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By Rob, May 24, 2013 2:50 pm

With five hundred acres of glorious countryside on offer we’ve found another fantastic launch site for  Virgin Balloon Flights combining beautiful scenery with a sense of history at Coombe  Country Park.

A truly beautiful setting with extensive parkland, formal gardens and tranquil lake mean this will quickly become one of our most popular launch sites.

Balloon rides from the former Cistercian Abbey, built in the 12^th Century, will let you explore all over the heartland of Warwickshire from the bustling city of Coventry to the ruins of the home of Robert Dudley, the great love of Queen Elizabeth I.

Our lovely pilot Russell Collins will be taking passengers to the skies in his 12-man Virgin hot air balloon and pointing out all sorts of landmarks on the way.

“We should be able to see back across to Birmingham and see all the tall buildings and then across to Northamptonshire and all of south Warwickshire and across the whole of the Midlands plain and north to the Cotswolds and then the Malvern Hills in Worcestershire.

“It all just depends which way you look,” he said. “Coombe Country Park offers a very grand start to our balloon rides and it will be a fantastic experience.”

And of course you can relax at the four star Coombe Abbey Hotel after your flight or enjoy the hospitality of the Heron’s Cafe at the park visitor centre. Afternoon tea anyone?

Fancy a ride from our latest Virgin Balloon launch site?

Hot air balloon rides from Coombe Country Park start from as little as £99 per person. Simply visit our website or give us a call on 0844 8448070.

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By Rob, May 2, 2013 2:49 pm

We’ve got plenty of sunshine at our Shropshire HQ at the moment and it seems our flyers have been enjoying the fine weather too.

On Saturday 20th April pilot Gavin Chadwick flew thirteen passengers from historic Berrington Hall in Herefordshire and lucky for us he got a few photographs from the flight.

If you can’t think of anything better than sipping Champagne after a balloon flight at Berrington Hall, Herefordshire or any of our other 100+ sites across the UK please visit us at www.virginballoonflights.co.uk or call 0844 844 8080

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By Kirsty, April 8, 2013 9:59 am

It’s not uncommon to celebrate a birthday with balloons, but Jessica Bill celebrated her 24^th aboard a 100 foot tall hot air balloon floating 3000 feet up in the sky.

Jess and boyfriend of two years, Nick Crosby, 29, from Gamston, took to the skies from Stoke Rochford Hall, in Grantham, Lincolnshire, in an iconic red Virgin balloon last week.

The sunrise voyage marked the achievement of a lifetime ambition for the couple, who bought the balloon ride vouchers for their first anniversary.

“We’ve both always wanted to go on a balloon flight. Everyone was great and really looked after us and, even though we met up at 6am on a freezing cold morning, they we really upbeat and fun. When we told them it was Jess’ birthday they all started singing happy birthday to her, the rest of the passengers joined in too,” said Nick.

Jess added: “My favourite bit was the views, they were amazing and something I’ll never forget. The champagne toast after we landed was great too.”

Travelling around eight miles to the east during the hour-long flight, the balloon landed land near Belvoir Castle before experienced pilot Martin Collinson presented Jess and Nick with their personalised flight certificates.

Martin, 46 from Grantham said “It was great to have Jessica and Nick on board, there’s something special about singing happy birthday in the open air over the countryside, it’s magical! After the snow we’ve had, a beautiful clear balloon ride was a special way to celebrate her day; I’m delighted they enjoyed it.”

The couple, who are due to be married in August next year, said they were now keen to experience another balloon ride as part of their honeymoon.

Balloon flights are available from sites across the UK including Nottingham from £99pp via www.virginballoonflights.co.uk or on 0844 844 8080.

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By Kirsty, March 27, 2013 1:01 pm

At the beginning of this year we announced a brand new hot air balloon launch site for Doncaster at Cusworth Hall. Well, it would seem our lovely passengers are keen to experience the city and surrounding area from the sky, so we’ve added another new site for Yorkshire folk, or those further afield, to fly from!

You can now book a flight with pilot Chris Oxby from the beautiful Best Western Mount Pleasant Hotel. The charming AA 4 star hotel is set in 100 acres of woodland that homes courtyards, fountains and even its own stream. Balloon rides from Mount Pleasant let you explore the south side of Doncaster from a totally unique perspective offering a mixture of suburban chimney tops and countryside woodland.

