If anyone was going to cross the English Channel in a Hot Air Balloon it had to be Adventure Balloons and my how patient we were! Being the only UK balloon flights company to possess a ‘Happy Birthday’ balloon, of course we had to choose this for the trip!

We exceedingly patiently waited on standby from the beginning of October 2010 for the first Channel Crossing by hot air balloon since 2005! But low-and-behold, October and early November simply didn’t provide the North Westerly winds required to blow us to France by the shortest route (from Dover to somewhere close to Calais). In a normal passenger flight scenario, we leave room for enough gas to get us through an approximate hour flight. Making the crossing did not entail the addition of any passengers and so we obviously had more room for gas, however a crossing with a speed or direction in excess of 2 hours would be tricky and could even result in a rather unfortunate wet dip if the fuel ran out. Obviously not wanting to take this risk, we had to wait it out until the ideal weather conditions arose.

As you can imagine, the organisation and preparation required for an event such as this is quite staggering! It was all hands on deck! Another Balloons Over Britain member company Airborne Balloons (http://www.airborneballoons.co.uk/cross_channel.php) organised the event, leaving the matter of getting the balloon ‘ship shape’ in our hands. This involved the addition of further fuel tanks without compromising on space, radios, cameras, sandwiches and of course the essential ingredient, chocolate. We also had to organise immersion suits and a self inflating 4 person life raft (just in case) which was hired from http://www.aerosafe.co.uk/index.html. To save space the life raft was attached to the outside of the basket as was one of the fuel tanks!

Our hopes were raised on Monday April 4^th when weather conditions appeared spot on; however it wasn’t until a few days later that the event went ahead. At five o’clock in the morning we arrived in the dark at Lydden Hill Motor Racing circuit for the mass ascent and an attempt on the world record for the greatest number of balloons flying the channel! Palletways sponsored the event and were very hopeful. At 6am we had our safety briefing which was shortly followed by the very much anticipated balloon take off at 7:15am. Our balloon, carrying probably the youngest person to ever fly over the channel by balloon, then flew over Dover Castle, overtook the ferry as we sped along at speeds of up to 30knots at 1,000 feet (nearly twice the speed we could safely fly passengers) and having flown over Calais Harbour we landed at Calais Airport at 8.45am, covering about 25 miles in a hour and a half!

What an achievement and what a memorable morning it was!

If you’re reading this then I’m guessing you’re toying with the idea of hot air ballooning. Many people purchase a hot air ballooning trip for themselves as a sort ‘life ambition gift’. Most of us dream of hot air ballooning one day and sadly a great deal of those will never actually fulfil the goal; it gets put off and put off until frankly, it’s just too late. Those of us who take the leap and join the world of ballooning then realise just why so many of us Brits dream of taking to the skies in this way. It is an experience like no other, exhilarating, breathtaking, relaxing, inspirational, euphoric, tranquil and emotional even. Why put off until tomorrow what you can do today?

Ballooning is also a gift given to others. This could be as a birthday present, anniversary surprise, congratulations or reward gift, a romantic gesture, a Christmas present; for many their doesn’t have to be a reason! To receive those ‘golden’ tickets that will allow you the life time chance of taking to the skies in a hot air balloon, is in itself an exciting thing. Just picture the look on their face when they realise what’s in store for them!

At Adventure Balloons we cover various flight locations across Britain, for example Oxford, Reading, Hemel Hempstead, Stevenage, Watford, Tring, London, Basingstoke, Hartley Wintney, Guildford, Farnham, Godalming, West Meon, Alton, Winchester, Kent, Sussex and Essex.

Our south Hampshire area is one of our most popular spots. Flying from Anstey Park in Alton, from West Meon, from Micheldever near the railway station and from the City of Winchester, there’s plenty of ‘flight paths’ to choose from. However do bear in mind, the exact course you end up taking is completely wind dependent! Our customers commonly see the impressive Winchester Cathedral and are in awe of its staggering beauty from above! Be seduced by the rolling Hampshire countryside, the River Test, the pretty little villages such as Laverstoke, Whitchurch, and the Candovers. You can often see the large estates of Leckford on the River Test where Waitrose produce a lot of their food, the Mid Hants Steam Railway that runs from Alton to Alresford, and many a time we’ve had the rather unusual experience of seeing a glider circling around Lasham airfield, or microlights flying from Popham airfield.

