Longest line of sight (UK)

[Altrincham]

Thanks for the suggestions - I guess it's easier to get a "good camera" than the "perfect weather conditions".
What we need is a special (and affordable) GPS device which tells us not just where we are, but what we're looking at and the relief, at different ranges!
I have a Garmin GPSMAP 62S, and Canon's GP-E2 for use on some DSLRs, as well as the GPS in my Eos 7D MkII. I'm pretty sure that the compass directions have been wrong by several degrees due to my being on magnetic strata. (e.g. Views from Burton Dassett Country Park - old ironstone quarry!) Hopefully, being able to get out a bit more I'll be able to do some more checks on bearings etc.

I like the idea of a GPS device showing what we’re looking at.

On the subject of Burton Dassett, is it possible to see the Malvern hills from there?

The current showery weather is creating some fantastic conditions for long views. From the A35 just after Dorchester I got a great view of Torbay at sunset. And although not a long one, North Devon from the M4 near Swansea last week looked like you could walk across.

I’ve just been looking on Street View at the A35 and there’s a great stretch between Dorchester and Bridport where the English Channel comes into view. I can certainly see how Torbay would be visible in the distance.

 

[eMeS]

I like the idea of a GPS device showing what we’re looking at.

On the subject of Burton Dassett, is it possible to see the Malvern hills from there? ...

Very definitely, as my snap shows.
I've realised today that the errors I was getting wrt direction from my GPS are caused by my wearing steel (& magnetic) spectacle frames. Previously, they were some form of non-magnetic material.
Using a camera, you get no hint that the GPS/bearing application is going to be in error, as its display isn't shown in the viewfinder - only on the rear LCD display after capture. Only when one gets home, and uses Geosetter or similar application, do you realise that all's not right with your world! I realised there was a problem when using a Sylva type 4/54 compass earlier today, and bringing the compass up to my eyes, caused a visible rotation of the compass card.
The caption on my jpg is wrong by around 30 degrees - The Malvern Hills are closer to 260 degrees from Burton Dassett.

 

[Altrincham]

Very definitely, as my snap shows.
I've realised today that the errors I was getting wrt direction from my GPS are caused by my wearing steel (& magnetic) spectacle frames. Previously, they were some form of non-magnetic material.
Using a camera, you get no hint that the GPS/bearing application is going to be in error, as its display isn't shown in the viewfinder - only on the rear LCD display after capture. Only when one gets home, and uses Geosetter or similar application, do you realise that all's not right with your world! I realised there was a problem when using a Sylva type 4/54 compass earlier today, and bringing the compass up to my eyes, caused a visible rotation of the compass card.
The caption on my jpg is wrong by around 30 degrees - The Malvern Hills are closer to 260 degrees from Burton Dassett.

That’s an incredible photo. Good to know that the Malverns are visible from the eastern side of the M40.

If the weather was any better, I’d like to try and see if it’s possible to spot the Malverns from Shutlingsloe just above Macclesfield.

 

[davehsug]

What a great thread this is. Puts my delight at noticing one day that I could see Blackpool Tower & Mow Cop fro the top of Parbold hill to shame! I have seen the Isle of Man from the North Promenade at Blackpool in evening light with the sun setting. I'm about to go image hunting now, I never new that you could see Snowdon from Ireland. This sort of stuff fascinates me.

 

[Altrincham]

What a great thread this is. Puts my delight at noticing one day that I could see Blackpool Tower & Mow Cop fro the top of Parbold hill to shame! I have seen the Isle of Man from the North Promenade at Blackpool in evening light with the sun setting. I'm about to go image hunting now, I never new that you could see Snowdon from Ireland. This sort of stuff fascinates me.

I’m hoping one day for the perfect weather conditions (and a good camera) to climb to the top of Snowdon to see Ireland.

I’ve seen the Isle of Man from Anglesey and Blackpool. The view from Anglesey is incredible when the IOM is perfectly clear. In some previous posts on here there is a link to a picture taken from Winter Hill of an incredible distant view of the Isle of Man.

 

[Darandio]

In some previous posts on here there is a link to a picture taken from Winter Hill of an incredible distant view of the Isle of Man.

I believe that link (Lancashire Post) is now dead so for simplicity here is the picture from another news outlet, I think it's the same one?

 

[Scotrail314209]

I believe that link (Lancashire Post) is now dead so for simplicity here is the picture from another news outlet, I think it's the same one?

That shot wows me everytime. Really makes the world look tiny.

 

[Altrincham]

I believe that link (Lancashire Post) is now dead so for simplicity here is the picture from another news outlet, I think it's the same one?

Cheers - that’s the one. It always astounds me that transmitters on top of the Isle of Man can be captured from the top of Winter Hill.

