Longest line of sight (UK)

[xotGD]

No....although it has sometimes been claimed that both seas are visible from the 893 metre/2,930 feet summit of Cross Fell, the highest point in the Pennines. In reality, the flattish, dome-shape of the summit precludes such bi-directional views (Source: Wikipedia).

In post #61 of this thread @Altrincham says that the only place that he knows of where you can see two seas is the summit of Ben Nevis in Scotland, from which you can see the Atlantic Ocean and a faint glimmer of the North Sea (Moray Firth) near Inverness.

Nowhere in Devon or Cornwall?

 

[D6130]

Nowhere in Devon or Cornwall?

Yes....Carn Brea for one - near where my brother used to live, but that's the Atlantic Ocean and the English Channel, not the Irish Sea and the North Sea (although, as they're all connected to each other, it's sometimes hard to know exactly where to draw the line!

 

[jj1314]

Yes....Carn Brea for one - near where my brother used to live, but that's the Atlantic Ocean and the English Channel...

Same scenario from the summit of Trencrom Hill, a little west of St Erth and Lelant. You can see both at once if you turn your head to the right angle.

 

[Altrincham]

Is there anywhere in the Pennines where you can see the North and Irish Seas?
I swear I've read that you can at one point on a road crossing the hills. One sea in your windscreen and the other in your rear view mirror

No....although it has sometimes been claimed that both seas are visible from the 893 metre/2,930 feet summit of Cross Fell, the highest point in the Pennines. In reality, the flattish, dome-shape of the summit precludes such bi-directional views (Source: Wikipedia).

In post #61 of this thread @Altrincham says that the only place that he knows of where you can see two seas is the summit of Ben Nevis in Scotland, from which you can see the Atlantic Ocean and a faint glimmer of the North Sea (Moray Firth) near Inverness.

Following on from post #61, I’ve just taken a look at the esteemed Viewfinder Panoramas website and I have come across a panorama for Cross Fell in Cumbria. Incredibly, it shows that it is possible to see the Irish Sea and the coast of North Wales in one direction, and then in the other direction it’s possible to see the North Sea beyond Newcastle.

Quite possibly one of the most wide ranging lines of sight that I’ve come across. Having the right weather conditions in place to make this possible must be a rarity.

http://viewfinderpanoramas.org/panoramas/ENG/CROSS.GIF

 

[RogerOut]

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.

I was based in Aldershot when I was in the Army, and used to go running around that area sometimes. Never stopped long enough to take in the views though!

From Caesars camp, as you mentioned London is probably around 30/32 miles as the crow flies.

You can see Aldershot garrison and the church , and the London skyline in the distance. This isn’t my photo, I found this online a few years ago;


Additionally, where I used to live in Orpington, there’s a viewing plaque down a country lane. From memory it was placed there in 1994, as there are London landmarks on it that didn’t exist back then. Such as the Shard and other London towers that have been built since.
You could see the Shooters Hill Water Tower, Crystal Palace transmitter and Epping Forest. Must go back there next time I’m in the area.

 

[Acey]

That would be the Chelsfield Common Viewpoint
https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/678658


great pic

 

[RogerOut]

Thanks Acey! Haven’t been to that view point for many years!

 

[Altrincham]

I was based in Aldershot when I was in the Army, and used to go running around that area sometimes. Never stopped long enough to take in the views though!

From Caesars camp, as you mentioned London is probably around 30/32 miles as the crow flies.

You can see Aldershot garrison and the church , and the London skyline in the distance. This isn’t my photo, I found this online a few years ago;
View attachment 131353

Additionally, where I used to live in Orpington, there’s a viewing plaque down a country lane. From memory it was placed there in 1994, as there are London landmarks on it that didn’t exist back then. Such as the Shard and other London towers that have been built since.
You could see the Shooters Hill Water Tower, Crystal Palace transmitter and Epping Forest. Must go back there next time I’m in the area.

That’s an incredible and fascinating photo.