The hotel is a family affair and has been owned by the McIlroys for three generations since 1938. Priding itself on a personal approach, the hotel will deliver the perfect spot for starting your airborne adventure in Doncaster.

Richard Tyas, General Manager of the hotel, said: “We’re very much forward to working with Virgin Balloon Flights and adding to our unique offering at Mount Pleasant as a hot air balloon launch site.”

Fancy giving the gift of flight? Hot air balloon rides from Doncaster start from as little as £79 per person, simply call 0844 844 8070 or visit our website.

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By Kirsty, March 22, 2013 4:25 pm

Our hot air balloon flights over the Kentish countryside are extremely popular and ballooning over Kent gives you a totally unique perspective of the beautiful southern landscape from the sky. We’re proud to present yet another new launch site for the 2013 flying season here at Virgin Balloon Flights; Oakwood House, Maidstone.

Oakwood House, a beautiful 19^th Century Victorian mansion is directly adjacent to the launch site and sets the scene for those wanting to escape to the skies on an airborne adventure in one of our iconic red hot air balloons in the south east of England.

As you rise from the grounds of Oakwood Park, pilot Damon Bridger will point out your surroundings while you glide above the landscape taking in the greenery, villages and towns below.

Sue Rackliffe, Sales Manager at Oakwood House said “We are thrilled that Virgin Balloons have chosen the parkland here as their latest launch site and we look forward to welcoming those who will be enjoying this amazing experience”

 

What’s more, post flight you can re-call your ballooning exploration over lunch, afternoon tea or a delicious dinner in the conservatory style Courtyard Bar – perfect!

If you’d like to join us on a Virgin Balloon Flight in Kent from just £79pp simply visit our website or give us a call on 0844 8448070.

See you in the sky.

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By Kirsty, March 19, 2013 2:15 pm

Spring has sprung and we hereby announce another lovely launch site in the ‘Garden of England’ for Virgin Balloon Flights!

Pilot Damon Bridger will soon be whisking passengers away from the the city of Canterbury at St John’s Church of England Primary School, Northgate.

Added to our impressive list of Kent launch sites just this morning, Canterbury boast sights which are just as special as the rest. There’s so much to enjoy below the basket of your hot air balloon over this gorgeous Cathedral City, but what would you most like to see; the city walls and gates, St Augustine’s Abbey, Canterbury Castle, the River Stour or Kings School?

Whatever you spot from the basket, be sure to take your camera and capture this totally unique perspective of the Kentish countryside. You’ll experience around an hour’s flight, a Champagne toast and receive a certificate endorsed by Sir Richard Branson to mark the occasion. The perfect Spring day out.

What’s more, to take a balloon ride over Kent, prices start from just £79pp with regional sunrise flights (weekday morning). Fancy giving the gift of flight? Simply call 0844 8448070 or visit our main website to see all our balloon flight options.

See you in the sky over Canterbury!

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By Rob, March 4, 2013 12:33 pm

As the British ballooning season gets into full swing and our Virgin hot air balloons rise in the glorious spring sunshine, a quiet corner of Gloucestershire will roar into life as National Hunt Racing’s showpiece the Cheltenham Festival prepares to crown the sport’s new champions.

For race-goers the atmosphere at the event – which hosts the famous Gold Cup – is electric and the experience unforgettable; most will tell you nothing comes close, but at Virgin Balloon Flights we take a slightly different view, more specifically one from a few hundred feet up in the air.

Virgin balloon takes off from York racecourse

We love Britain’s historic and beautiful racecourses (mainly because they are great to take-off from!) and we’re very pleased to be able to offer the magic of the stunning arena that is Cheltenham Racecourse as a launch site. Flying from here offers magnificent views of Prestbury Park, the rolling hills of the Cotswolds and Gloucestershire’s green and pleasant landscape.

Cheltenham offers a chance to see from the sky the course that has crowned Champion’s such as Kauto Star, Long Run and Big Bucks is an experience not to be forgotten; a truly unique flight that will literally give a whole new perspective on the sport of kings.

