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Longest line of sight (UK)

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Howardh

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The obvious question is - how can you be sure that it is Great Orme and not something larger?

From peakvisor, the profile looks more like Moel Wnion
https://peakvisor.com/panorama.html...191&alt=12&yaw=-132.45&pitch=-0.03&hfov=10.00

I would say the Great Orme is much flatter
https://goo.gl/maps/Yu5dfneHjscLkuCY9
http://viewfinderpanoramas.org/panoramas/ENG/BLACKPOOL.GIF
The profile of my photo from right (west) to left (east) matches the heights on an OS map. Sea level (obviously SL is below the sightline) rises to 180m, then a flat top reaching 207m and gradual then steeper decline, then a rise to 141m (Little Orme), then dip, then rise again to 131m (Bryn fort??).
We can't see the flatter parts as they are masked by the Little Orme from the direction I am looking.
 

Steamysandy

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West of Haddington on the old A1 (now A199)there is a layby with a view across the Firth of Forth to Fife but on a really clear day you can see the Grampian Mountains which must be about 100 miles to the North.
A short distance to the west lies Tranent and many years ago one Sunday night I stood with friends and using an Atlas we reckoned that from their upstairs window looking North West you could see the Glencoe mountains
Incidentally line of sight was how the Transmission masts were set up in GPO days and it remained so into BT times
 

Altrincham

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That's fantastic!

Incredible isn’t it?!

I have longed to climb up Snowdon for a view like this. I read a comment somewhere where someone was able to see Liverpool on a really clear day from the top of Snowdon and could make out tower blocks with the naked eye. I’ve often wondered what the possibilities are of seeing the Beetham Tower in Manchester from the top of Snowdon (and vice versa).

The possible range of view from Snowdon seems the most wide-ranging I’ve seen of any of the UK Panoramas. Looking at the panorama for Snowdon, it does look like it’s possible to see almost the entire length of the high ridges of north west of England, stretching from Mow Cop to Scafell Pike (apart from when Carnedd Dafydd/Llewelyn are blocking the line of sight).
 

Howardh

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http://viewfinderpanoramas.org/panoramas/WAL/SNOWDON-N.gif
According to that, Scafell Pike could be visible from Snowdon 102 miles away, judging by the distance seen in the photo that's doable - but to get absolutely cloudless skies inbetween would be incredibly lucky.
For me in Bolton, Snowdon should be visible from Winter Hill, which is around 1500' although from the top of the mast much further would be seen, obviously, put panoramas doesn't cover that.


  • British Isles The longest theoretical line of sight in the British Isles is 144 miles (232 km) from Merrick, in the southern uplands of Scotland, to Snowdon in North Wales. I have found no longer sightlines, and none were found in a study by topographic researcher Chris Jesty in the 1980's. A 1990's Guinness Book of Records published this superlative, but gave the distance as 144 km (sic). Unlike the longer US views above, the line of sight is low altitude and passes primarily over the sea, so Snowdon would only be observable from Merrick on an exceptionally clear day. No sightings have come to my attention.

    Merrick would be practically impossible to observe from Snowdon, because of the very thin aperture it shows behind nearby Lamachan hill. To give an analogy: if a colleague and I were in neighbouring rooms, and I were at a desk but the colleague were looking through an empty keyhole, he would probably see my clearly, but I would not see him. The "keyhole" is Lamachan Hill, which is much closer to Merrick, so an observer on Merrick would see Snowdon much more easily than vice versa. Infact, Merrick would be impossible to observe from Snowdon other than with a telescope, and then only if there were a suitable contrast with Lamachan Hill (e.g. snow or sun on one but not the other). That is why Merrick is not shown on the Snowdon panorama.
 
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thejuggler

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I was in Queensbury last week just outside Bradford. At 1100 ft above sea level it offers amazing views.

I could see Ingleborough quite clearly. The other way were Ferrybridge, Eggborough and Drax powerstations. That's 30 miles in each direction.
 

