Old Leigh Cockle Sheds

Old Leigh is one of the most atmospheric corners of the Thames estuary - a huddle of weatherboarded cockle sheds, fishing boats and cockle smacks on the mudflats, with the estuary opening out toward the Kent shore. It is a superb subject. It is also the trickiest location on this list, and honesty matters: Old Leigh sits inside the Southend Airport Flight Restriction Zone, roughly 4.9km from the runway, which means you MUST obtain clearance from Southend air traffic control before you fly, whatever your drone weighs. Don't skip that step. Assuming you have clearance, the wharfs themselves are congested with people, so the sensible plan is to launch from the Leigh marshes or the Two Tree Island causeway and work over the estuary and mudflats at low tide, away from crowds - take off from the causeway itself, not the Essex Wildlife Trust reserve. The mudflats are exposed only around low water, so the whole visit is tide-dependent. Overwintering wading birds feed here in huge numbers, so keep height and distance and don't flush the flocks. Get the ATC call and the tide right, and a low sun over the sheds and glistening mud is unbeatable.