Longest line of sight (UK)

[eMeS]

When you see skyscrapers far away in the distance, to me it just seems really cool. I can’t explain it but does anyone else get that feeling?

On the subject, what’s the longest line of sight you’d be able to see Central London from?

Alexandra Palace isn't that far away, but it offers a viewpoint getting us above local buildings and trees, and there's clear views of much of central London, and the Canary Wharf area. (And there's a bus route...)

 

[route101]

Glasgow can be seen from Larkhall area, few other places too M8 at Newhouse.

 

[Taunton]

On the subject, what’s the longest line of sight you’d be able to see Central London from?

Up at Gibbet Hill, Hindhead in Surrey, beyond Guildford, directly on top of the A3 road tunnel, is one. The Shard etc nowadays stand out, but you've always been able to see St Paul's Cathedral. About 40 miles.

 

[nlogax]

Up at Gibbet Hill, Hindhead in Surrey, beyond Guildford, directly on top of the A3 road tunnel, is one. The Shard etc nowadays stand out, but you've always been able to see St Paul's Cathedral. About 40 miles.

I thought my post (#231) re. Hog's Back views (31 miles) was a good shout but this is even better. There's a great photo by the illustrious London blogger Diamond Geezer from atop Gibbet Hill (38 miles)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/dgeezer/48115585043/?map=1

 

[Scotrail314209]

There is something remarkable about being able to see London from so far away.

 

[Bald Rick]

I thought my post (#231) re. Hog's Back views (31 miles) was a good shout but this is even better. There's a great photo by the illustrious London blogger Diamond Geezer from atop Gibbet Hill (38 miles)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/dgeezer/48115585043/?map=1

I know the picture confirms, but so do I - from when I went there 40 years ago. (The new Nat West tower stood out).

 

[Taunton]

There's a great photo by the illustrious London blogger Diamond Geezer from atop Gibbet Hill (38 miles)

The NatWest Tower seems to be the left-most one of the large group in The City; 22 Bishopsgate is now both the tallest and largest, and seems to dominate the others, so it's a recent photo. St Pauls is the next one to the left of the NatWest (nowadays known as Tower 42, recollected as the second choice for our wedding reception on its top floor - on the day it snowed, so views would have been minimal anyway).

The direct line of sight to The City passes several hundred feet overhead, in railway terms, both Effingham Junction and Clapham Junction.

 

[youngiecj]

On a sunny day you can at the Top of Boston stump you can often see Lincoln and it’s cathedral, as well as Skegness in the distance in the other direction

 

[Taunton]

I felt I had seen Lincoln Cathedral from the ECML, but on a subsequent trip looked for it and didn't do so. Is it something that is only visible in winter with the leaves off the trees?

 

[najaB]

I felt I had seen Lincoln Cathedral from the ECML, but on a subsequent trip looked for it and didn't do so. Is it something that is only visible in winter with the leaves off the trees?

I've also seen a building that I took to be Lincoln Cathedral, again it was in the winter.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I felt I had seen Lincoln Cathedral from the ECML, but on a subsequent trip looked for it and didn't do so. Is it something that is only visible in winter with the leaves off the trees?

It's possible in the summer, but you do need to know exactly where to look. You are right it's better in the winter when the trees have shed their leaves - the best chance is probably at sunset when the light will strike the side of the cathedral facing the ECML. If there's any sort of haze in the air, it won't be visible at any time.

 

[adc82140]

Caesar's Camp right on the Surrey/Hampshire border has fantastic views right across to ce tral London. I'd say that's circa 40 miles.

 

[route101]

On a sunny day you can at the Top of Boston stump you can often see Lincoln and it’s cathedral, as well as Skegness in the distance in the other direction

Can you see Lincoln from the the Boston to Skegness line?

 

[Taunton]

Jodrell Bank telescope is another that comes and goes, in that case dependent on which way it is tilted. I know it's right by the Manchester line at Chelford, but is also visible from the WCML quite some miles away, north of Winsford, if it's been swung upwards.

 

[Calthrop]

On a sunny day you can at the Top of Boston stump you can often see Lincoln and it’s cathedral, as well as Skegness in the distance in the other direction

Can you see Lincoln from the the Boston to Skegness line?

Drifting off-topic a bit: but I've found pleasing in a mildly comical way, the approach into Boston when travelling by rail Grantham -- Boston -- Skegness. With the configuration of rail lines: the route from Grantham comes in, running slightly south-eastward; then at the one-time junction with the one-time Peterborough -- Grimsby line -- abandoned south-west of Boston -- it turns very sharply to the left, describing an (I think -- am hopeless in all branches of mathematics) -- approx. 120-degree turn onto the old main line, which is followed into Boston station. In the course of this, the passenger's initial sight of Boston Stump is on the left of the train; after the above-described gymnastics the Stump is, on the approach to and when halted in, Boston station: on the train's right.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Jodrell Bank telescope is another that comes and goes, in that case dependent on which way it is tilted. I know it's right by the Manchester line at Chelford, but is also visible from the WCML quite some miles away, north of Winsford, if it's been swung upwards.

It's easily visible from Beeston Castle; admittedly that's an elevated viewpoint above a generally flat terrain...

 

[Altrincham]

When you see skyscrapers far away in the distance, to me it just seems really cool. I can’t explain it but does anyone else get that feeling?

On the subject, what’s the longest line of sight you’d be able to see Central London from?

I know exactly what you mean about seeing skyscrapers/skylines far away in the distance. I’ve caught sight of Manchester’s skyline from the outskirts of Stoke (about 30 miles) and it always impresses me, especially as it’s from a spot that hasn’t involved climbing up a hill.