Left to right, is that roughly a view spanning Post Office Tower, the Shard, and Canary Wharf? I’m just trying to work out the cluster of skyscrapers to the centre right of the horizon.

 

[Bald Rick]

That’s an incredible and fascinating photo.

Left to right, is that roughly a view spanning Post Office Tower, the Shard, and Canary Wharf? I’m just trying to work out the cluster of skyscrapers to the centre right of the horizon.

yes that’s right.

and the towers on the far right with cranes are Woking.

 

[Taunton]

It's a better view than the one we previously referred to from Hindhead, a few miles away, back at post #424 here. If I look very carefully I think I see St Paul's Cathedral dome to the left of The City group.

Some views are spectacular. When in youthful times we lived in The Wirral there was a local National Trust hill, Caldy Hill, about 400 feet high, where an enterprising Victorian had erected "The Viewfinder" at the top, pointing everywhere out. On periodic clear days you could see the Winter Hill transmitter, Lake District, Isle of Man, Welsh hills as far as Anglesey (though not Snowdon, which was shielded), etc. A calm Christmas Day with snow on the mountain tops, though not there, was once the best. In recent times adjacent tree growth has spoiled the views eastwards, I noticed last year. Nobody has put any photo on Google though. Here :

Caldy Hill · Wirral

★★★★★ · Woods

www.google.com

 

[RogerOut]

yes that’s right.

and the towers on the far right with cranes are Woking.

As I didn’t take the photo of Aldershot, with London in the background, I’d love to know exactly where the photo was taken.
I also wonder how good a camera the photographer had to be to capture it all.

Again, at Caesars Camp, near Aldershot, there’s a transmitter in the far away distance. I always wondered where it was. Any ideas anyone ?

 

[Altrincham]

As I didn’t take the photo of Aldershot, with London in the background, I’d love to know exactly where the photo was taken.
I also wonder how good a camera the photographer had to be to capture it all.

Again, at Caesars Camp, near Aldershot, there’s a transmitter in the far away distance. I always wondered where it was. Any ideas anyone ?

Which direction is the transmitter? Is it eastwards?

 

[Greetlander]

From the centre of Liverpool the Southport bridge is pretty much direct line with Blackpool Tower. For it to be so far offset the photo must surely be from the Wirral.

We used to live, as stated above in this thread, on the seafront at Hoylake. Sea level, but Cumbria became visible about once a year, I believe Black Combe behind Ulverston. But nothing like all that, so photo must have been from much higher. Bidston Hill? Neighbour said they once saw the Isle of Man. I wonder if it was visible when those photos were taken; apparently the IOM was occasionally visible from up on the Great Orme at Llandudno.

The other astounding thing is how high (and steep) the Big Dipper is at Blackpool!

I did read somewhere once that it's possible to see the Pepsi Max Big One at Blackpool from the top of one of the hills between Hebden Bridge and Colne. Seems far-fetched and I'm prepared to be wrong, although I hope I'm not.

 

[D6130]

I did read somewhere once that it's possible to see the Pepsi Max Big One at Blackpool from the top of one of the hills between Hebden Bridge and Colne. Seems far-fetched and I'm prepared to be wrong, although I hope I'm not.

I think that will probably be Boulsworth Hill (1,700 Ft ASL) - the highest point in the South Pennines - but whenever I've been up there it's been too cloudy to see that far.

 

[Greetlander]

I think that will probably be Boulsworth Hill (1,700 Ft ASL) - the highest point in the South Pennines - but whenever I've been up there it's been too cloudy to see that far.

https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/269005-hill-of-the-week/ Thanks - found the claim if not the evidence.

 

[RogerOut]

Which direction is the transmitter? Is it eastwards?

I can’t remember to be honest, it may well be eastwards. Or maybe northwards.I just remember seeing a tall transmitter in the distance and wondered where it was.

 

[adc82140]

I can’t remember to be honest, it may well be eastwards. Or maybe northwards.I just remember seeing a tall transmitter in the distance and wondered where it was.

