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By Rob, April 26, 2013 12:20 pm

Given the recent ‘Great’ British weather, it’s not everyday that holidaymakers at beautiful Offenham Holiday Park in the Vale of Evesham have something bright in the sky. However, last week those enjoying Evesham’s green surroundings had the pleasure of the shining sun and a bright red Virgin balloon above them.

Last Saturday Virgin Balloon Flights pilot Russell Collins flew north east from Evesham’s Crown Meadow taking in the sights of the River Avon including Offenham Park where holidaymakers got a close-up view of the balloon in flight; waves were exchanged and many a photo taken. We would like to thank Vernon Lloyd for sending in these fantastic photo’s.

“We had a beautiful flight out of Evesham, flying over the river Avon. We were waving and everyone was taking lots of photo’s. I even called down that they should send them in to Virgin Balloon flights and lo and behold they have, excellent!” – Pilot Russell Collins

To find out more about Virgin Balloon Flights from Evesham or any of our other sites across the UK please visit www.virginballoonflights.co.uk or call 0844 844 8080.

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By Kirsty, March 25, 2013 1:24 pm

Our lovely pilot Russell Collins took 12 passengers on a true airborne adventure from Shipston-on-Stour recently as they spotted a lost 15^th century village from the sky!

Taking off from our Shipston-On-Stour Sports Club launch site at around 4pm, our happy passengers were enjoying their flight over the rolling countryside when Russell drew their attention to a intriguing land formation below.

The outlines of the village, known as ‘Middle Ditchford’, near the Fosse Way, were so clear passengers could make out all manner of things including the outlines of streets, a village green and the medieval ridge and furrows from old farming techniques.  They were also able to make out the old church remains and village pond.

The village was abandoned in the 1500’s following a period of economic decline in cereal production when sheep farming became economically preferable to the landowners and required fewer people.

“I had read about it and seen a picture in a book called ‘England –The Mini Book of Aerial Views’, but I had never previously seen it for myself even though I have conducted many flights in the area,” said Russell.

“Everybody was interested in it, pointing out the features we could see, taking pictures and we knew we had seen a something special. It was as if our balloon flight had gifted us with this privileged view and the light at that moment set it off beautifully,” he added.

How about it, a spot of archaeology on a Virgin Balloon Flight! Fancy flying from Shipston-on-Stour too? Balloon flights in Warwickshire are available from £79pp via the website at www.virginballoonflights.co.uk or on 0844 844 8080.

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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.

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By Jade, December 19, 2012 4:54 pm

We are pleased to announce the winner of our 2012 photo competition. This year we’ve had some amazing entries and it’s been extremely difficult to choose the best. Our judge, photographer Nicola Ferguson from Daffodil Waves Photography, used her professional eye to select three very deserving winners.

In third place is Martin Chamberlain. Nicola said: ‘I would hang this picture on my wall. There’s something very haunting about it but in a good way.

In second place is, Gemma Evans. Nicola chose this because she ‘loves the bright colours and the composition.’

And the winner is…

Congratulations Kate Williams! Nicola said: ‘This image makes me want to dream. I love the relaxing feeling it gives.’

All winners will be contacted via facebook, twitter or e-mail depending on how you submitted your entry. Runners up will receive a £50 Virgin Experience Days gift card and the winner will receive £100 Virgin Experience Days gift card.

Congratulations to all three winners and a big thank for all of your entries. We’ve enjoyed every bit of this season and we look forward to doing it all again next year!

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By Jade, December 13, 2012 4:21 pm

This year as well as holding our annual photo competition for passengers and members of public soon to be judged, our pilots and crew have been sending us their snaps too. Nicola Ferguson from Daffodil Waves Photography kindly judged the entries and chose the final winner, but first here is a look at some of the fantastic runners up…

And the winner is…

By crew member Neil Marshall: ‘Sunrise flight from Witton Castle, County Durham’.

Nicola chose this brilliant snap because of the unusual light and retro feel of the photo. A big well done to Neil for your winning snapshot!

Thanks to all the Virgin Balloon Flights pilots and crew for sending us your photos, they are all brilliant. Thanks also for your hard work this year – looking forward to the next!

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By Jade, November 12, 2012 1:49 pm

Martin Chamberlain joined us for an airborne adventure from  Wadhurst, Kent, and having won the hot air balloon ride over Kent through a photographic competition (sponsored by Canon), it’s no wonder he captured some amazing shots of the views below the basket.

Martin told us about his flight:

We passed over Hever Castle and we also got a good view of the mist over Bewel Water – the largest lake in Kent. For me, the most interesting thing was seeing the mist sitting in the low lying areas and the sun casting long long shadows onto the mist. As a keen photographer, it was also fascinating to get a unique perspective on everyday objects like the horses in the photos which are only distinguishable by their shadows; or the tree viewed from directly above.

We asked Martin if he would like to fly again and he told us,

I would do another flight, but I’d also like to take my wife and son so that they can get the same experience. I thought long and hard about which would be the best location in the UK to do the flight from, but in the end, I went with the closest location to my house. I would definitely do a morning flight again, despite the time I had to get up, and the freezing cold motorbike journey I had down into Kent, it was well worth it for the early morning misty views.

Martin praised pilot Damon Bridger and his crew:

They were very professional, very experienced and very obliging. When I said ‘Could you just turn the balloon around please so I can get a photo of ……!’, he was able to do so. I was absolutely amazed with the landing spot he picked; after flying over miles of open countryside we landed perfectly in a park in the town of Edenbridge. The recovery vehicle turned up a minute later!

