Delamere Forest

Delamere is Cheshire's largest area of woodland, a mix of Scots pine, oak and birch wrapped around the reedy meres of Blakemere and Linmere in the sandstone country between Chester and Northwich. It offers a different flavour from the region's coast and fells, with big skies over the mosses, forest rides and reflective pools. There is a large pay-and-display car park at the Linmere visitor hub, with cafe, cycle hire and waymarked trails. The key point is legal rather than airspace-related: Delamere is managed by Forestry England, which prohibits drone take-off and landing on its land without a permit, so this is only a realistically legal spot if you apply for and obtain that permission in advance. Treat it as caution for that reason. There is no Flight Restriction Zone overhead; the nearest airports lie around twenty kilometres away. With a permit, fly clear of the busy visitor areas, the meres' wildlife and the many walkers, runners and mountain bikers using the trails. Firm forest tracks give good take-off ground. Autumn colour is the highlight, and an early weekday morning avoids both the crowds and the strongest winds funnelling across the open mossland.