Hot Air Balloon Flights - Launch Sites and General Information
Locations
Balloon flights are available in most areas of the UK. There are about eighty balloon operators in the UK and many of them have multiple launch sites.
The current list of locations and the merchants providing them is:
| Balloon flight locations in the UK |
| Avon |
Bath |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| |
Bristol |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| Berkshire |
Reading |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
| Buckinghamshire |
Milton Keynes |
Y |
|
Y |
|
| Cambridgeshire |
Bury St Edmonds |
|
|
Y |
|
| |
Cambridge |
|
|
|
Y |
| |
Linton |
|
|
|
Y |
| Cheshire |
Chester |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
| |
Nantwich |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
| Cornwall |
Bodmin |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
|
|
Launceston |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| Cumbria |
Keswick |
Y |
|
|
|
| |
Windemere |
|
|
Y |
|
| Derbyshire |
Chatsworth |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
| Devon |
Exeter |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| |
Plymouth |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| Dorset |
Blandford Forum |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| |
Shaftsbury |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| |
Sherborne |
Y |
Y |
|
Y |
| Essex |
Braintree |
Y |
|
Y |
|
| |
Brentwood |
Y |
|
Y |
|
| |
Chelmsford |
Y |
|
Y |
|
| East Sussex |
Uckfield |
|
|
|
Y |
| Gloucestershire |
Bourton on the Water |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
| |
Cirencester |
|
|
Y |
Y |
| |
Cheltenham |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| |
Stow on the Wold |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| |
Stroud |
Y |
|
|
Y |
| Hampshire |
Alton |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
| |
Basingstoke |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| |
Hartley Wintney |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| |
Old Basing |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| |
Popham |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
| |
Winchester |
|
|
|
Y |
| Herefordshire |
Ledbury |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
| Hertfordshire |
Hemel Hempstead |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| |
Stevenage |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| |
Watford |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| Kent |
Leeds Castle |
|
|
Y |
|
| |
Maidstone |
Y |
|
|
Y |
| |
Sevenoaks |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
| |
Tunbridge Wells |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
| Norfolk |
Norwich |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
| |
Snetterton |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
| Northamptonshire |
Northampton |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
| Oxfordshire |
Banbury |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| |
Oxford |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| Shropshire |
Whitchurch |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
| Somerset |
Castle Carey |
|
|
Y |
|
| |
Taunton |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| |
Wincanton |
Y |
Y |
|
Y |
| |
Yeovil |
Y |
Y |
|
Y |
| Staffordshire |
Stafford |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
| Suffolk
|
Bury St Edmunds |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
| |
Eye |
|
|
Y |
Y |
| |
Ipswich |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
| Surrey |
Farnham |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
| |
Godalming |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
| |
Guildford |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
| Sussex |
Uckfield |
Y |
|
Y |
|
| Warwickshire |
Coventry |
Y |
Y |
|
|
| |
Stratford Upon Avon |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
| |
Warwick |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| Wiltshire |
Salisbury |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| |
Swindon |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
| Worcestershire |
Evesham |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
| |
Worcester |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
| Yorkshire |
Beverley |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
| |
Conisborough Castle |
|
|
Y |
Y |
| |
Doncaster |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
| |
Knaresborough |
|
|
Y |
|
| |
York |
Y |
|
Y |
Y |
| Scotland |
Edinburgh/Lothian |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| |
Kinross |
|
Y |
|
|
| Wales |
Tintern |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| |
Usk Valley |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| |
Wye Valley |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Who offers balloon flights?
We have four merchants offering these balloon flights, Activity Gifts, Days to Amaze, Virgin and Buy a Gift.
All are large reputable firms, and all use much the same balloon flight centres. These are all major players in
the gift experience market so we would not recommend any one over the others. However they all offer variations on the theme
so check them all out before booking. Some prices are shown on the right of this page, but you can click here for the
full list of balloon flight prices.
Clothing
Hot air balloon flights are like any other outdoor activity in that you should dress
sensibly and appropriately for the time of year. You should always take a sweater or waterproof as
it can be somewhat exposed in the basket of the balloon, and as you will be climbing in
and out of the basket and standing during the flight sensible shoes are a must.
If it's a hot day then a hat and suncream are also a good idea. Balloons can be windy so trousers are
generally preferable to skirts. Don't forget to take a camera and binoculars.
Restrictions
Restrictions vary, but in general you must be tall enough to see out of the basket and be in good general health. Pregnant
women and those with serious medical conditions will not be allowed to fly. Some flight centres will allow children under 16,
others will not. As with any form of flying, if you turn up "under the influence" you are likely to be turned away.
Weather
If the weather is unsuitable the balloon flight will be cancelled. Be aware of this and be sure to check with the
flight centre before setting-off. Hot air balloons are very susceptible to weather and require light winds, no rain
and good visibility.
Timings
The balloon flying season is from April to September, and flights generally take off either just after dawn or late afternoon when the
weather is stillest.
How big are the balloons?
You may be surprised to learn that the balloons vary greatly in size and can carry anything from two to twenty
passengers.
What should I expect?
Don't expect to turn up dressed as if for a day in the Royal Enclosure at Ascot before being gently wafted over
the rolling plains of Britain to be gently deposited back where you started. Ballooning is about the whole experience
of flying in an amazing 18th Century mode of transport. You'll learn about balloons, will help to inflate the ballon, travel wherever
the winds dictate and land goodness knows where. On landing you'll be able to help deflate and pack the balloon while
waiting for the support vehicles to arrive and ferry you back where you started from. Great fun, and even better if you're
prepared to muck in and help.
Disclaimer
This page contains general information about Hot Air Balloon flights. Do not assume everything here will
hold true for the particular provider you choose to book with. Always check details with the merchant you book with.
Where can I learn more about hot air balloons
Where else but Wikipedia - hot air balloons.
|