Bamburgh Castle is proudly one of Great Britain’s most iconic landmarks and one of its most photographed.
We love to see people sharing their superb images of Bamburgh Castle on print, digital and on social media, but ask that you adhere to our drone policy.
Flying drones from or over Bamburgh Castle’s private land is strictly prohibited without explicit prior permission. This includes Bamburgh Beach, the sand dunes, Castle Green (cricket pitch), our car park and surrounding land, Links Road car park and anywhere within the castle grounds. Bamburgh Castle Estate does not grant permission to take off or land drones from any of these areas, which are privately owned by the Estate.
Drone flights over the Bamburgh Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) are subject to strict restrictions and should not be undertaken without prior approval from both Natural England and Bamburgh Castle Estate, as the landowner. These measures are in place to safeguard the sensitive and protected wildlife that relies on this unique and ecologically significant landscape for feeding, sheltering, and breeding.
There have been repeated incidents of drones being flown dangerously close to the castle building, near windows, and near members of the public, our staff, and residents. This presents serious safety risks and breaches the privacy of those living and working on site. Drones have even crashed into the historic structure, resulting in damage to both the building and the drones.
Under UK law, drone operators must maintain a clear line of sight with their drone at all times. Losing line of sight is illegal and significantly increases the risk of accidents.
Drone pilots wishing to fly over Bamburgh Castle, its grounds, the surrounding coastline, Castle Green, or any land privately owned by the Estate must first apply for permission from Bamburgh Castle Estate. Permission is only granted in exceptional circumstances.
If any drone operators are found to be flying a drone without the relevant permissions and Operators ID, from Bamburgh Castle Estate private land, we are within our rights to prosecute.
Thank you for respecting our policies.
Picture credits: Hannes Becker by permission of Bamburgh Castle Estate and Natural England