Book your chance to fly in a hot air balloon with Adventure Balloons and you will receieve a 12 month voucher which will entitle you to select your date from anytime (depending on which voucher you buy) over the 12 months following purchase! Book online or call us on 01252 844222.

Are you a ‘die hard’ festival goer? Do you live for your rock? Maybe you’re committed to one festival and go back every year with a reputation for being the king/queen of the fields. I’ll bet you even make your own flag for your tent don’t you….be honest now! Reading Festival is one of the UK’s favourite festivals with a great mix of bands covering music genres from indie to rock, and punk to dance, there’s something for everyone.

With next year’s tickets going on sale on the 2^nd December and talk of them selling out sooner than ever, you’re sure to find that this coming line up will be as good as the last! But have you considered what it would be like to see the whole thing from a different perspective altogether?

Here at Adventure Balloons we have flight locations dotted all over the UK. However on our balloon flights from Prospect Park, during flights at the end of August, our passengers are often lucky enough to see Reading Festival from a new and quite wonderful angle! On August bank holiday Friday evening 2011, our balloon ride passengers were treated to some great aerial views of the Reading Festival. But as you can imagine, with all the rain from the previous few weeks this was another muddy music festival! In fact, one passenger commented, “Best viewed from a distance” and I’m inclined to agree! But if you’ve ever been to a music festival you may remember the breeze the sound waves make leaving those gigantic speakers and how they literally ripple through your hair making it blow around behind you. So as you can imagine, the sound travels very well and we could hear an interesting mix of the bands performing on the many stages!

If you’d like to see Reading Festival from this perspective for yourself, then get in quick. You can book your flights for next summer now either by booking online or by calling us on 01252 844222.

Adventure Balloons are proudly the longest running passenger balloon ride company around London and the Home Counties. Flying since 1985, we have gathered a wealth of experience and passion for ballooning and are able to offer our passengers a supreme experience, and certainly one they’ll never forget. One thing we have learned for sure is our passengers consistent longing to enjoy a flight over an area which is familiar to them, and how this can have a significant impact on their enjoyment of the day. Here at Adventure Balloons we cover the following areas:

Oxfordshire – Balloons flights commenced in this area in 1995 and we were in fact the first hot air balloon flights company to work with Oxford City Council. Enjoy views over the countryside, colleges, the Radcliffe Camera, Carfax Tower and the many Musuems built in the distinctive stone. Also enjoy a birds-eye-view over Didcot Power Station, Farmoor Reservoir and Port Meadow.

York & Lincolnshire – Flights in York will take off from either the Knavesmire (York Racecourse) or often from beside the banks of the River Ouse at the Naburn Lock, just 4 miles south of the City of York.  Enjoy breathtaking views over York’s medieval city walls, Europe’s most spectacular gothic cathedral – York Minster, and of course the surrounding countryside.

Hertfordshire – Take off sites in Hertfordshire are Fairlands Valley in Stevenage, Gadebridge Park in Hemel Hempstead, Cassiobury Park in Watford and Pendley Manor Hotel in Tring, all of which are  chosen to give passengers a mixture of towns, countryside and villages as you drift over Hertfordshire. Look out for the Jacobean Hatfield House, the elegant grounds of Knebworth Park, the M25, and the magnificent London skyline.

Berkshire – Flying from Berkshire since 1990, Adventure Balloons is the only balloon company flying from Reading’s Parks. With launch sites at Prospect Park and Kings Meadow in Reading and for some wind directions we use an alternative site at Padworth Village west of Reading on the A4; there is a choice which will cover the most beautiful areas Berkshire has to offer.

London – Flying from the capital, the ultimate hot air ballooning experience, you are sure to be stunned at how beautiful and peaceful London looks from above. Enjoy aerial views over Alexandra palace, Regents Park, Bedford College, Emirates Stadium, the London Eye, Wimbledon, the Albert Hall, Tower Bridge, Westminster, the Thames, Battersea, Parliament, Buckingham Palace and more.

