Oxwich Bay

Oxwich is a glorious two-and-a-half-mile sweep of sand on the south Gower coast, backed by dunes, woodland and the reedbeds of Oxwich marsh, with wooded headlands closing each end. From the air the sheer scale of the bay and the contrast between golden sand, dark woods and the limestone points make for strong, expansive footage. The important nuance is that the dunes, marsh and much of the hinterland form Oxwich National Nature Reserve, managed by Natural Resources Wales, and NRW restricts drone use on its reserves - so keep your operation on the open beach itself and out over the water, not over the reserve. The beach car park is a private/estate pay-and-display, and take-off from the open sand below high water is the sensible legal approach. This is Gower AONB, the UK's first designated AONB, with sensitive habitats and wintering birds on the marsh. Swansea Airport (Fairwood Common) lies roughly 8km northeast - outside its small flight restriction zone, but know where it is. It gets very busy in summer, so an early, low-tide flight gives you the room and the light. Mind the sea breeze funnelling across the bay.