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Balloon Rides News

News about our balloon flights and comments from customers.

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Naburn Lock Balloon Festival September 16/18

Why not join us as we fly again from the Naburn Lock Balloon Festival, just south of the city of York. This is a lovely site to fly from, adjacent to the Ouse and what could be better than a flight in the company of a host of other hot air balloons. The early morning flights are particularly stunning and with Autumn approaching the colours can be quite spectacular. Local balloonists from the Pennine Region Balloon Association have organised this get together for many years and with the Vale of York's harvest cut there are plenty of fields to land in.

To check for dates look at our balloon rides availability page http://www.balloonridesltd.co.uk/date-availability.htm for York flights on 16/17/18 September and then keep your fingers crossed for good ballooning weather.

Happy birthday to you all!

For the rest of the 2011 season on our York and Lincolnshire balloon rides we will be using the Happy Birthday balloon from our sister company Adventure Balloons. So if you want the ultimate 100 foot high birthday present, book now for our flights from now until the season end in October. This balloon is larger than our Kit Kat balloon so carries a few more passengers each time it flies to match our increasing demand from customers wanting to sample mankind's oldest and original form of flying.

A showery June brings balloon ride serendipity

We have had a rather unsettled June as the rain we might have expected in April or May has finally arrived. But between the showers TV actor Jim Murray took wife Sarah Parish (Mistresses, Cutting It etc) on a birthday balloon flight that she will never forget. "I have seen the Happy Birthday Balloon flying over our house so decided that was the one for us" said Jim. "With the weather and our acting schedules it has taken a few attempts to get flown but it was really worth it. We could never have expected to have met the surgeon who delivered our baby daughter on the flight but according to our pilot that is a typical bit of ballooning happenstance".

"I have had a balloon ride before in Morocco where it was much warmer but the landscape is very brown" said Sarah. "England is so green from the air, especially after the rain that came in early June. The whole trip was fabulous and I had great fun with the other passengers getting the balloon away in the bag while Jim went off with a radio to check out the route in to the balloon landing site for the recovery vehicle. We got a little wet under a small shower as the last of the balloon went in the bag before the champagne was served but even that could not spoil it".

A flying start in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire for our balloon rides

With a major high pressure system centred over the country for much of the first half of April we have had a flying start to the 2011 balloon flight season in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire with 11 out of 16 of the flights scheduled going ahead. That's way above the average which is about 50% and makes this the best April ever for ballooning in York and Lincolnshire. It just goes to show how topsy turvy our climate is getting. Only a few years ago we got the best weather for balloon rides from mid July onwards through to early October, but over the past three years we have had a good start to the season in the earlier months and then less favourable conditions during the summer months. Of course with so many flights in April there were some stories to tell and the most amusing one was our balloon landing at Thicket Priory ten miles south east of our balloon launch site at the Knavesmire in York.

We landed with another balloon close to the Priory early on a Sunday morning and the nuns not only make everyone welcome but made cups of tea for all the 26 passengers. So delighted were the pilots and passengers at this lovely old fashioned ballooning reception they made a donation from pilots and passengers alike for the priory.

Things have got breezy since Easter with strong Easterly winds affecting most of the country as the high pressure slips away except the far north and Scotland. This gives us lovely sunny days, little or no rain and passengers wondering why we aren't flying. Don't worry things look to be improving after next weekend with some lighter winds amongst some much needed rain for gardens and farmers alike. So don't wait until the summer, if you have got a voucher book early because the weather is as unpredictable as ever.

Naburn Lock Balloon Festival September 17/19

Come and fly with us at the Naburn Lock Balloon Festival, just south of the city of York. This is a lovely site to fly from, adjacent to the Ouse and what could be better than a flight in the company of a host of other hot air balloons. The early morning flights are particularly stunning and with Autumn approaching the colours can be quite spectacular. Local balloonists from the Pennine Region Balloon Association have organised this get together for many years and with the Vale of York's harvest cut there are plenty of fields to land in.

To check for dates look at our balloon rides availability page http://www.balloonridesltd.co.uk/date-availability.htm for York flights on 17/18/19 September and then keep your fingers crossed for good ballooning weather.

Kit Kat Balloon Returns

After a long winter break the Kit Kat balloon returns to flying again over the York skies this weekend.   During it's stay at Lindstrand balloons, it has had it's annual inspection, required by the Civil Aviation Authority and various modifications to improve passenger safety and enjoyment.

Seats have been fitted for safer landings and our camera system using the Canon EOS 400 has been installed to give our passengers truly stunning pictures of themselves taking a hot air balloon ride over the Yorkshire landscape.

So have a break from life on the ground and come and fly with us in Kit Kat!

Toucan Travel Balloon

We are flying our Toucan Travel Balloon over York this weekend, so if you see a 10 metre high bird floating through the air, it's us!

The Toucan Travel hot air balloon normally does flights over Hampshire with our parent company Adventure Balloons but with a large number of passengers to fly this weekend we needed a bigger balloon.

It will certainly give our passengers a birds eye view of York from a balloon. This balloon has the latest balloon safety features with seats for passenger for landing. These have been recommended by the Civil Aviation Authority as they realise from our many years of using them they are a good idea.

Book your Birthday surprise now

Whilst our Kit Kat balloon is being prepared for the season, our sister company Adventure Balloons will be providing us with their Happy Birthday Balloon for our flights scheduled from 8th to the 13th of April.

So if you have bought or are buying a voucher for a birthday surprise, book onto the remaining spaces now as the Happy Birthday Balloon will not be back again until late summer.

Tom Donnelly to retire...

After over 35 years of flying hot air balloons, Balloon Rides owner Tom Donnelly is retiring but the name will be carried on by Adventure Balloons, run by Kim Hull. "We have flown many happy customers over the years and I know our name will be in good hands as I taught Kim to fly over 25 years ago. He turned up at the Harrogate Brass Monkey Balloon Meet in January 1986 with a hot air balloon and a Transit Van but no pilot to fly with him". This was a most unusual way to conduct yourself in those early days of hot air balloon flights, but times have changed and now many private owners have their own "rigs" and tour the country to the many balloon events throughout the year.

Adventure Balloon's director Kim Hull remembers those early days well. "We were one of the first companies to offer the general public flights in hot air balloons and during my training, many of the pilots who taught me have become very well know if not "famous" balloonists like Tom. My early flying log book is full of flights signed off by ballooning greats. We will continue to operate under the Balloon Rides name and will be operating the Kit Kat balloon from York and our new Lincolnshire locations."

Balloon Rides Hot Air Balloon Flights over Lincolnshire for 2010 Season

Balloon Rides is widening it's ballooning horizon to offer our customers the opportunity to go ballooning over Lincolnshire and Rutland. Experience the Balloon Rides magic and go ballooning with us from our hot air balloon take off sites close to Grantham, Stamford and Rutland Water. You will be sure of great views and a great time with our experienced pilots.

So if you are one of our many happy customers who have flown with us over Yorkshire over the last 20 or more years, why not join us on our next hot air balloon adventure over Yorkshire's southern neighbour Lincolnshire.