Possibly Alexandra Palace? South of London you have Crystal Palace and Croydon, but they are fairly easy to spot.

 

[RogerOut]

Possibly Alexandra Palace? South of London you have Crystal Palace and Croydon, but they are fairly easy to spot.

No too far. You can’t see Crystal Palace from Aldershot. Plus it doesn’t look like it and the one I’m talking about is much closer.

 

[Bald Rick]

There used to be transmitters at the south end of Pirbright ranges - I don’t know if they are still there or not.

 

[nw1]

That’s an incredible and fascinating photo.

Left to right, is that roughly a view spanning Post Office Tower, the Shard, and Canary Wharf? I’m just trying to work out the cluster of skyscrapers to the centre right of the horizon.

That is an incredible view.

Despite having visited many or even most high places in this part of the country multiple times (Gibbet Hill, Black Down, Butser Hill, Walbury Hill, etc), I've (almost*) never been to this one.

(*well actually I have been, once, but it was around 5pm in early-mid November and consequently the light level wasn't great. I had intended to get there earlier but had encountered delays).

There used to be transmitters at the south end of Pirbright ranges - I don’t know if they are still there or not.

If we're talking about the low hills roughly NE of Ash and NW of Normandy, that was, I think, a long time ago. I'm fairly sure they had gone by some point in the 80s though thinking about it I think I have vague memories of masts there in the early, possibly mid-80s. Not sure. The only transmitter I can think of currently in that area is the huge one near Old Dean Estate in Camberley, which is visible from a long way away.

The memories I have are of viewing the area from high ground around Guildford, from a distance. I first used the 20 bus from Guildford to Aldershot around 1988, and was fairly sure I didn't get a close-up view of them, suggested they had gone by this time.

Again, at Caesars Camp, near Aldershot, there’s a transmitter in the far away distance. I always wondered where it was. Any ideas anyone ?

Which direction and how far? The most obvious one is the Old Dean one, near Camberley, which would perhaps be 5-10 miles to the north or northeast.

See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Dean for a photo.

If it's a taller, thinner one it could be Hannington, near Basingstoke, or possibly Bexley Hill, near Midhurst.

 

[Bald Rick]

If we're talking about the low hills roughly NE of Ash and NW of Normandy, that was, I think, a long time ago. I'm fairly sure they had gone by some point in the 80s though thinking about it I think I have vague memories of masts there in the early, possibly mid-80s. Not sure.

Cobbett Hill - and it was definitely still their early 90s. Appears to be loads of satellite dishes there now.

 

[nw1]

Cobbett Hill - and it was definitely still their early 90s. Appears to be loads of satellite dishes there now.

Ah, ok, that was a bit different to the area I was thinking of.

I was thinking of the Normandy Hill/Bastion Hill/Lookout Hill/Scragley Hill area, further west. Basically a large area of MOD-owned heathland. I have vague, perhaps incorrect, memories of 4 or 5 masts somewhere round there in the early 80s, but it's possible my memory is playing tricks on me.

The masts at Cobbett Hill can't have been so prominent - perhaps due to being in a lower-lying wooded area - as I don't recall seeing anything in that area from a distance in the 80s, and I spent a lot of time in the Guildford area at this time.

 

[Acey]

That’s an incredible and fascinating photo.

Left to right, is that roughly a view spanning Post Office Tower, the Shard, and Canary Wharf? I’m just trying to work out the cluster of skyscrapers to the centre right of the horizon.

Possibly Woking or Croydon ?

 

[RogerOut]

That is an incredible view.

Despite having visited many or even most high places in this part of the country multiple times (Gibbet Hill, Black Down, Butser Hill, Walbury Hill, etc), I've (almost*) never been to this one.

(*well actually I have been, once, but it was around 5pm in early-mid November and consequently the light level wasn't great. I had intended to get there earlier but had encountered delays).



