Binevenagh Lake

Binevenagh Lake sits high on the basalt plateau above Limavady, a small tarn perched at the very lip of dramatic cliffs that plunge toward the Roe estuary, Magilligan and Lough Foyle. This is one of the most cinematic viewpoints in the north - the escarpment featured as a Game of Thrones location - and from the air the drop-off, the patchwork of Foyle-side farmland and the sweep to Donegal are spectacular. A rough single-track then gravel road leads to a small parking area by the lake with no facilities. Mark it 'caution': the plateau is a designated National Nature Reserve and a mix of private grazing and common land, so there's no blanket right to fly, wildlife disturbance is a real consideration, and you should fly responsibly and ideally seek local landowner clearance. The clifftop also demands respect - strong, turbulent updraughts and sudden gusts come off the escarpment edge, so keep a safe buffer from the drop and don't fly out over the edge in strong wind. Airspace is clear, with City of Derry's FRZ about 18km to the west. Come on a calm, clear evening: the low sun across the cliffs and the long view to the coast are extraordinary, but this is exposed, remote ground - check the forecast.