Freshwater West

Freshwater West is a vast, wind-scoured surf beach backed by some of the biggest dunes in Wales - the sort of raw, empty Atlantic seascape that looks spectacular from the air, and it doubled as film location territory (Harry Potter, Robin Hood) for good reason. It's rarely crowded because the rip currents make it dangerous for swimming, so pilots usually get plenty of room. The essential caveat is the neighbour: the Castlemartin Armoured Fighting Vehicle range sits immediately to the south and east, with a large danger area and hazard zone. When red flags fly and firing is on, treat the airspace and the headlands as off-limits and stay on the public beach only. Check the range firing times before you travel. The beach itself and its roadside car parks are usable for take-off (the National Trust holds Gupton Farm behind the dunes, so launch from the open foreshore rather than NT fields). No airport FRZ affects the site. Fly out over the surf, mind the strong onshore wind that hammers this coast, and keep a healthy battery reserve for the headwind home.