Using houses as visual links
One of the finest visual links you can confidently use to your advantage in determining the angle of the road ahead is buildings.
You will find that the majority of buildings will be facing the road. Do not take this for granted, go out and see it for yourself. You will always find one or two which are at different angles but they are a tiny minority.
Look at the frontage and also the roofs. Check out the chimneys and observe the angle. These are so useful when you are confronted by a brow with the road out of your sight. They will be of better use if you look into the far distance and can plan a course of action in plenty of time.
My advice to riders is to do this exercise in areas you know. This will certainly confirm that buildings are second to none for visual links.
When you ride in areas you are not familiar with you will be able to see that it works brilliantly.