Tyrella Beach

Tyrella is a broad, gently shelving strand on the north shore of Dundrum Bay, and on a clear day the Mourne Mountains rise straight out of the sea behind it, making it one of the most photogenic beaches in County Down for aerial work. The council car park sits behind the dunes with vehicle access onto the sand itself, so launching is effortless and you have a huge open apron with almost no obstacles. From height the drone captures the sweep of pale sand, the braided tidal channels, the dune system and the Mournes stacked on the southern horizon. Because it is a lifeguarded Blue Flag beach, summer weekends and school holidays bring families, cars driving on the sand and the odd kite-surfer, so fly early or off-season and keep clear of people and horses. The backing dunes are a protected ASSI, so take off from the beach rather than the marram and avoid disturbing them. Wind coming off the bay can be brisk and salt spray is a real hazard for motors and lenses on breezy days. Best results come at low tide when the wet sand mirrors the sky and the mountains double in the reflection.