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By Alex, June 15, 2012 11:00 am

Hot air ballooning has always been an attractive pastime for thrill seekers. Little can beat the rush of drifting freely on the wind in a balloon. But, as well as being a great thrill, riding in hot air balloons can provide an entirely new way to experience our beautiful country. Seeing some of Britain’s most iconic and beautiful landmarks from the skies can be an unforgettable experience. Virgin Balloon Flights take off from over 100 sites around the UK, so there will be a chance to get involved with this wonderful pastime somewhere near you.

Hot air ballooning is an extremely traditional way to travel. They cannot be steered or directed; they merely drift in the direction of the breeze. What you see on your flight will be a surprise to everyone on board. When taking off from one of Virgin Balloon Flight’s sites, here are some of the sights you could experience:

Scotland
Virgin Balloon Flights have a number of take-off sites in Scotland, all of which will give you a chance to experience the unmatchable Scottish landscape. You could choose to take off from beautiful Glamis Castle near Dundee, home of the Earl and Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne. The castle is a category A listed building, and is known for its beautiful gardens. From above, you could see this stunning estate in all its glory.

In Scotland, you could also take off from Castle Fraser near Aberdeen, the most elaborate Z-plan castle in Scotland. From the air, you could experience beautiful views of the castle’s grounds, which consists of over 300 acres of landscaped gardens, woodland and farmland.

England
Wherever you live in England, there is a Virgin Balloon Flights take-off site near you. If you live in the south, you could opt for balloon flights from Essex. You could take-off from the beautiful Prested Hall. A popular wedding venue, Prested Hall is a grade II listed building set in its own 80-acre park and woodland estate. It’s also a popular nature-watching location. On your balloon flight, you could experience the area’s wildlife in an entirely unique way.

If you live in the north, why not take off from Temple Newsam near Leeds? One of England’s greatest historic estates, the Temple Newsam estate boasts over 1500 acres of grounds, landscaped by the renowned Capability Brown in the 18th Century. If you take your flight in the warmer months, you could experience the beautiful colours from the garden’s collection of Rhododendrons and Azaleas.

Wales
Wales has some of the world’s most majestic countryside, and what better way to experience it than from the skies? Taking off from Raglan Castle in South Wales, you could take in its beautiful medieval architecture, along with the surrounding parkland, water gardens and terraces. Depending on the direction of the wind, you could drift over the nearby market town of Monmouth of see the 13th Century bridge over the River Monmow.

Wherever you choose to take your hot air balloon flight from, you will be sure to have an unforgettable experience and take in some unbelievable views.

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By Eve, December 12, 2011 5:18 pm

The number of hot air ballooning photos shared with us this season was higher than ever.  Not only did we see lots and lots but the standard and quality of those images was fantastic too.  So a huge thank you to everyone who shared their amazing images with us!

Receiving a massive 21.5% of overall votes to secure pole position in the Virgin Balloon Flights Annual Photo Competition 2011 was the breath-takingly atmospheric image taken over Longstanton in Cambridgeshire by Sam Tolley.

Sam Tolley's winning image: 1-10 Misty Morning

‘Misty Morning’ also won best in category securing a huge 29.4% of all the votes in Category 1 – Views from the Basket. Well done Sam; you’ve won a £125 Virgin Experience Days Gift Card for your category and overall win!

Sam shared ‘Misty Morning’ with us on the Virgin Balloon Flights Facebook page on 15th October 2011 and we thought it was pretty amazing back then – looks like we weren’t the only ones to think so.

The photo was taken on a morning flight departing from our Cambridge Golf Club (Longstanton) launch site as Sam was looking in an easterly direction whilst about a third of the way through his flight.

You can purchase a flight voucher to fly from Longstanton and appreciate these amazing views that Sam so spectacularly captured, from as little as £89! You can even receive 20% off a round of golf on us!

Runner Up Winners

Huge congratulations also go to our category winners who each win a £25 Virgin Experience Days Gift Card!

Category 1 – Views from the Basket Winner = Misty Morning by Sam Tolley

Category 2 – People and Balloons Winner = Inside the Balloon by John Wells

2-2 Inside the Balloon by John Wells

Category 3 – Images of Balloons Winner = In Essex by Danyelle Motley

3-3 In Essex by Danyelle Motley

Category 4 – The Mechanics of Ballooning Winner = Inflating the Balloon by Helen Lehan

4-3 Inflating the Balloon by Helen Lehan

Each flying season (March – November) we hold a Photo Competition so if you have any ballooning images (of Virgin balloons) that you would like to share, you can find out more here.

Well done to everyone who took part this season and we very much look forward to next year’s competition submissions.

To find out more about hot air ballooning with Virgin Balloon Flights including what to look forward to on the day of your flight visit our website virginballoonflights.co.uk.

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By Kirsty, July 6, 2010 12:43 pm

As Tony Ward’s 70^th birthday approached, his daughters Lisa and Debbie thought a balloon ride with Virgin Balloon Flights would be the perfect gift to celebrate in style at 3000 feet

Lisa (left) Tony & Debbie Ward celebrating with VBF

in the air!

Lisa (left), 42 from Scarborough and sister Debbie, 40 from Riccall, arranged the hot air balloon flight to take place from York Racecourse with pilot Martin collinson on Saturday 3^rd of July, 2010. The early morning flight rose blissfully above York allowing the Ward family to see both deer in the woods and York city from the sky.

“The flight was one of the best things we have ever done. It was absolutely perfect and the weather conditions were perfect too, as were all the team we met.” said Lisa

“The whole experience will stay as a memory forever, including inflating and deflating the balloon and putting the balloon away – it was all really good fun!” she added.

Pilot Martin, said it was great to have the Ward family on board celebrating Tony’s birthday. He gave a special mention to Lisa for her efforts in packing away the balloon and said Tony cracked a great joke ….

“The trouble with age is that you lose three things. First your memory and the other two I can’t remember!”

Happy birthday Tony from all of us here at Virgin Balloon Flights!

If you’re looking to purchase balloon flight vouchers as a gift simply visit our website virginballoonflights.co.uk or call 01952 212 750.

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By Kirsty, March 3, 2010 12:50 pm

For most of us, from the moment we’re born, there is one woman that answers to our every need, she feeds us when we’re hungry, clothes us when we’re cold and wipes our tears when we cry…

How do we repay her?

If you’re looking for an amazing Mother’s Day gift, make a great gesture this year and give your Mum the gift of a lifetime; a champagne balloon ride from Virgin Balloon Flights is the perfect way to show her how much you care.

Mum’s adventure includes a three to four hour experience with one hour’s flying time and a traditional champagne toast when she receives her flight certificate signed by Sir Richard Branson and her pilot.  Alternatively, you can treat your lovely Mum to a stylish ‘Celebration package’ which includes Virgin goodies and an engraved crystal champagne flute.

Go on, make Mum smile J