Westbury White Horse & Bratton Camp

The Westbury, or Bratton, White Horse is the oldest of Wiltshire's chalk hill figures, cut into the steep north-western scarp of Salisbury Plain below the ramparts of Bratton Camp hillfort, with a huge view over the vale toward the Mendips. It is a rewarding aerial subject — the stylised white horse and the concentric earthworks read best from above — and drone pilots regularly fly here. Two cautions shape the visit. First, this is one of the most popular hang-gliding and paragliding launches in the West Country; give way to crewed aircraft and check whether the ridge is in use before you take off. Second, the Salisbury Plain Danger Area and its military training begin only a few kilometres to the south-east, so stay on the scarp side, keep clear of the range, and check NOTAMs before flying. The white horse is Wiltshire Council land and the hillfort is an English Heritage scheduled monument — don't land on the figure or the ramparts. A car park sits right by the horse. The surface is close-cropped grass and chalk. There is no close FRZ. Calm, clear evenings — often after the gliders have packed up — give the best light and the safest air.