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- Balloon Flights Worldwide
Ballooning Over Bristol
Every day from April to October, weather permitting, you can take a balloon flight over Bristol from the historic Ashton Court Estate and view some of Bristol’s well-known landmarks from an entirely new angle. Brunel's Clifton Suspension Bridge, the iconic symbol of the city of Bristol, spans the beautiful Avon Gorge and from a hot air balloon, can be appreciated from a completely new perspective. This grade I listed structure has attracted worldwide visitors for almost 150 years.
When you fly over the historic Bristol Docks you may also see Brunel’s equally impressive SS Great Britain, the worlds most exciting and accessible historic ship. The SS Great Britain was launched in 1843 to provide luxury travel to New York, but has been safely returned to its Bristol home since 1970. Moored alongside, when not out sailing is the Matthew a replica of John Cabot’s famous ship which sailed to Newfoundland 500 years ago.
The Wills Memorial Building of the University of Bristol, which was one of the last Gothic buildings in England situated at the top of Park Street towers above the City. Nearby are the beautiful houses of Clifton and the Cabot Tower commemorating the explorer John Cabot’s voyage to America in 1497 built in 1897.
With the wind as your guide, your Bristol hot air balloon ride may take you over Temple Meads station, another Brunel construction built as the passenger terminal for Paddington to Bristol of the Great Western Railway or the stunning Redcliffe Church, or Bristol cathedral.
A Bristol balloon ride may also give you a chance to have a spectacular view of two of the other famous West Country bridges, the Severn Bridge and the new Severn Crossing. On a clear day you may even see over to the Welsh Hills. Heading on a more westerly track you might be lucky to have a bird’s eye view of Tyntesfield House, Wraxall that is a spectacular Victorian country house and estate recently saved by the National Trust with beautiful gardens and architecture.
The breeze could take your flight in any direction, but you can be sure that a launching from Ashton Court will give you breathtaking scenery and views.
A well known operator who flies from Ashton Court and other local take off points is Bailey Balloons and they have a range of hot air balloons carrying from 2 to 16 passengers suitable for every occassion.
Ashton Court Estate is home to the UK's longest running ballooning event, the world famous Bristol International Balloon Fiesta.
The Fiesta is a four-day festival of flying in early August with a non-stop carnival atmosphere attracting half a million visitors each year. The mass launches start an hour after sunrise and 3 hours before sunset, seeing 100 or more hot air balloons take to the sky side-by-side is an unforgetable sight and on the Thursday and Saturday nights the festival is brought to a close with spectacular Night Glows. If you are interested in taking a balloon ride at the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta try Bailey Balloons but do so well in advance as this is a very popular event.
