Britain from Above

Britain from Above, broadcast on BBC One, Two and Four is a new documentary series, presented by Andrew Marr. Drawing on cutting edge technology and filmed in High Definition, it takes the viewer on an extraordinary journey of our skies, revealing the hidden networks, patterns and rhythms of modern British life.

The accompanying website is a rich resource. You can watch excerpts from the programme as well as several stories that are exclusive to the site. Some of the videos, particularly those that make use of GPS satellite technology and computer imaging, are mesmerising.

There is also beautiful photography of coastline, farmland and metropolis, a schedule for the series and a link to Aerial Journeys, a site from the BBC archive. This allows you to watch videos from the last sixty years, tracing the development and culture of Britain as seen from above. There are all sorts of delights here, from a 1986 QED documentary whizzing round the British coastline to a 1950 news report on the very first live filming from the air.