Essex Kent & Sussex – Rides over Kent will be made from The Hop Farm Country Park near Tunbridge Wells, where you’ll find the impressive Oast Houses that were previously used in the local ale industry. Other sites include Bewl Water and Lamberhurst Vineyard but due to the proximity of Gatwick Airport and the Thames coast line which launch site we use will depend on wind direction on the day.

South Hampshire – Flying from Anstey Park in Alton, from West Meon, from Micheldever near the railway station and from the City of Winchester, you could see Winchester Cathedral, the rolling Hampshire countryside, the River Test, small villages such as Laverstoke, Whitchurch, and the Candovers and large estates such as Leckford on the River Test, the Mid Hants Steam Railway and more.

North Hampshire – With sites at Down Grange and War Memorial Park in Basingstoke, plus our own site at Hartley Wintney, you will see sights such as Tylney Hall Hotel, Wellington Country Park, Stratfield Saye (the Duke of Wellington’s Home) and Bramshill Police training college. You could also see small villages such as Odiham, Hartley Wintney, Crondall, Overton, Dummer and small towns such as Hook.

Surrey - Launching from Shalford Park in Guildford next to St Catherines Chapel and from the Burys in Godalming next to the River Wey, plus from Farnham Park, next to Farnham Castle. Look out for Guildford Cathedral, Frensham Ponds, Loseley House and Alice Holt Forest.

Hot air ballooning is all about the weather! Being a completely weather dependent activity, specific date bookings can never be guaranteed. So where many of our balloon ride passengers fly on their first attempt, you’ll also find that equally as many will first undergo a few attempts. You will need to have a certain degree of patience when it comes to taking your flight; the more bookings you make the quicker you will get your chance, but worry not, we can safely say that the experience is always worth the wait.

As the UK is positioned on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean it means that traditionally we have low pressure weather systems in the winter and more high pressure systems in the summer. Higher pressure weather normally brings blue skies, light winds and little rain, where as the lower pressure systems tend to bring storms, rain and strong winds. For this reason, hot air ballooning seasons run from April to October and it is thought that the best time to fly is between July and August.

Flights tend to take place at sunrise or sunset as this is when the wind can be a little lighter. For the flight to go ahead, winds must be less than 10 miles an hour during the hour after dawn or before dusk and so careful monitoring is always required! Don’t panic however; we always let our passengers know well in advance. We use forecasts and rely on this information to be able to make the decision to call the flight on, however sometimes this information can be incorrect and so on rare occasions we have to cancel at the launch site.

It is actually very simple to predict if the wind is going to be very light or too strong and often it can be seen some days ahead as high or low pressure weather systems approach. If suitable conditions can be seen ahead, we will text passengers of available spaces and sometimes even put on additional flights.

Visibility is the trickiest to predict and is certainly the main culprit in terms of error in weather forecasts. With various weather conditions such as mist, fog or low cloud being rather subtle and varying from mile to mile, our balloon pilot’s always ensure they access the most up to date information and even rely on local knowledge.

Ballooning in the rain is frankly not an option. When you consider that the top of the balloon reaches nearly 100 degrees Centigrade (the boiling point of water), it will come as no surprise that when the rain falls on the balloon, its cooling effect is sure to have a consequence! If the balloon cools it will descend rapidly and so the pilot has to put in extra heat from the burners to compensate for the heat loss. The whole ordeal is bad for the balloon fabric and makes the balloon much harder to control; what’s more, packing the balloon away while it’s wet is not the greatest idea! So it is basically a case of watching the weather radar closely to see where the showers are forming, where they are tracking and if they are beginning to die away.

As I’m sure you can now gather, there are plenty of weather conditions to be mindful of, so if you’re booking your balloon flight, remember, if it’s cancelled, it’s for your own safety! However your patients will always be rewarded when it comes to hot air ballooning – Adventure Balloons will certainly guarantee you one of the most magical experiences you could ever have.

