Wast Water, Wasdale

Britain's favourite view, and it earns the title: England's deepest lake sunk between the fanned grey Wastwater Screes and the pyramid of Great Gable at the dale head. From the air it is monumental - the screes plunge straight into black water and the whole valley reads as raw, treeless and ancient. This is a serious, remote spot with no phone signal and big terrain, so plan conservatively: sudden gusts funnel down the dale, the screes create rotor, and there is a lot of open water below you. A sub-250g aircraft flown from a road-side launch keeps you legal and low-impact. The classic composition is a static-ish frame or slow push up the lake from the north-west shore toward Gable; resist the urge to chase the screes in wind. Ravens and the occasional buzzard work the crags. It is a long drive to a wild place - treat it with respect and it delivers the most dramatic footage in the Lakes.