Annalong Harbour

Annalong is a small, photogenic working harbour tucked under the seaward slopes of the Mourne Mountains, with a restored 19th-century cornmill standing right at the water's edge. From the air the combination is unusual and rewarding: a tight stone-walled harbour full of small fishing and leisure boats in the foreground, the grey Mourne granite peaks of Slieve Binnian and Slieve Donard rising behind, and open Irish Sea horizon to the east. The harbour is council-managed public land, and the quays and adjacent green give easy, hard-standing take-off points. It stays relatively quiet compared with Newcastle to the north, though anglers and boat owners use it year-round, so keep clear of people and moving vessels. There is no airfield restriction anywhere near, giving you a full ceiling to climb and capture the mountains sweeping down to the coast. The best light is early morning, when the sun rises over the sea and lights the western mountain wall, or golden hour when the granite glows warm. Winds off the Mournes can be strong and turbulent close to the shore. Watch for gulls and other seabirds around the harbour mouth. A rising or falling tide changes the character of the shot considerably, so time your flight to suit.