"to legally fly below 500' AGL"
In the UK and US, (but not Irish Republic) you can legally fly below 500', but not within 500' of a person or structure.
I've had many check flights over the years, and I now make sure in advance what the instructor wants.
Some insist on a circuit, some just want me to reach a suitable landing place.
I lost sight of my best choice while flying a circuit in a C172, and had to go for a poorer field. A friend who had to revalidate by test was failed by the examiner for not flying a circuit, but putting the aircraft in a position it could not fail to land on a farm strip.
One in US, one in UK.