Brean Down

Brean Down is a limestone finger reaching a mile and a half into the Bristol Channel, tipped by a Victorian fort and offering huge views across the muddy tidal expanse to Weston super Mare and Wales beyond. For a drone the shape of the place is the story: a narrow ridge of grassland dropping to water on both sides, with the fort at its seaward end and vast beaches of ribbed sand to the north and south. The down itself is National Trust, so launch from Brean beach below the mean high water line rather than the ridge, and gain height from there. Feral goats roam the slopes and there are ground nesting birds in spring, so keep the aircraft high and clear of both. The Bristol Channel has one of the largest tidal ranges in the world, so mind fast moving water and soft mud if you are near the shore. Airspace needs a thought: Bristol Airport lies roughly 22km to the east and its flight restriction zone does not reach here, but check before flying as controlled airspace is not far. The exposed ridge catches every breath of wind, so calmer days are essential. Low sun raking along the down and fort gives the most dramatic images, morning or evening.