I can't help on your specific queries Robin but other good aids for landscape photography are
The Photographer's Ephemeris
http://photoephemeris.com/ It gives the direction and time of rise and set for the sun (and the moon) for any day. It is free for PCs and Macs
Bing Maps
http://www.bing.com/maps/?FORM=MMREDR The 'Road' tab on Bing Maps allows you to access the OS map of the area (if you zoom in enough). It is very useful for looking at the detail of an area that could help select a location. It is very handy when combined with the Photograher's Ephemeris.
OS maps - you can get the same level of detail from Bing maps but the area covered by a map is greater and there is IMO something a bit special about paper maps.
Geograph
http://www.geograph.org.uk/ It is a website that is, as it says - 'aims to collect geographically representative photographs and information for every square kilometre of
Great Britain and
Ireland '. The coverage is not total yet but it has photographs of many areas and if you want to get an idea what an area looks like, it is very useful.
If you want to extend your landscapes into star/astro photography -
Stellarium
http://www.stellarium.org/en_GB/ It is free to download and can be set to any lat. and long. Shows the night sky for any day; useful for Milky Way shots.
Heavens Above
http://www.heavens-above.com/ Free registration. It can be set to any lat. and long. and gives details of satellites eg ISS and other astronomical data. At present it has daily updates for comet Lovejoy (and others).
Dave