If we're talking about the low hills roughly NE of Ash and NW of Normandy, that was, I think, a long time ago. I'm fairly sure they had gone by some point in the 80s though thinking about it I think I have vague memories of masts there in the early, possibly mid-80s. Not sure. The only transmitter I can think of currently in that area is the huge one near Old Dean Estate in Camberley, which is visible from a long way away.

The memories I have are of viewing the area from high ground around Guildford, from a distance. I first used the 20 bus from Guildford to Aldershot around 1988, and was fairly sure I didn't get a close-up view of them, suggested they had gone by this time.


Which direction and how far? The most obvious one is the Old Dean one, near Camberley, which would perhaps be 5-10 miles to the north or northeast.

See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Dean for a photo.

If it's a taller, thinner one it could be Hannington, near Basingstoke, or possibly Bexley Hill, near Midhurst.

Thanks nw1. I’d say it looks like Bagshot Heath, according to that Wiki link you posted. Yes, it probably is in the direction of Camberley . As you said , Old Dean? It look like that style of transmitter, not a thin one.

 

[nw1]

Thanks nw1. I’d say it looks like Bagshot Heath, according to that Wiki link you posted. Yes, it probably is in the direction of Camberley . As you said , Old Dean? It look like that style of transmitter, not a thin one.

No worries! Bagshot Heath is in fact its "proper" name according to the article, I just called it "Old Dean" because that's where it is.

 

[RogerOut]

Think I’ve found the transmitter I was thinking of! You can see it in the distance over Farnborough airport.

Again, I think you can see this view from Caesars Camp, near the Aldershot military training area.
Possibly taken with a zoomed in camera.

Is this the transmitter in Bagshot?

 

[Bald Rick]

View attachment 132170

Think I’ve found the transmitter I was thinking of! You can see it in the distance over Farnborough airport.

Again, I think you can see this view from Caesars Camp, near the Aldershot military training area.
Possibly taken with a zoomed in camera.

Is this the transmitter in Bagshot?

yes, that’s on the Heath. Just north of Camberley.

 

[Altrincham]

I had a trip to Mow Cop yesterday afternoon. This elevated part of south-east Cheshire provides a fabulous panoramic range and yesterday the views were particularly clear to the west and south. The skylines of Manchester and Liverpool were clear, although Manchester being due north wasn't getting the benefit of the backdrop of the western sky being illuminated, so did appear a little hazy.

Plynlimon in the Cambrian Mountains was visible to the naked eye (distance of 80 miles). Snowdon was also visible (78 miles) and Glyder Fach (75 miles), albeit both faint but their distinct shape was evident sitting above the summits of the Clwydian range.

I managed to capture some of the peaks in Powys.

Moel Y Golfa and Rodney’s Pillar to the right:





And to the west (the border of Powys and Denbighshire), Cadair Berwyn and Cadair Bronwen, seen in the centre of the photo:

 

[nw1]

I think that will probably be Boulsworth Hill (1,700 Ft ASL) - the highest point in the South Pennines - but whenever I've been up there it's been too cloudy to see that far.

Had to look that one up. Been close to there (the Pennine Way north of Hebden Bridge) but not actually to the summit.

Incidentally would (the higher) Kinder Scout, Bleaklow and Black Hill not count as the South Pennines? I've always wondered where the Pennines actually start: I always thought Kinder Scout definitely was, and even perhaps the aforementioned Mow Cop.

 

[D6130]

Incidentally would (the higher) Kinder Scout, Bleaklow and Black Hill not count as the South Pennines?

While they are in the Southern part of the Pennines, the Pennines are divided into a series of distinct geographical areas based either on the geology of the area and/or the natural boundaries provided by the major river valleys. The above-mentioned hills are considered to be in the 'Dark Peak' (i.e. consisting of millstone grit), while to the South is the 'White Peak' (consisting of magnesian limestone). The 'South Pennines' are generally considered to be the area South of Airedale/Ribblesdale and North of the Etherow and Don valleys.