Long Meg and Her Daughters

Long Meg and Her Daughters is one of Britain's largest prehistoric stone circles, sitting on gently rolling farmland in the Eden Valley near Little Salkeld, with the North Pennine escarpment rising to the east and the Lakeland fells on the western horizon. The circle - dozens of glacial boulders around the tall red-sandstone outlier of Long Meg herself, carved with faint cup-and-ring marks - is a superb aerial subject, its full shape only really readable from above. Access is straightforward: a minor lane runs right through the circle, and there is space to launch from the verge or the small parking area beside it. The land is a working farm and the monument is in guardianship, so take off from the public lane rather than crossing crops or disturbing livestock, and close gates. It is an open, exposed site with steady wind and excellent unobstructed sightlines in every direction, making it easy and safe to fly. Crowds are usually light - a handful of visitors even on good days - so separation is rarely an issue. Early morning or late evening low light throws long shadows from the stones and best reveals the circle's plan and the red glow of the sandstone.