Winter Hill impresses me as it does have one of the most wide-ranging vistas in the North West.

 

[davehsug]

Cheers - that’s the one. It always astounds me that transmitters on top of the Isle of Man can be captured from the top of Winter Hill.

Winter Hill impresses me as it does have one of the most wide-ranging vistas in the North West.

It is an astonishing photo. I know it's achieved by altering depth fields & such, in a way that could never be, but the images themselves are genuine and it's gobsmackingly beautiful.

 

[route101]

Was in Blackpool yesterday. Could see the hills of North Wales to the left and Cumbria more clearly to right. Isle of Man was not visible, though the windfarm was.

 

[nlogax]

Discovered today that even in hazy conditions the views from atop Billinge Hill are pretty decent. It was possible to make out the Runcorn bridges, Ellesmere Port, Liverpool, all overlooked by Snowden in the far distance and course Winter Hill dwarfing us in the opposite direction. Reckon I could see even more on a sunny winter’s day.

 

[Altrincham]

Was in Blackpool yesterday. Could see the hills of North Wales to the left and Cumbria more clearly to right. Isle of Man was not visible, though the windfarm was.

Good to read that the Welsh hills have been visible from Blackpool in the summer months. Some of the recent downpours seem to have cleared the air a little.

Discovered today that even in hazy conditions the views from atop Billinge Hill are pretty decent. It was possible to make out the Runcorn bridges, Ellesmere Port, Liverpool, all overlooked by Snowden in the far distance and course Winter Hill dwarfing us in the opposite direction. Reckon I could see even more on a sunny winter’s day.

Is the coast also visible from Billinge Hill?

There’s a couple of photos posted on Twitter this week taken by @ElektroBorho that shows some good lines of sight from the top of Liverpool Cathedral. Incredibly, one of the photos captures the skyline of Manchester.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

To mix rail and mountain views, I was really surprised to be able to see Mont Blanc from a seat on a TGV south of Lyon a few years back.
It was visible (snow covered, of course, which helps) over quite a long stretch and I put the distance at about 90 miles.
The train went on to Geneva, where it was much closer but paradoxically harder to pick out.
From the same train I also picked out Mont Ventoux (of Tour de France fame) for a long stretch south, west and north of Avignon from the LGV.

 

[nlogax]

Is the coast also visible from Billinge Hill?

The day was pretty hazy so I couldn't really see any blue, but I'm lead to believe Blackpool can be seen on a good day.

To mix rail and mountain views, I was really surprised to be able to see Mont Blanc from a seat on a TGV south of Lyon a few years back.
It was visible (snow covered, of course, which helps) over quite a long stretch and I put the distance at about 90 miles.

That's a really beautiful shot!

 

[Halish Railway]

I’m currently in Hythe, Kent and I’ve just been able to take a picture of France for the first time in all the years I’ve been down here. I don’t know how I couldn’t see it yesterday as yesterday had a much clearer view of Dungeness.

I believe the area pictured is the town of Wissant, 25-30 miles away.

Attached are two pictures - the latter edited to make everything a little more visible.

 

[Cletus]

On a clear day you can see Boulogne from the cliffs at Dover.

Reading the time on the Calais town hall clock can easily be done. I think you can see as far east as Gravelines, maybe Dunkirk.

 

[route101]

A local one.

East Kilbride to Erskine Bridge. Noticed the Erskine Bridge was visible and the sun reflections of cars etc.

 

[Halish Railway]

To add to my previous post, at night the lighthouses at Calais (34 miles away) and Cap Gris Nez (26 miles away) can be clearly seen in addition to all of the lights at the aforementioned Wissant.

 

[Altrincham]

Yesterday evening a last-minute diversion to visit Mow Cop provided a far-reaching line of sight in excellent weather conditions. Although there was cloud directly above, to the west and low on the horizon was a fantastic narrow band of clear conditions which produced silhouettes of the Welsh mountains and an incredible silhouette of the Liverpool city centre skyline. All visible with the naked eye. I just wish I had my binoculars to pick out specific detail. I opened up Viewfinder Panoramas on my phone and could clearly make out Carnedd Llewelyn due west. To the south was the Wrekin, along with the hills in Powys around Welshpool, and to the north was a clear view of Winter Hill.

With only my phone camera available, I captured this photo. The skyline of Liverpool is just to the right of Frodsham Hill. A good zoom lens would’ve captured it better.

If I’d have positioned myself a bit further up I’d have been rewarded with seeing Liverpool in one direction and Leicestershire in the other.

 

[Halish Railway]

Am I right in thinking that this is Bolougne-sur-Mer? If so that would be a distance of 33 miles away.

