Take to the skies on a Herefordshire hot air balloon ride and experience an airborne adventure like no other. If you’re after stunning countryside, quaint market towns and a more leisurely pace of life, Herefordshire can offer this and more.
We have 2 launch sites in this county, both in the expert hands of our award winning pilot Lindsay Muir. She has been flying since the late 1980’s, has amassed a wealth of knowledge about ballooning and has competed in numerous World and European Championships.
Let’s take a look at each of these launch sites and see what they have to offer.
Hereford
First up is our Hereford launch site where you launch from the Hereford Racecourse on the outskirts of the city. As you drift up, up and away, take in the views of the medieval buildings built around the River Wye and be on the lookout for the gothic Hereford Cathedral. This beautiful building is home to both a stunning world-famous chained medieval library and the Mappa Mundi, a 13th century map of the known world.
Composer Edward Elgar lived in Hereford in the early 1900s, where he composed some of his more famous works. See if you can spot his commemorative statue near the cathedral as you begin your Hereford balloon ride.
On a clear day, views from your Hereford hot air balloon ride could stretch as far as the Welsh Mountains to the west and the Forest of Dean to the south.
An easterly wind takes you towards Ledbury and the potential for views as far as the Malvern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Hereford boasts a host of visitor attractions for you to really make a day of it. The Cider Museum celebrates the history of the county’s most famous beverage.
Whichever way the wind takes you, a Herefordshire hot air balloon ride with Virgin Balloon Flights is a flying experience you will never forget.
Berrington Hall
To appreciate glorious sweeping views to the Brecon Beacons in Wales, why not select our Berrington Hall site for your hot air balloon ride?
To the west of Hereford and near Leominster, Berrington Hall is a late Georgian house and National Trust property. This elegant neoclassical building was designed by Henry Holland in 1778-81 and its wonderful park land was landscaped by Lancelot “Capability” Brown; his last landscape design. Why not make a pit-stop in the tea rooms for refreshments after your balloon flight?
Wind willing, you could see the roof tops of Leominster, a historic market town with examples of fine architecture throughout the ages. Set in the heart of the Herefordshire Marches and halfway between Ludlow (Shropshire) and Hereford, it is best known for its medieval black and white buildings and antique shops.
If the wind carried you north, it is likely that you’ll fly over the medieval town of Ludlow with its castle remains and 500 listed buildings, while to the west there are fantastic views of the Black Mountains and to the east, The Malvern Hills.
Herefordshire truly is a beautiful county, our pilot Lindsay and her crew look forward to seeing you in the skies soon.