From memory Carrick_A-Rede, Dunluce Castle and the Giant's Causeway are properties owned by the National Trust (NT), as maybe Mussenden Temple.
The National Trust has a blanket ban on flying drones from their properties.
That said you can take off outside their boundaries and overfly the sites.
Strictly speaking if you go below the high tide line at the Giant's Causeway you are, I think. on Crown Land, not NT land, but, given the wave size there, that might be dangerous.
Personally I would be inclined to visit the sites in the evening and fly then when there are few people about and any 'offices' were closed.
EDIT One other idea, has just come to mind, boat trips ???? A quick skim suggests they might be affordable.
I have almost reached Carrick A Rede from Portaneevy Carpark with a P3adv, "almost" because I didn't actually want to over fly the site even though it was empty and probably closed. I think it would be 'cool' to fly under the bridge but I wasn't going to risk a loss of connection.
Ditto Dunluce from MagheraCross CarPark.
The drone was VLOS which it probably would not be when using a Mini.
Mussenden I can't help with.
Ditto Dark Hedges though I would be surprised if it is NT ...... BUT it is a publc and fairly well travelled road, by both cars and pedestrians, so you might have problems in that respect.
One problem I forsee with all the coastal sites in N. Ireland is the likelyhood of wind.
The entire Antrim Coastline from, Portrush to Larne is all picturesque IMO.
If you are driving I think you have missed a few places.
In no particular order, Kinbane Head, Fairhead, Murlough Bay* ( If it's still there there is or are some very wind swept 'trees' on the top.
Dunseverick Harbour (don't know about the castle ).
The coast road, as in along the shoreline, east of Ballycastle offers some great views of the west of Fairhead.
Port Bradden but VERY limited parking and be respectful of the locals' privacy, your are walking past their front doors if you walk N & E along the coast. (Rough going in some places)
Ballintoy (Game of Throne's site ).
Torr Head* especially when there's a good tide running, ( I think the road from Torr Head to Cushendun is brilliant at SLOW speeds but it may not be to your taste. I do mean go SLOW, it's a narrow road with blind summits and corners and it is used by farmers and school buses.)
* = STEEP.
Glendun Viaduct ( but the question is where could you safely stop to take photos or fly ).
One of the Cushen ... dun/dall, I can never remember which but it is probably Cushendall, has a mountain behind it that I think will be absolutely stunning by drone, I've never managed to get a good shot via hand held camera. Also in Cushendall? if you are there in the evening and possibly at the correct time of year and look SE from the carpark at 55°04'21.0"N 6°03'15.8"W? the evening shadows create a perfect King Kong silouhette on the 'cliffs' across the bay.
Car Park at Garron Point? for tilted strata in the headland. Not sure if that's the correct location, the google street view images don't do it justice if it is but when going up the coast it always catches my eye.
It's probably Glenarrif but there are some gorgeous views down the valley/glen from the road up on top of the Antrim Plateau, a drone would probably be ideal for this as trees block the view from the road in most places, It's at least half of a "U shaped valley ".
Linford carpark on the Feystown Road above Carncastle (some old forts and barrows ).
In the Republic, the Gap of Dunlow if you are that far south and Slieve League in Donegal might be worth a visit.
Errigal.
Remember you will need two sets of 'licenses', an EU one for the South and a UK one for the North.
You might also run into the 120m ceiling in the South.
It might be worth asking this guy,
Many of his videos are shot around the N & E coast of Co. Antrim, I have no idea if he answers such questions but I recognise some of his locations.
The National Trust has a blanket ban on flying drones from their properties.
That said you can take off outside their boundaries and overfly the sites.
Strictly speaking if you go below the high tide line at the Giant's Causeway you are, I think. on Crown Land, not NT land, but, given the wave size there, that might be dangerous.
Personally I would be inclined to visit the sites in the evening and fly then when there are few people about and any 'offices' were closed.
EDIT One other idea, has just come to mind, boat trips ???? A quick skim suggests they might be affordable.
I have almost reached Carrick A Rede from Portaneevy Carpark with a P3adv, "almost" because I didn't actually want to over fly the site even though it was empty and probably closed. I think it would be 'cool' to fly under the bridge but I wasn't going to risk a loss of connection.
Ditto Dunluce from MagheraCross CarPark.
The drone was VLOS which it probably would not be when using a Mini.
Mussenden I can't help with.
Ditto Dark Hedges though I would be surprised if it is NT ...... BUT it is a publc and fairly well travelled road, by both cars and pedestrians, so you might have problems in that respect.
One problem I forsee with all the coastal sites in N. Ireland is the likelyhood of wind.
The entire Antrim Coastline from, Portrush to Larne is all picturesque IMO.
If you are driving I think you have missed a few places.
In no particular order, Kinbane Head, Fairhead, Murlough Bay* ( If it's still there there is or are some very wind swept 'trees' on the top.
Dunseverick Harbour (don't know about the castle ).
The coast road, as in along the shoreline, east of Ballycastle offers some great views of the west of Fairhead.
Port Bradden but VERY limited parking and be respectful of the locals' privacy, your are walking past their front doors if you walk N & E along the coast. (Rough going in some places)
Ballintoy (Game of Throne's site ).
Torr Head* especially when there's a good tide running, ( I think the road from Torr Head to Cushendun is brilliant at SLOW speeds but it may not be to your taste. I do mean go SLOW, it's a narrow road with blind summits and corners and it is used by farmers and school buses.)
* = STEEP.
Glendun Viaduct ( but the question is where could you safely stop to take photos or fly ).
One of the Cushen ... dun/dall, I can never remember which but it is probably Cushendall, has a mountain behind it that I think will be absolutely stunning by drone, I've never managed to get a good shot via hand held camera. Also in Cushendall? if you are there in the evening and possibly at the correct time of year and look SE from the carpark at 55°04'21.0"N 6°03'15.8"W? the evening shadows create a perfect King Kong silouhette on the 'cliffs' across the bay.
Car Park at Garron Point? for tilted strata in the headland. Not sure if that's the correct location, the google street view images don't do it justice if it is but when going up the coast it always catches my eye.
It's probably Glenarrif but there are some gorgeous views down the valley/glen from the road up on top of the Antrim Plateau, a drone would probably be ideal for this as trees block the view from the road in most places, It's at least half of a "U shaped valley ".
Linford carpark on the Feystown Road above Carncastle (some old forts and barrows ).
In the Republic, the Gap of Dunlow if you are that far south and Slieve League in Donegal might be worth a visit.
Errigal.
Remember you will need two sets of 'licenses', an EU one for the South and a UK one for the North.
You might also run into the 120m ceiling in the South.
It might be worth asking this guy,
Many of his videos are shot around the N & E coast of Co. Antrim, I have no idea if he answers such questions but I recognise some of his locations.
Last edited:
) to the site. It's an absolutely beautiful day: no wind, puffy white clouds, and no other people. So I pull out the drone. But, knowing I can't launch on National Trust property, I look for a launch site. How do I know when I'm on or off NT property? I checked their website, but as far as I can tell they only provide pin-points to a specific spot, not a highlighted area showing where their land starts and ends.