 

[Ediswan]

Am I right in thinking that this is Bolougne-sur-Mer? If so that would be a distance of 33 miles away.

Quite possibly. If you look above the ridge line at the left of the picture, you can just make out a transmission mast. I suspect it is this https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Emetteur_du_Mont_Lambert_R01.jpg. I have driven that coast a few times and I don't recall any other likely candidates.

 

[Scotrail314209]

Is it just me that gets excited when you can see another country across a body of water?

Totally different accents, people and laws. It's insane.

 

[najaB]

Is it just me that gets excited when you can see another country across a body of water?

Totally different accents, people and laws. It's insane.

It's not just you. My personal record isn't in the UK however. It's from Barbados to Saint Vincent, just a little under 100 miles.

 

[Bald Rick]

Is it just me that gets excited when you can see another country across a body of water?

Totally different accents, people and laws. It's insane.

It’s not just you. Seeing the Atlas Mountains from Gibraltar was quite a thrill for me. It’s not that far, but, still, it was Africa...

 

[Altrincham]

To add to my previous post, at night the lighthouses at Calais (34 miles away) and Cap Gris Nez (26 miles away) can be clearly seen in addition to all of the lights at the aforementioned Wissant.

This puts me in mind of the sight I saw from an elevated position in Folkestone when I could see the twinkling lights of the French coast at night. It was a quite wonderful sight.

Is it just me that gets excited when you can see another country across a body of water?

Totally different accents, people and laws. It's insane.

I understand this completely. The night i saw the lights of France from Folkestone I found it incredible to think that I was in England and could see a country that has borders with Spain and Italy (among others).

 

[nlogax]

Is it just me that gets excited when you can see another country across a body of water?

Totally different accents, people and laws. It's insane.

Oh absolutely yes. This is one of the best things. Albania from Italy is one I'd like to see.




If I were cheating I'd like to experience seeing the southern-most Kuril Island belonging to Russia from the northern-most one belonging to Japan (if the two countries can finally agree on which ones they own). Or the sight of the Russian Diomede island from the US one.

 

[route101]

Oh absolutely yes. This is one of the best things. Albania from Italy is one I'd like to see.

View attachment 100801


If I were cheating I'd like to experience seeing the southern-most Kuril Island belonging to Russia from the northern-most one belonging to Japan (if the two countries can finally agree on which ones they own). Or the sight of the Russian Diomede island from the US one.

I thought Albania was quite far from Italy.

Is it just me that gets excited when you can see another country across a body of water?

Totally different accents, people and laws. It's insane.

Yes, find it very interesting.

Greece to Turkey when I was younger.

I get excited when I see Northern Ireland from Scotland. Can it be seen from Prestwick or Troon?

 

[peteb]

Yesterday evening a last-minute diversion to visit Mow Cop provided a far-reaching line of sight in excellent weather conditions. Although there was cloud directly above, to the west and low on the horizon was a fantastic narrow band of clear conditions which produced silhouettes of the Welsh mountains and an incredible silhouette of the Liverpool city centre skyline. All visible with the naked eye. I just wish I had my binoculars to pick out specific detail. I opened up Viewfinder Panoramas on my phone and could clearly make out Carnedd Llewelyn due west. To the south was the Wrekin, along with the hills in Powys around Welshpool, and to the north was a clear view of Winter Hill.

With only my phone camera available, I captured this photo. The skyline of Liverpool is just to the right of Frodsham Hill. A good zoom lens would’ve captured it better.

If I’d have positioned myself a bit further up I’d have been rewarded with seeing Liverpool in one direction and Leicestershire in the other.

I've been looking at your excellent phone photo, what is the structure poking above the horizon to the right hand side, is that Liverpool or Blackpool tower? (Too far away?).

 

[Pit_buzzer]

It’s not just you. Seeing the Atlas Mountains from Gibraltar was quite a thrill for me. It’s not that far, but, still, it was Africa...

That one is my favourite, made all the better by being a day trip from the UK with 6 hours in gibraltar so I can say I've had a day trip to Africa and have a photo to prove it

 

[DelW]

I've been looking at your excellent phone photo, what is the structure poking above the horizon to the right hand side, is that Liverpool or Blackpool tower? (Too far away?).

I think that the single tower towards the right edge must be Blackpool tower, with possibly Heysham power station also sticking up roughly midway between that and the right edge (in line with a prominent light coloured building in the foreground).

What I think is Liverpool is about 2/3 across from left to right, just to the right of a steep drop on the dark ridge which I assume from the accompanying post must be Frodsham Hill. There are several skyline projections there, and the leftmost one just about looks like the Anglican cathedral (with a bit of imagination ).