Photographer Jason Hawkes revels in the British countryside and cityscapes
All eyes are on the UK this summer with the Diamond Jubilee and London 2012 Olympics, but Jason Hawkes' collection of images show our country from a whole new angle.
Since taking his first flying lesson 20 years ago he has developed a real love of Britain from the skies.
And now a selection of his pictures are featured in a new book Britain From Above, giving a bird's eye view of the UK through the seasons.
Jason says: "Britain is a stunning country to photograph - the topography is so varied.
"In just a morning's flight you can go from busy town and cities to tiny rural villages, from rugged mountain scenery to the flattest broads, and from meandering inland waterways to remote coastlines.
"And as for the history and heritage - it's surely one of the richest landscapes in the world for ancient monuments and magnificent architecture, both old and new.
"It's a thrilling place to discover on foot, but perhaps all the more intriguing from the air."
We have picked 10 of our favourite images from Jason's collection...
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Underwater camera
They almost look like tilled fields - but it is the scene of devastation after the Ouse burst its banks in Yorkshire.
Jason admits: "I came across this scene on my way to a job for a client. Of course I spent far more time photographing these flooded fields in Yorkshire than I did on the assignment."
Meccano gone wild
From this height the Forth railway bridge height looks like a child had a fight with his Meccano set - and won. A throwback to the Industrial Revolution, the Forth railway bridge has managed to stand the tides of time. It has been transporting trains across the Firth of Forth for more than 100 years.
Jason says: "With its huge open skies, stunning landscapes and spectacular lochs, Scotland is a treasure trove of glorious aerial views. Pictured like this, the Firth of Forth takes your breath away."
Ssshhh!
Manchester's Central Library may not be the first to come to mind when talking about iconic landmarks in a City home to two of the biggest football teams in the world. But this image of the library jumps off the page and forces you to admire the Roman inspired architecture.
Feeling blue
A normal flax field lined by tractor tracks is completely transformed in this bird's eye shot and shows nature in full, vivid colour.
Jason says: "Nature never ceases to amaze me with the incredible colours it conjures up. The vibrant blue of this peaceful sea of flax almost glows."
Playschool
Looking like a children's jumble of toy vehicles, the colours in this double-decker bus park jump out.
Jason recalls: "Tucked behind a railway station, these slabs of colour immediately caught my eye. On closer inspection I realised they were 50 or 60 double decker buses.
"I've since discovered this is a storage yard for a bus export company and the Spice Girls tour bus is now a mobile disco in Canada."
A-mazing (sorry)
Longleat maze is the largest in Britain - and its full intimidating scale is visible in this image from above.
Jason says: "From up here it just looks like a page in a puzzle book. It's a different tale on the ground, with six bridges in case you get lost!"
Remember this?
The Glenfinnan Viaduct is an an incredible piece of British engineering. Initially famous as the UK's largest concrete viaduct you may also remember seeing it in a little known series of films featuring a certain Harry Potter.
The Only Way Is Essex
You won't find any snaps of Arg and the gang in these pictures. The stunning shot shows a more natural side of Essex, which boasts one of the most beautiful coastlines in the UK and is affectionately known as the Sunshine Coast.
Jason says: "It was views like this, of the Essex marshes with its maze of inlets, that first inspired me to take up aerial photography for a living. The large red boat is the Trinity lightship, which spent its working life warning shipping of the presence of sandbanks off the coast of Wales and was retired here in 1988."
Bizzare balls
This view of Menwith Hill can easily be mistaken as a crazy-golf course gone, well, um, crazy. It is actually the largest electronic monitoring station in the world, located in the Yorkshire Moors.
Jason says: "Because of its military sensitivity they don't like you to fly directly above it, even though it's on Google Earth."
Round table
The undulations of Glastonbury Tor are the setting for an array of myths and legends. Some believe it is the final resting place of King Arthur, while it has also been believed to be the entrance to Avalon and has associations with the Holy Grail.
Jason says: "The long shadow cast across its terraces by the ruins of St Michael's Church only adds to its timeless, mystical qualities."
- Britain From Above by Jason Hawkes, published by DK priced £20.00, is out now. It is also available as a Multi-Touch ebook for iPad. Find out more at www.dk.com/britain
