Wain Wath Force

Wain Wath Force is one of the prettiest and most accessible of the Keld waterfalls, a wide curtain of the River Swale spilling over a limestone step beneath the pale crag of Cotterby Scar. Unlike Aysgarth, which the National Park Authority owns and bans drones at, this fall sits on ordinary Swaledale land with roadside parking just yards away on the West Stonesdale lane, so you can be flying within a couple of minutes of arriving. It is a compact, photogenic scene - the falls, the pool, the scar behind and the green dale beyond - that suits a sub-250g machine perfectly. Two honest caveats. It is within the Yorkshire Dales National Park, where the Authority asks recreational pilots to have the landowner's permission for take-off and landing and to fly considerately; the riverbank and fields are privately owned and often grazed, so be discreet and do not launch among livestock or walkers. And the valley is narrow, so mind the crag and any trees on your lines. No FRZ affects you here - this is deep, quiet countryside. It can get busy with wild swimmers and Coast-to-Coast walkers on summer weekends, so an early start gives you the pool to yourself and soft light on the water.