Howardh

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https://imgur.com/jRUwoCq
jRUwoCq

Taken from Healy Nab, just NE of Chorley today, looking over a shipyard on Merseyside towards what looks uncannily like Mount Vesuvius, or more probably Moel Fenelli (sp??) which is still some distance away, getting on for 50 miles. I've used this map to work it out, https://elevationmap.net/wales-height-uk but if someone's stood in that very spot with a compass they will know exactly.

Could also see Blackpool Tower with strong binoculars, always the thought that there's someone up there with binoculars staring back at me!!
 

Howardh

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Here's the Great Orme looking from the famous Matchmoor Lane (between Bolton and Horwich) on the Winter Hill slopes today;

GO 1.JPG
 

eMeS

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Many thanks to whoever, tony-mac I think, mentioned the PeakVisor app a few posts ago. I'd missed this last June when trying to decide what hill tops etc. I'd seen across the water from a high point near Combe Martin. I'm now exploring it and trying to discover how useful it is for my GPS & compass bearing labelled images from my Canon 7D MkII.
 

Altrincham

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Here's the Great Orme looking from the famous Matchmoor Lane (between Bolton and Horwich) on the Winter Hill slopes today;

View attachment 68284

That’s a fabulous photo. I’m just trying to work out if that’s the Little Orme to the left of the Great Orme, or if it’s Penmaen Bach. Amazing to see the turbines so clear too.
 

Howardh

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That’s a fabulous photo. I’m just trying to work out if that’s the Little Orme to the left of the Great Orme, or if it’s Penmaen Bach. Amazing to see the turbines so clear too.
It will be Little Orme as those steep cliffs are a give-away. Llandudno itself is hidden below the line of sight due to cuvature, but for those unaware it's the gap in the middle!
 

Altrincham

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The Isle of Man - taken last week from Cemaes Bay on Anglesey. The Isle of Man was only visible intermittently, but most particularly in the evenings when the sun was getting lower. My camera hasn’t quite captured what could be seen but the Isle of Man looked like a chain of islands, visible as mounds on the horizon. In reality, what was visible was the highest peaks. At certain times of the year, from the North Wales’ coast it is possible to see cars or buildings on the Isle of Man when the sun reflects on glass and creates a glint.
 

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Altrincham

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It will be Little Orme as those steep cliffs are a give-away. Llandudno itself is hidden below the line of sight due to cuvature, but for those unaware it's the gap in the middle!

Ah yes - I can see that Penmaen Bach is too far round the corner to be visible. The far left of the photo looks like Foel Fras, according to Viewfinder Panorama for Winter Hill.
 

Karl

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Ouch! That's amazing. I've just spent 10 minutes studying it trying to identify all the landmarks. It's my area. Thanks for the link.
 

Altrincham

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An amazing photo. The one time that I’ve seen Blackpool from Winter Hill was through a grey drizzly mist so the conditions for this photo must’ve been outstanding.
 

eMeS

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Not too far away from our topic is the matter of contour lines.
On most UK maps that I'm aware of they're a constant distance apart, no matter what the terrain. I've heard that on some US maps covering flattish terrain, contour lines are closer together - seems sensible when you think about it. Can anyone point me to close contour maps of the UK? I've done a search and found nothing, but an area north of Milton Keynes might benefit from closer contours - it's around 300-400ft above sea level, with slight prominences. Thanks for any pointers.
 

Altrincham

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From an area of Sheffield, on a clear day you can see Drax power station and York Minster https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3515079

Also apparently on a clear day from York Minster you can see Lincoln Cathedral

That’s a great photo - the stocky towers of the Minster are clearly visible. There’s a spot high in Sheffield where it’s been reported that the top of the Humber Bridge is visible in certain conditions. Would this be the same spot?
 

Altrincham

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Ouch! That's amazing. I've just spent 10 minutes studying it trying to identify all the landmarks. It's my area. Thanks for the link.

I'd like to see the original of that!! Great photo!

The same photographer has captured this incredible shot from the other way round - Winter Hill and Blackpool Tower at night FROM the Isle of Man!!!
 

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