Wharram Percy

England's most famous deserted medieval village, tucked into a quiet dry valley in the rolling chalk Yorkshire Wolds. The ruined shell of St Martin's church, the earthwork outlines of long-lost house plots and a small millpond sit in a peaceful, steep-sided fold of the Wolds, reached only on foot down a track from the road. From the air the pattern of medieval tofts and crofts in the grass, the isolated church and the sinuous dry valleys make an atmospheric and unusual subject rarely seen by other flyers. This is a serious spot to fly responsibly. The village is a scheduled ancient monument in the care of English Heritage, so while you can legally take off from the public footpath or nearby verge, you should keep well clear of the ruins, other visitors and the church at low level, and never land on the monument. The chalk grassland is important for wildlife and ground-nesting birds, so stay high above it in spring and summer and avoid disturbing livestock. It is remote and quiet, with no facilities and patchy phone signal, and there is no airport flight restriction zone. The Wolds' open, treeless valleys give lovely long light in the early morning and evening, so aim for low sun to rake shadow across the earthworks and bring the lost village to life.