Watership Down

Watership Down, immortalised by Richard Adams' novel, is a sweeping stretch of chalk downland in north Hampshire, all rolling grassland, big skies and gallops used for training racehorses. The Wayfarer's Walk long-distance path runs along the ridge, giving open access to wide views over the Hampshire countryside that look wonderful from the air, particularly at dawn when mist pools in the valleys below. The land itself is a working estate and the gallops are private, so take off and land from the public byway rather than the training ground, and never fly over or disturb horses in training, which usually means the early morning is off-limits for flying near the gallops. Away from that, the down is quiet, unfenced and rarely busy, making it one of the more relaxed rural flying spots in the region. Parking is limited to a small roadside pull-in near the top of the ridge off the White Hill road, so arrive early. There are no airports nearby and the site is well clear of any flight restriction zone. Bring layers: the ridge is exposed and the wind can be brisk even on calm days lower down.