Britain. Dating mainly from around 2000–1500 BC, the site consists of long, linear cemeteries of round barrows—earthen burial mounds raised to honour important individuals or family groups.

Ashen Hill features a linear alignment of six bowl barrows and two bell barrows aligned east to west. They are located on the western end of the field of the hill.

Their deliberate alignment across the limestone grassland suggests strong ritual planning, possibly linked to territorial boundaries, processional routes, or ancestral memory embedded in the landscape. Over time, many barrows were partially levelled by erosion, grazing, and later quarrying, yet their overall pattern remains remarkably legible.

The aerial photograph reveals this prehistoric design. From above, the barrows appear as rhythmic humps casting subtle shadows, their alignment cutting diagonally across the pasture. The low winter light enhances their form, allowing the ancient geometry of the cemetery to emerge clearly against the modern agricultural landscape

Approx 300 metres away is another cemetery site - the Priddy Nine Barrows. Priddy Nine Barrows consists mainly of nine mounds on the highest ridge, while Ashen Hill features eight barrows arranged in a linear alignment on a lower ridge.

Both sites are broadly contemporary, likely linked to the nearby Neolithic Priddy Circles, and reflect long-standing ritual use of the landscape. It is possible the Priddy Nine Barrows—being on the highest, most prominent point—were used slightly earlier or were considered more important than the Ashen Hill group.

View and discuss this location on Grey Arrows.

Co-ordinates: 51.26587, -2.663159 • what3words: ///evaporate.interviewer.enjoys

On the edge of the South Downs National Park is the tiny agricultural village of Beddingham. The Parish church of St Andrews dates from the 12th century and is a grade 1 listed building. The village is a great starting point for some rather steep walks in the South Downs

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Co-ordinates: 50.85253, 0.051411 • what3words: ///consented.loops.noses

Amazed this wasn't already on DS tbh! This is a stunning place to fly on a clear day. The quarry is over 1km from end to end. The northern end of the quarry is still worked but the entire section with the lakes is empty. I have flown here several times on the weekends and have never seen a soul here.

I've marked a parking spot in the layby just down the road. Park there and walk back ~100m towards the roundabout. First entrance is a cottage with very sod off vibes (!). The next is a track that leads through the woods up the side of the quarry and all the way up the hill. There is a green fence that ends about 300m up the track. From there you can walk 20ft through the woods and you're on the moonscape rocks at the very southern end of the quarry. You can also walk further up the hill and fly from there too.

The footage I got this weekend was sadly garbage due to a poor set up - so I've linked a video I did here a while back.

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Co-ordinates: 51.81805, -0.632873 • what3words: ///interlude.mailboxes.loom

Recently restored at the end of 2025, there is also a fantatic view of the surrounding countryside. It's almost directly under the flight path for Luton airport - but that's still over 7.5 miles away so very much not in any problematics areas and any aircraft are still at several thousands of feet up!

Parking about 200m down along Dunstable Road at a pull in with space for a couple of cars and room for TOAL.

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Co-ordinates: 51.8484, -0.554338 • what3words: ///twists.insulated.published

The Priddy Circles are a rare and enigmatic Neolithic monument (c. 3000–2500 BC) located on the Mendip Hills in Somerset. Unlike the stone-built Stonehenge, these four massive circular enclosures were originally constructed using earth banks and deep, steep-sided ditches cut into the limestone. Arranged in a slightly curved north-south line, their exact purpose remains a mystery, though their scale and linear alignment suggest a significant ritual or ceremonial function.

The main photograph captures the southern circles, highlighting how these ancient earthworks persist as subtle "ghosts" in the modern landscape. The low winter sun creates long shadows that emphasize the undulating banks and depressions that are largely invisible from the ground.

Circle 1 is the most southerly circle. It is about 194m in diameter. You can see the distinctive "ring" shape formed by the internal bank and external ditch.

Circle 2 is next to Circle 1 in the image. It is slightly smaller (185m) and remarkably well-defined. Notice how the modern field boundary bisects it almost perfectly.

Circle 3 This circle is visible just beyond Circle 2 in one of the accompanying photos. In the photo, it appears as a fainter, crescent-like shadow near the top cluster of trees.

Circle 4 (The "Missing" One): This circle is not visible in the shot. It lies about 350 meters further north (beyond the horizon of the main field in view), separated from the others by a gap that is actually bisected by a Roman road.

The shot captures the "external ditch"—a feature that makes Priddy unique. In a standard "Henge" (like Avebury), the ditch is inside the bank. At Priddy, the ditch is outside, much like the first phase of Stonehenge. This suggests the people who built these were part of a very specific, and perhaps earlier, architectural tradition.

I've included an AI "mock up" of what these would have looked like back in the day

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Co-ordinates: 51.27026, -2.661525 • what3words: ///reshape.accordion.prominent

A wide open space for flying on the edge of the South Downs village of Ditchling. Good views of the downs and the village is well worth exploring.

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Co-ordinates: 50.91915, -0.106362 • what3words: ///perky.direction.training

Northumberlandia (the "Lady of the North") is a huge land art sculpture in the shape of a reclining female figure, which was completed in 2012, near Cramlington, Northumberland, northern England. It is in the care of Northumberland Wildlife Trust.


Northumberlandia under construction in August 2011

The head pictured from below showing lips, nostrils, eyes and forehead
Made of 1.5 million tonnes of overburden from the neighbouring Shotton Surface Mine, it is 34 metres (112 feet) high and 400 metres (1,300 feet) long, set in a 19 hectares (47 acres) public park. Its creators claim that it is the largest land sculpture in female form in the world.

When constructed, it was intended to be a major tourist attraction, with the developers hoping that it would attract an additional 200,000 visitors a year to Northumberland.[3] It was officially opened by Anne, Princess Royal on 29 August 2012.[4] A day-long Community Opening Event on 20 October 2012 marked the park becoming fully open to the public.
You will have to approach the visitors centre for permission to fly there but it is possible.

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Co-ordinates: 55.08852, -1.627994 • what3words: ///transmit.timed.required

Perched atop a limestone ridge near Tickenham, Cadbury Camp is a striking Iron Age hill fort that has watched over North Somerset for over 2,000 years. Constructed and occupied between the 6th century BC and the mid-1st century AD, it served as a vital community hub and defensive stronghold for the Dobunni tribe.

As you can see in the photograph, the site stands out for its impressive multiple rings of earth banks and ditches. The image clearly highlights the double circuit of ramparts and ditches that follow the natural contours of the hill. These earthworks weren't just for show; they provided a significant tactical advantage, offering 360-degree views across the Yeo Valley and toward the Bristol Channel.

The site is of historical significance, with excavations uncovering Roman coins and pottery, suggesting the site remained significant even after the Roman conquest. Much further along its timeline, during World War II the camp’s strategic elevation was utilised when it housed a searchlight battery to protect Bristol from aerial raids.

Today, it is managed by the National Trust, preserved as a haven for limestone grassland wildflowers and rare butterflies.

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Co-ordinates: 51.44844, -2.786861 • what3words: ///basis.bossy.scar