Offers of Hot Air Balloon Rides Wiltshire

Wiltshire has one of the lowest population densities of English counties. The landscape of this inland area is characterised by wide open grassy spaces, rolling hills and river valleys. Peppering this untouched natural scenery you’ll be surprised to see evidence of human activity, from the prehistoric stone circle of Stonehenge to the towering spire of Salisbury Cathedral. There are many fun days out here, but we think the best thing to do is spend a day up, in the clear blue skies of the county on a hot air balloon ride.

Choice defines your experience in Wiltshire. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you find yourself, how much you want to spend or how much you want to see - there’s a hot air balloon waiting for you.

Where are the best places to go ballooning in Wiltshire?

• Stonehenge: five thousand years ago, dozens of stone blocks weighing up to 22 tons were erected in a circle in the county's countryside, Stonehenge. How? We don’t know, as this was a huge feat for early humans. On top of the weight of the stones and the scale of the project, we know that some stones were transported 140 miles from North Wales to be placed on top of arches. Why? We don’t know that either, though it seems clear that the monument was built in relation to movements of the sun, moon and objects in the sky. Perhaps you’ll get a new insight into this mystery in your own celestial object - a hot air balloon.

• Salisbury Cathedral: built in the 13th century, Salisbury Cathedral boasts the tallest church spire in the UK which reaches a height of 123m, and the largest cloisters of any British cathedral. These impressive Gothic structures will shrink below you if you take a ride over the mediaeval city. Beyond the town you’ll see Salisbury Plain, grassy steppes that are home to protect wildlife species, as well as evidence of early human societies.

• Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty: with Cranborne Chase to the South and the North Wessex Downs to the South, the areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty make it a fantastic place for a hot air balloon trip. These hilly landscapes are sparsely populated and provide charming views of valleys, rivers and woodlands. And if that’s not enough, you’ll be happy to learn that they have astronomical Dark Sky status - meaning that they have very low levels of pollution. Take in the vistas, and the fresh air, from the basket of a hot air balloon.

• Kennet and Avon Canal: this old waterway connects the port of Bristol with London, cutting right across the South of England. The canal crosses its highest point at Caen Hill, which is home to a fantastic example of canal engineering: 29 locks over two miles allowed heavily laden barges to climb over the hill, an ascent which would take 5-6 hours. You’ll get the best view of this watery staircase in a hot air balloon, and glide above it in a fraction of the time it takes a boat.

Take-off points

- Tollard Royal: due to new airspace restrictions around the military base on Salisbury plains, balloons now take off from the Larmer Tree Gardens, a Victorian public park near the village of Tollard Royal. This is in the Cranborne Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and makes a perfect point of departure for your ballooning experience, located within easy reach of Stonehenge, Salisbury and other sites in South Wiltshire.

- Swindon: in the North of the county, Swindon is the largest town in the county. Just outside you’ll find Lydiard house, a stately country house in the Palladian style set in a fine walled garden. This is the take off point for flights around the North, giving you unique views of the house and garden, before nearby market towns, the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and the Kennet and Avon Canal become visible.

- Wherever you need! Make the experience come to you - you can arrange a ride starting in a location of your choice. Take off from your back garden if it’s big enough! If not, farmers and country house hotels often allow the use of open spaces as a hot air balloon departure point. In this way you can control the route of your flight even more and see the sights that you want to see.

How long does a ride last?

- Long and short hot air balloon rides are available in Wiltshire so there’s something to fit any programme. An hour long flight is enough to see a small area of the country, for example a flyover of Stonehenge. On the other hand, a 4 hour ride will give you views over a much wider area. Why not get a bird’s eye view of the county before exploring it at ground level for a close-up?

- Rides are available around the county at sunrise and sunset. Wind conditions are at their best at these times, and seeing the colours change across the sky and landscape will be a memory that stays with you forever. To be sure that you don’t forget it, you’ll make a champagne toast and receive a commemorative certificate at the end of the flight.

Requirements to do this activity

Here you’ll find a balloon for every group. Couples can choose the smallest balloons for an intimate flight, but don’t remember that you’ll be sharing the basket with your partner and your pilot! At the other end of the scale there are large, comfortable balloons that can carry up to 9 people plus pilot. Please note that this is weight dependent.

The minimum age for getting into a hot air balloon is 6 years old, which means that the whole family can fly together. And the experienced companies have also flown with every age from 6 up to over 100!

Why not celebrate an occasion in style with this adventure? Engagement, birthday, business success or birthday, make it a flight to remember! Get in touch with us and we’ll make it happen for you.