David - Congratulations
I hope you enjoy it and have a very safe future flying.
Did you undertake the whole PPL(H) in the R44? If so, good choice if your going to be soon taking your dearly beloveds out in it, always a better idea IMO than those with just the 5hrs type rating + test immedaitely after PPL. Either way get out there and build some confidence on your own, ask an instructor to take you down the London helilanes a few times, or to Le Touquet, or the Isle of wight, also there are a surprising number of nice pubs (for food obviously) with helipads/air strips in the UK, but I'd suggest sticking to ones that have been recced by someone experienced that you know initially because the fact a website for a hotel/restaurant states 'helipad' certainly does not imply that it is necessarily suitable! (nothing creative there but there is a good reason people do them)
My personal advice is build a good deal more experience before trying to land at too many off airfield sites until you build an understanding of how the helicopter behaves with 3-4 pax etc... Also do some nav's further afield and build confidence crossing MATZ's, busier Airspace, and landing at busier airports so you aren't afraid to request the more direct routings that aircraft are good for. Remember that there are always people who will happily fly with you if you want to try somewhere you haven't been before or a new skill... also never at any stage in your flying career think that any question is too stupid, the only stupid question is the one you don't ask.
I spent a good six months in a classroom with Steve in 2004 doing our ATPL exams together so do pass on my regards if you see him
I doubt too many places will allow a brand new pilot to take any passengers up in their helicopters without a cfi. generally youll have to wait til you start your instrument training in the 44, or hit 100 hrs (the usual minimum for pax in the 22).
That's odd, maybe more a U.S. attitude, if they don't think your ready for taking passengers then you shouldn't be granted a license that entitles you too IMO, also we can't do 'instrument' training in the R44 in the UK as it's not an IFR ship... That said operators/owners do sometimes apply restrictions such as no SFH until 5hrs P1 on type post-license. You should be able to hire without restriction from the people you trained with if they thought you were up to standard to put you in for test...
Enjoy
Ali A