Grafham Water

Grafham Water is one of the largest reservoirs in England, a sprawling sheet of water in the old Huntingdonshire countryside with a long dam, wooded shores and a ten-mile perimeter trail beloved of cyclists. The scale and the big fen-edge skies make it visually rewarding, but access needs the same care as any water-company site. Grafham is Anglian Water land, and recreational drone take-off and landing on their property is not permitted without arrangement; the practical, lawful route is to fly from the public bridleways and lanes that skirt the reservoir, keeping the aircraft clear of the busy sailing club, anglers and the Mander and Marlow honeypots. The western arm is a nature reserve and SSSI that holds large numbers of wintering wildfowl, so stay well away from the quiet bays and never approach rafts of birds. Airspace is simple - there is no flight restriction zone close by, the nearest small airfield being well over ten kilometres off. A calm winter morning gives glassy water, drifting mist and very few people, while summer weekends are dominated by dinghies and walkers. Expect exposed, gusty conditions over open water, rinse any spray off the airframe, and always give the sailing fleet and shore anglers a generous margin.