Way back in 1983 I made my first gliding flight at Wycombe. Which is slap bang against and under the Heathrow zone. It was the instructor who had to carry the can did we infringe, until I went solo 3 months later.
The following spring, made my Silver 50 kilomter distance flights, carefully plotting my proposed track on the half mil, and steering by motorways, railways, quarries, towns, racetracks, etc. Using farmer's stubble fires (since outlawed) to find lift. Then the usual excursion round Bicester/Didcot, using that last wammo thermal over the power station chimney. Smelled terrible, but climb rate was phenomenal.
Since then done a fair amount of flying in gliding competition, to say nothing of flying the tug, retrieving gliders from other airfields, etc. No magenta magic lines to follow, no computer kindly reminding us to stay below the base of the airway. Those were the days! I did get in trouble once for drifting over Marlow, noticed by the observer patrolling the airspace limits before the start. Maximum points deducted. And in the Interservices Regional, a freefalling parachute instructor not far from Hullavingdon was close enough to read my number! Lost ALL my points, and got told off in front of the entire congregation.
Now all is recorded on the dataloggers. I do not understand the mysterious ways of navigating by computer, and as I now have to fly with a safety pilot who bears all responsibility, don't have to worry about it either! These days, if a competitor is caught with a 50 foot excursion flagged up on the logger, there follows penalties, points deducted, tea and biscuits with the director, and if it happens too flagrantly dismissed altogether from the competition.