On a shorter scale, I do like seeing the view of Liverpool’s skyline from the A55 near Halkyn in North Wales. And I’ve also caught sight unexpectedly of Liverpool from Delamere Forest.

Another unexpected skyline vista was some years ago when I was driving through the Leicestershire wolds, near the Notts/Leicestershire border, and I caught sight of both Leicester and Nottingham’s skyline from the same spot. Leicester has some fairly high buildings and it made for quite a dramatic sight seeing the city from a distance on a clear and sunny day.

I’ve never experienced seeing London from a distance but I have read that it’s possible to see the skyline from the Chilterns, and also from distant parts of Hampshire, but I haven’t come across any pictures.

 

[eMeS]

One thing which worries me is that "green" tree planting is destroying some of the vistas described in this thread. I first noticed it many years ago when visiting Pendle Hill to the east of Preston. A tree plantation had grown and was obscuring the once quite decent views to the west, and I expect has simply got worse over the decades.
Our difficulty is that "Vistas" don't seem to get much protection unless they are overlooking built things like St Paul's Cathedral and similar. Nearer home in the Chilterns there's a highpoint at Coombe Hill which has tall trees quite close to it, but is open for viewing across Aylesbury Vale. It's owned by the National Trust.

 

[Taunton]

I’ve never experienced seeing London from a distance but I have read that it’s possible to see the skyline from the Chilterns, and also from distant parts of Hampshire, but I haven’t come across any pictures.

The Chilterns come quite close to London, the M25 motorway glances by their edge just where the HS2 works now are, one of a couple of places on the M25 where you can see central London (going over the high bridge at Dartford is another). I wonder which rail line gives the furthest vista, possibly only to the driver. It comes as a surprise to get a sudden view of it all from the Central Line Hainault loop way out by Chigwell.

There are formal "protected view" corridors in planning about St Pauls Cathedral from certain key points, such as Greenwich Observatory, Richmond Park, Hampstead Heath, etc. which have a notable impact on high developments in London. It's had a significant impact on Docklands developments around Canada Water. They apply both to the direct view, and also the "back view" of developments beyond the cathedral. There's a map of them somewhere.

 

[Bald Rick]

The Chilterns come quite close to London, the M25 motorway glances by their edge just where the HS2 works now are, one of a couple of places on the M25 where you can see central London (going over the high bridge at Dartford is another). I wonder which rail line gives the furthest vista, possibly only to the driver. It comes as a surprise to get a sudden view of it all from the Central Line Hainault loop way out by Chigwell.

There are formal "protected view" corridors in planning about St Pauls Cathedral from certain key points, such as Greenwich Observatory, Richmond Park, Hampstead Heath, etc. which have a notable impact on high developments in London. It's had a significant impact on Docklands developments around Canada Water. They apply both to the direct view, and also the "back view" of developments beyond the cathedral. There's a map of them somewhere.

Indeed. This one:

It applies to both St Paul’s and the Palace of Westminster. Full document explaining what is permissible here:

Policy 7.11 London view management framework

Policy 7.11 London view management framework

www.london.gov.uk

 

[najaB]

One thing which worries me is that "green" tree planting is destroying some of the vistas described in this thread.

While it might be annoying losing a view that you once had, I'd rather trees be planted than not both for carbon sinking and also for local land/water management purposes.

 

[Altrincham]

There is something remarkable about being able to see London from so far away.

I’ve just come across this photo while looking to see how far away London’s skyline has been captured from.

London Skyline from Langdon Hills, Essex

I didn't have a proper camera, but you can just about make out the Canary Wharf/HSBC/AIG buildings in Docklands, The Shard, Walkie-Talkie and the Gherkin in the City

www.flickr.com

 

[S&CLER]

There is a house about a mile SW of Burley in Wharfedale called York View, from which you can see York Minster on a clear day, as I was lucky enough to do once. It sits on the 260 metre contour line.

 

[Scotrail314209]

It is fairly invigorating when you are on the M77 heading towards Glasgow and not long after leaving Kilmarnock the skyline of Glasgow pops out in front of you.

 

[Bald Rick]

It is fairly invigorating when you are on the M77 heading towards Glasgow and not long after leaving Kilmarnock the skyline of Glasgow pops out in front of you.

Is it invigorating because that means it’s not raining?

 

[route101]

It is fairly invigorating when you are on the M77 heading towards Glasgow and not long after leaving Kilmarnock the skyline of Glasgow pops out in front of you.

Is that coming down the M77 from Newton Mearns to to Darnley?

 

[Scotrail314209]

Is that coming down the M77 from Newton Mearns to to Darnley?

Yes indeedy.

 

[Scotrail314209]

The lighting here today is astonishing, you can see Jura extremely clear today. At least 80 miles I think

 

[route101]

The lighting here today is astonishing, you can see Jura extremely clear today. At least 80 miles I think

Id love to see that, seen the Paps of Jura a fair few times when I've come into Glasgow Airport.

A Line of sight that I noticed a few weeks ago was seeing traffic lights from 5 miles away. From Edinburgh Road in Balarnark I could clearly see a set of traffic lights on red near Cathkin. Junction of Greenlees road and East Kilbride Road A749.

 

[Goofle]

I could see my ex’s house quite clearly from a friend’s living room - 48 miles (by road) - Gourock and Kilcreggan respectively, albeit about 4 across the Clyde rather than the long trek around Gareloch and over the Erskine Bridge...