If you want to experience a balloon ride over Kent, you can climb on board with us now for as little as £89 or you choose from the other  100 + launch sites across the UK. Simply visit our website or call us in the office on 0844 844 8080.

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By Jade, November 5, 2012 7:01 pm

Calling all happy snappers! Each hot air ballooning season (March-November) here at Virgin Balloon Flights we hold a photo competition for passengers and members of the public who capture our balloons in all their beauty.

This year the winner of the best photo prize will receive a £100 Virgin Experience Days gift card but you’ll have to be quick as the closing date for entries is November 30th.

To see the winning photos from our 2011 Photo Competition please visit here: 2011 Annual Photo Competition Winners.

Here are some of the fantastic entries we’ve received so far.

How do I enter?

To enter, simply share your memorable moments on Facebook by uploading your files to our Wall. Alternatively you could share your images on Twitter (you must include @VirginBalloons so that we can see your tweet) or your preferred online image uploader or via email(marketing@virginballoonflights.co.uk). Good luck!

View terms & conditions here

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By Jade, October 9, 2012 2:08 pm

Hot air balloon flights in the UK usually take place shortly after sunrise and around two hours before sunset as this is when the wind conditions and air temperatures are most stable.

One of the questions we get asked the most is ‘What’s better, the sunrise or the sunset flight?’. As with anything, there are particular advantages with each and it comes down to personal preference. As our experienced pilots have the opportunity to regularly experience both, we asked our Norfolk and Suffolk pilot, Robert Keron, what he thought:

From a pilots point of view whether you fly early in the morning or early evening both flights are of good quality. From my personal view, the early morning sunrise flights without any doubt do have the ‘edge’. Surface wind is normally very calm, making the inflation and launch an even more gentle and serene experience. Another bonus is that getting to launch site is always easier with little traffic on the road!

One lucky passenger who has had the opportunity to experience both dusk and dawn flights, Ami Jarvis, shared her opinion:

The first flight I did was an evening one over Shrewsbury, nearby where I live. I absolutely loved it, especially as it was my first flight and I flew over areas that were familiar to me. The second flight I booked was a morning from Yorkshire and as I am not a morning person at all, the thought of getting up at 6am to travel was not appealing but boy was it worth it! It was the most amazing feeling seeing the city below waking up on a lovely, crisp, fresh October morning! Worth the early start for such a beautiful experience.

For the keen photographer, the sunrise flight is definitely the best in one way as you are in an environment of lifting light when the sun comes up, so the definition is much better. On the other hand, the evening flight presents a chance to see the beautiful sunset, perhaps more mesmerising than sunrise with the intense orange and red colours of the sun filling the sky. Budding Shropshire photographer Ben Heathcote told us:

The evening was so clear that it felt like we could see for miles over the Shropshire hills. As the pilot came in to land, the sun was low and bright in the sky so it created a beautiful pinky orange haze over the landscape. The whole atmosphere was wonderful!

Whatever flight you chose, you will not be disappointed. An early morning flight rising with the sun, experiencing an adventure before many have awoken or flying whilst the sun fades, what a perfect way to end the day, with a relaxing hot air balloon ride.

Whether you choose sunrise or sunset, don’t hesitate to climb on board with us now. You can fly for as little as £89 and there are over 100 launch sites to choose from. Simply visit our website or call us in the office on 0844 844 8080.

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By Jade, July 13, 2012 12:08 pm

Here at Virgin Balloon flights we teamed up with Daffodil Waves Photography to offer one loved-up couple the chance to win a photo shoot in skies on board one of our balloons.

The competition asked couples for their proposal story and a picture from their engagement. The lucky winners were Zoe Westerman and Richard Griffiths from Sully in Cardiff. Their fantastic photo showed Richard’s proposal to unsuspecting Zoe on top of the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

“It happened on Christmas day. It was all a complete surprise to me, my amazing fiancé had arranged it all in secret, and he even asked my dad’s permission without me knowing. I have always dreamt of going up in a hot air balloon, however, it is something I have never got around to organizing. This is the perfect surprise prize for my other half, after all the great surprises he has organised for me over the last 12 months!”

On the peaceful evening of 25^th June,  Zoe and Richard took to the skies from Berrington Hall in Herefordshire. Their shoot began on the ground in the beautiful surrounding gardens; photographer Nicola (Daffodil Waves Photography) captured the their excitement with some action shots of the pair together pre-flight. Richard got stuck in straight away, helping to unpack the balloon before taking a step back to enjoy the magnificent inflation.

Zoe and Richard told us their favourite part of the flight was the take-off and landing. “It wasn’t what we expected as it didn’t really feel like we were off the ground until we peered over the basket to realise we were mid-air!” Floating in the skies, they were relaxed as ever, looking out the basket to the superb sites below. The soon-to-wed couple said their pilot Des Bimson was very knowledgeable and they were impressed with the seamless landing just south of Leysters.

Pilot Des Bimson shared his views on the flight.

It was a beautiful evening, the visibility was excellent which meant that the view at 3000ft was stunning. The light winds meant that we exited the grounds of Berrington Hall at a very slow pace, giving the passengers a good chance to take in the views of its beautiful grounds. Initially, we travelled towards the south west however due to the variable direction of the wind, we ended up flying East over the scenic village of Kimbolton. The Zoe and Richard were great and all in all it was a perfect flight.

The couple who are set to wed next year said they would definitely do another balloon flight and next time would love to try a different location. We wish you all the best for the future and we will hopefully see you up in the air again soon!

Climb on board with us from as little as £89pp, visit our website or call us in the office on 0844 844 8080 to book now.