Hot air balloon ride recommendations

Think carefully, I got one as a gift, it took three years before I actually took the flight, many many cancellations due to weather.

Bought one for my wife's 50th - she's 54 in a months time and still hasn't been up!! 😬

Have you seen Enduring Love?

this being STW there’s probably someone on the forum that operates a hot air balloon

Well obviously. Wife and FiL are both pilots (but only fly for fun, no paying passengers).

Its very weather dependant and usually an early start so you may have a few cancelled slots before you go.

Most passenger balloons are massive. The benefit is they tend to fly in more marginal conditions so more chance of a flight but it is less of a fun experience when you are crammed in with 20 other people IMO. Still great and ticks the box but if you can get a ride in a smaller balloon then go for that.

Where you fly makes a difference. Its nice to fly over something that interests you, whether that is a nice city or dramatic countryside.

Not sure in the south east but in the south west I'd recommend https://skyhighballooning.co.uk/ . They fly smaller balloons and are nice people or https://www.baileyballoons.co.uk/ who are a bit more commercial

I'd only book it somewhere with very stable weather; the Sahara/ the Dordogne in France?

I suspect it's one of these things which are best done spontaneously if you find yourself in a place with a balloon, with vacancies and the weather is playing ball for the next dawn.

It's something I'd love to do myself.

I’d only book it somewhere with very stable weather; the Sahara/ the Dordogne in France?

Not bragging, but I did it in the Mara in Kenya. Beautiful experience, seeing the meandering river snake its way across the plain, seeing all the amazing animals roaming free.

My fokes did a good flight from somewhere near Shaftesbury/ Salisbury way. Might be out of your area but also not that far.

Not bragging, but I did it in the Mara in Kenya. Beautiful experience, seeing the meandering river snake its way across the plain, seeing all the amazing animals roaming free.

We did one in Morocco by the Atlas mountains, it was very cool.

In contrast, we bought my dad one for his 60th, it was cancelled/rescheduled loads of times, in the end he got it refunded and he and my mum bought some patio furniture instead. They still have it, and he turned 80 in March 🙂

this being STW there’s probably someone on the forum that operates a hot air balloon !

Yup, https://www.kentballooning.com/ is run by a forum member I know (can't remember his forum name offhand...)

They seem to be efficient and several people I know have crewed for them.

CaherFull Member
Have you seen Enduring Love?

Watched a balloon take off outside a river side pub and thought what a lovely organic way to travel over the country side.

until i watched Enduring Love 🤔

Sparky spice is his name Toby, you should know that. Not sure how often he gets on here but I will message him and direct him the the thread!

+1 to the wait- our neighbour had one for a retirement present at 55- finally took it when he was 60.

My mum worked for Whitbread at their hop farm. They were approached by a balloon company to use their site for take offs and offered free rides to employees if there were spaces.
Mum got the call one afternoon if she’d like to go on the next days flight. just over 12 hours must be a record from first being put down for a flight & going.

Sh kept quiet when one of the passengers said he’d waited 7 years to get his flight!

Thanks all

Thought there’d be at least one balloon pilot here !
@toby have contacted kent ballooning
@nickjb thanks for the info, reckon a smaller balloon will be more the recipients thing and have contacted> https://skyhighballooning.co.uk/

Only concern is the cancellation thing mentioned numerous times, as it’s a bit of a trek to get to Bristol, bath etc

It is always an issue. You can do some of the work yourself by checking the forecast. Heavy rain or high wind and it'll definitely be cancelled. Light winds, clear skies and almost certainly on. Just the marginal weather to worry about, and the accuracy of longer range forecasting. If you go with Exclusive they will happily talk to you before the flight and will be pretty honest about the weather.

this being STW there’s probably someone on the forum that operates a hot air balloon !

and there is.  Brilliant

Thought there’d be at least one balloon pilot here !

I remember the previous thread, it was the point at which I realised just how much of a breadth of talent and knowledge we have here. Someone asked the same question, after a few responses a poster went "well, I'm a balloon pilot and..." and I thought "of course we have a balloon pilot, this is STW. It'd be more weird if we didn't."

Light winds, clear skies and almost certainly on.

But not too light! Living near Bath, and with prevailing winds generally from the SW, when the weather is kind balloons have ended up in Chippenham, and when a mate had a flight from Bath as a pressy, we, (all his mates) turned up at Victoria Park to see him off and he ended up in Devizes, so a pretty good flight. I have watched balloons launch on quiet evenings, go straight up about 1000 ft, and drop straight back down again!

It’s the Bristol Baloon Fiesta this weekend, so fingers crossed for decent weather!

My MIL did one and the balloon took off from a lovely pub near Guildford. That was a few years ago now though.

It’s the Bristol Baloon Fiesta this weekend, so fingers crossed for decent weather!

They are flying this morning over Bristol.

Unfortunately it doesn't look too good for Saturday as there are  some thunder storms in the forecast

The Fiesta had a good launch yesterday evening, tomorrow morning should be clear, although the wind is showing 20mph gusts at 6am, but often the wind is fairly light at that time. Rain from 10am - 3pm. Should the winds drop later then another launch at 6pm might be possible. They had sixty up yesterday morning, not sure about the later launch.

My MIL did one and the balloon took off from a lovely pub near Guildford. That was a few years ago now though.

Does your partner not miss her?

But not too light! Living near Bath, and with prevailing winds generally from the SW, when the weather is kind balloons have ended up in Chippenham, and when a mate had a flight from Bath as a pressy, we, (all his mates) turned up at Victoria Park to see him off and he ended up in Devizes, so a pretty good flight. I have watched balloons launch on quiet evenings, go straight up about 1000 ft, and drop straight back down again!

we got the old man a flight for his 60th. Took off from a playing field in Skipton, hovered for an hour or so and then came back down and landed 100ft to the left on the school roof. Full fire brigade job to get the down.

#Cougar...if only that balloon had kept going.