A balloon flight from a famous racecourse makes for the perfect gift for any fan of horse racing. For the Frankel fan, why not re-live his historic 2012 International Stakes win with a flight from York Racecourse or for those looking for an urban twist try flying from Worcester’s city centre racecourse.

We also offer a variety of other race course launch site’s including Staffordshire’s Uttoxeter Racecourse, Nottingham’s central racecourse and Kelso in the Scottish Borders.

So, if you’re one of the 200,000 heading to Cheltenham this March or amongst the 6,000,000 who go racing every year, why not consider taking a different view of these historic sporting arenas by hot air balloon. Have a look at our balloon flight vouchers.

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By Kirsty, February 8, 2013 6:22 pm

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, what better time to announce another one of our brand new Virgin Balloon Flights launch sites for 2013, the renowned village of Gretna Green. Just over the Anglo-Scottish border, Gretna Green has been famous for runaway weddings since 1754 and now loved-up couples can enjoy one of the world’s most romantic forms of aviation there too; a hot air balloon ride with our lovely pilot Peter Philpot.

What better way to enjoy the Scottish countryside with a loved one than gliding through the air in an iconic Virgin red balloon watching the world turn below the basket?! Post flight find out why Gretna Green is so aluring to those in love, touch the famous anvil and see where starry-eyed couples exchange their vows. Maybe it’s your turn to tie the knot? After all a hot air balloon proposal is a the perfect way to pop the question in the clouds.

Give the gift of flight this Valentine’s Day and take to the skies from Gretna Green from as little as £115pp. You can make that romantic moment even more special with a ‘Love is in the air’ balloon in a box too.

Simply visit virginballoonflights.co.uk or call 0844 8448080.

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By Kirsty, February 6, 2013 2:19 pm

For as long as 60-year-old photographer Steve Bramall could remember his wife Julie had wanted to fly in a hot air balloon. Making her dreams a reality, Steve bought Julie a Virgin Balloon Flight as a Christmas gift.

The father of two, known as the ‘Grumps’ to his four ‘Grumpling’ grandchildren, got in touch to tell us about the Nottingham couple’s airborne adventure on a balloon ride over Derbyshire and to share the moments he brilliantly captured on camera. Here is his story…

“I chose Virgin because they are a known brand so I knew we would be safe and due to the choice of launch sites. The website gave me all the information I needed about the various voucher choices and what to expect on the day. The icing on the cake for me was when I booked the tickets they arranged for them to be delivered to my daughter’s house in a plain envelope so not to spoil the surprise.

The flight was only one third of the experience; it starts by helping get the balloon ready to launch which my wife found great fun. The day was perfect, crisp and bright with a low lying mist so right from the moment the pilot gave the OK to stand up the views were stunning. To be truthful I don’t think any of my photographs could do it justice. I don’t know why but it seemed like everyone in the basket felt the need to talk only when strictly necessary, and then in hushed tones. The pilot told us where we were flying over, the height and other snippets of information at intervals throughout the flight. We flew over the Derbyshire countryside from Bakewell, towards Rowsley then out across Darley Moor towards Brockhurst. It was absolutely fantastic, the morning sun rising up and the low lying mist acting as veil over the landscape.

We had expected it to be cold during the flight and had dressed accordingly but once were off and away it was quite warm. The pilot explained that this phenomenon was due to us going at the same speed as the wind and therefore there was no wind chill, guess we all learnt something too. We flew towards the M1 with our pilot looking for a suitable landing place and everyone else hoping he would not find one for another 10 minutes, and then another 10 minutes! Eventually a suitable spot was found and we landing nice and gently, and upright, in the grounds of Hardwick Hall.”

When asked what his favourite part of the experience was Steve explained that simply watching his wife Julie enjoy the day was by far the best. Closely following Julies enjoyment, Steve relished in the stunning views, peace and serenity of the flight.

Steve has been taking photographs, mainly of landscapes, for the last 30 years and is unfortunately considering retirement due to health reasons. All his photographs, including those from the balloon flight with Virgin are available to purchase as prints or publication rights on his website www.bramall.org.uk , if you’d like to contact Steve, feel free to fill out the contact form on his website.

To take to the skies above Derbyshire, simply visit virginballoonflights.co.uk or call us on 0844 8448080 for East Midland Virgin Balloon Flight vouchers from just £79pp.