Framlingham Castle Mere

Framlingham gives you a rare inland Suffolk subject: a near-complete twelfth-century curtain-walled castle rising above a reed-fringed mere and open pasture, made famous again by Ed Sheeran's Castle on the Hill. The castle and its immediate grounds are managed by English Heritage, so do not take off from or fly low over the paid enclosure or events on the green. Instead, launch from the public meadow and footpaths around the Mere on the castle's northern and eastern side, where there is open grass and a clear line to photograph the walls reflected in the water. From altitude the medieval towers, the mere, the market town and the surrounding farmland make a genuinely distinctive composition unlike the coastal spots elsewhere in the region. There is no airport flight restriction zone over the town; Wattisham Army airfield lies around 28km to the southwest, so while you should always check for military helicopter activity, you are well clear of its zone. The Mere is a small nature reserve with breeding and wintering birds, so fly considerately, keep some height over the water and avoid buzzing wildfowl. Parking is available in the town and at the castle. Come on a still morning for mirror reflections, and be prepared for dog walkers and visitors on the popular Mere path.