Crawfordsburn Country Park

Crawfordsburn is one of the most popular country parks on the North Down coast, a lush wooded glen tumbling down to the shore of Belfast Lough between the villages of Crawfordsburn and Helen's Bay. Its signature aerial subjects are the deep, fern-filled glen with its waterfall, the tall railway viaduct striding over the trees, and the two sandy bays looking out across the lough to the Antrim shore. There are broad grassy glades and beach areas that make workable launch points, though the mature woodland means you must pick clearings carefully to keep line of sight. Be realistic about crowds: this is a family favourite and gets genuinely busy at weekends and holidays with walkers, dogs and children, so an early start is strongly advised for legal separations and courtesy. It is state-managed country parkland with its own byelaws, and drone use here is not guaranteed, so you should check with the park and be prepared to be moved on, and fly considerately throughout. Belfast City Airport lies about 11km southwest, outside its FRZ, but keep an eye out for the light traffic using Belfast Lough. Autumn colour in the glen and calm mornings on the bays give the best footage.