Scenic flight in the UK
 

Hello everyone, later on this year (Sept to be precise) my wife and I will be visiting the UK to visit family and to have a look around. We'll be based in London but will be driving up to Scotland at some point. I've budgeted some funds to take a scenic and was wanting recommendations from the locals as to the best part of the country to view from the air and suggestions for a reputable establishment to provide an aircraft and instructor as I'd quite like to fly rather than be flown. I don't mind if its a 172 or Pa28 as I'm rated in both, but a four seater is essential.

Thanks in advance.

Snowdonia, the Lake District or Oban and its environs would be my scenic choices.
On the other hand, I know people who hate mountains and find them boring.

Airpolice route covers it all, but if you don't want to spend a night in Inverness hang a hard right after the Great Glen and head over to Rannoch moor , loch Tay Pitlochry etc. out onto the Strathmore Valley and pick the route back up at Dundee

Edit to add, If you hook up with Fisbangwollop and his mates at Scottish Info I'm sure they'll shepherd you around safely and maybe even help out with some good sightseeing routes over Glasgow.

London is pretty much out of bounds for single engine. A pity as a flight along the Thames would be quite a good tour.
Scotland and the Western Isles is amongst the most scenic flying available, so I would look for something there if the weather cooperates. I can't help with the rental options, but you won't be disappointed if you get the chance.

(A bit off topic but still)

Almost worth getting a PPL-H for! It really is quite a tour. Especially if by good luck you just happen to do it during the Changing of the Guard.

If you're heading up the M6 from London to Scotland, I'd imagine the guys at Carlisle Flight Training (North West England) would be more than happy to assist you with a PA28 and instructor for a tour around the Lake District.

Coming from NZ, the mountains of Scotland may not be as exciting for you as they are for flatlanders.

If you are around London and want to see things which are more difficult to come by down under, I would suggest a flight over Beachy Head and Kent, taking in any of these on the way: Bodiam, Hastings and Dover castles, the white cliffs at Dover (and Beachy head, of course), Canterbury Cathedral, Leeds castle, Rochester castle.

Another scenic trip in a similar vein would be to try to spot as many giant white horses and stoneage circles as you can from the air on the way to and from Compton Abbas, possibly going the long way home again over Bournemouth and the Needles & St. Catherine's point. The name would lead you to believe that the Cerne Abbas Giant (known for his large organ...) was close to Compton Abbas, but that is not the case, although he, too, would make a fun detour.

And, of course, flying into Duxford is always worth it for any aviation enthusiast.

Thank you all very much for your responses. Looks like I have a lot of reading/research to do.

If in the North of Scotland nip over to Orkney and experience a return flight on the worlds shortest scheduled route betweem Westray and Papa Westrey. Scheduled at two minutes, if the wind is in the right direction it can be done in 47 seconds!
https://youtu.be/t0W4cy4EsnU

If you're heading up past Oban, an overnight at Glenforsa is a good shout (if it's open) - just park up and walk into the hotel :)

I've put cockpit view videos of most of the Highlands, and some airfields, on this YT channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2v...n7svWpfsgFVNKQ.
Prestwick, Glasgow, Cumbernauld, Fife, Perth, Dundee, Aberdeen, and Inverness for a flight in a 4 seater with instructor, they're all near enough to the hills, or rent an "hours builder" deal for a week from anywhere in the UK to self-fly.
You've plenty of time to think.
PS maybe also Moray Flying Club at Kinloss as well as above places.

Suggest Prestwick or Cumbernauld to Oban or Glenforsa then up the Great Glen to Inverness or Dornoch. If you have the time, Orkney is well worth a visit although apart from Kirkwall, some of the strips might be a bit short for a fully loaded four seater. On the way back south, suggest you visit Easter and Perth or Glenrothes (nice restaurant on site) before flying past the Forth Bridges, the Falkirk Wheel and the Kelpies.
Of course, you can do the trip in reverse if the weather favours that.

Back in the south, a trip to Islay is well worth it particularly if you are interested in whisky. Also Castle Kennedy with a Castle and nice gardens nearby. Plockton (perhaps from Oban or Glenforsa) is a lovely place to visit on the NW coast but you can easily get stuck there!

Finally, if you fancy landing on a beach, consider a trip to Barra although it is a fair amount of water to cross and some clubs might not allow you to land on the (salty) sand. Perhaps you could consider a return flight in the Loganair Twin Otter from Glasgow. On a nice day, they often go VFR.

Do not hesitate to pm me when in Scotland, if you want further advice or help.

Dont miss out Northumberland,most people do!!!

Any coastline, just before sunset!

If the weather precludes going "up North", (as it often does ) then I recommend a coastal flight of Devon and Cornwall. North Coast Cornwall is particularly scenic.

Some great recommendations so far - you might want to consider a trip out to Glenforsa, on the Isle of Mull. There is a log cabin hotel right next to the strip, run by a couple who both have a huge love of aviation. Glenforsa Airfield

If you're down our way, in the south, there is also a lot to see from Old Sarum. Try taking an early evening flight, when the light is a little lower in the sky, and taking in Stonehenge, Avebury, West Kennet ... there is an awful lot of ancient Britain that's stunning from the air - with the low light angle, the earthworks really stand out.

GoFly are based at Old Sarum and have PA28s.