Highgate Common

Highgate Common is a large area of lowland heath in south Staffordshire between Enville and Swindon, managed as a country site by Staffordshire County Council. Heather, gorse, birch and open sandy tracks give it a wild feel and plenty of open ground for launching well away from trees. It is genuinely open access land rather than National Trust property, so responsible take-off and landing is realistic, and there are several free car parks along Camp Road. Two important cautions apply. First, this is a SSSI with ground-nesting birds and reptiles, so avoid low passes over heather in spring and summer and keep to the open tracks. Second, and more significantly, Wolverhampton (Halfpenny Green) Airport lies only around 4km to the west; it is an active general-aviation airfield with its own air traffic zone, so light aircraft may be circuiting overhead. There is no formal drone flight restriction zone here, but you must stay low, keep constant visual contact, and give way to any aircraft. Choose the eastern car parks, furthest from the airfield. Fly on a calm, clear day, keep your height modest, and stay alert to circuit traffic to the west.