Back in the day, before the government regulated ballooning, Adventure Balloons began as a way to maintain Kim Hull’s hobby. With a real passion for the sport the company soon grew expanding into what it is today; the largest company in the country offering UK balloon flights.

The company first took to the skies in April 1985 and was at the time a rarity! However demand soon grew and by 1988 Adventure Balloons went on to purchase four passenger balloons, which were later followed by many others! In fact, here at Adventure Balloons we boast a fleet of seven hot air balloons each with capacities ranging from four to sixteen people! With this variety we can tailor the ride to suit your needs, whether an intimate, romantic flight, or a lively party, there will be a balloon to suit your day.

Introducing you to;

The “Stained Glass Window” – Its attractive design is used as the Adventure Balloons emblem and will also be featured on mugs, T-shirts and other balloon flight memorabilia.

The “North Sea Flyer” – Our sixteen person balloon which is no ordinary balloon for sure! We purchased this balloon from two millionaires who in fact flew across the North Sea in it for fun! The first 16 passenger balloon authorised by the Civil Aviation Authority to fly in the UK, this balloon has history!

The “Toucan Travel” – The beautiful Toucan Travel balloon is an aerial promotion tool for the Toucan Travel chain of travel agencies. The Toucan business is based in Hampshire, however the balloon will also fly in the Berkshire and Surrey areas and sometimes even London.

The “Happy Birthday Balloon” – In both a 2-4 person capacity and a 16 person capacity, you can book a balloon with HAPPY BIRTHDAY plastered all over it for your friend or loved one, or their party group!

With increasing demand, Adventure Balloons have worked closely with balloon manufacturers in order to develop new ideas which will improve both the enjoyment and the safety of passenger balloon flights. For example, our larger hot air balloons have internal partitions which not only separate the pilot and the fuel from the passengers but also ensure that passengers are in the best safety position for landing.

You can book flights with Adventure Balloons from various launch sites in Hertfordshire, Berkshire, Surrey, Oxford and London.

Is someone special about to celebrate their 16^th birthday or their 18^th even? Is your son about to mark his 21^st birthday or maybe your daughter has passed her exams? Are you looking for a romantic gesture to surprise your wife on her 30^th birthday? If you have a special occasion of any sort coming up and you’d like to make it a big celebration, then why not mark it with an Adventure Balloons hot air balloon ride! You can literally create a day to remember for life with a hot air balloon ride and why not make it a party!

At Adventure Balloons our most recent additions to our fleet are our two Lindstrand balloons that both carry 16 passengers and are designed in our house colours. These staggering balloons are a whopping 330 cubic feet in volume and can lift nearly two tonnes each! What better balloons to book for a big birthday bash than these? What’s more, we have been working closely with Lindstrand Balloons design chief Simon Forse to create the best possible ride for our valued customers. We have now incorporated many new and innovative features in their design which will ensure greater comfort, safety and ultimately better enjoyment. What makes them stand out above the rest for us is their durability; thanks to their special fabrics we can enjoy a much longer life.

If you’re celebrating a birthday, you can take to the skies in one of our Birthday Balloons! As the UK’s only hot air balloon company to have personalised ‘Happy Birthday’ balloons, you can really make your friend or family member feel like the centre of attention as they sore through the skies in a balloon plastered in the words “Happy Birthday”! Imagine being the lucky recipient of a gift such as this!!!

If you’re looking to book a hot air balloon party and you’d like to discuss your options, just give us a call on 01252 844 222, alternatively, if you know precisely what you want, where you want it and when, then why not use our online booking feature where you can quickly and efficiently book online.

At Adventure Balloons we like to show our true colours for all to see. We have added the brand new 16 passenger capacity balloon service. They are Lindstrand balloons which display our own colours and are approx 330 cubic feet in volume and can lift over 2 tonnes.

The Lindstrand balloons have new design features incorporated in them, mainly new levels of comfort and of course high levels of safety for your balloon flight. For Adventure Balloons they are more beneficial too as the materials and fabrics used are much more durable meaning we get a much longer life from the balloons and of course they keep their vibrant colours too.