Licensed by the CAA, Essex & Suffolk's longest running balloon operator
Hot air balloon over the Essex countryside Balloon flight dates for 2009
Hot air balloon over the Essex countryside
  • Countryside Balloons & Essex Balloons.

    Sunlight shining through the hot air balloon envelope can make for a stained glass appearence. Photograph taken from inside the balloon envelope during inflation at our take off site at Blake House Craft Centre, Braintree, Essex, East Anglia.

    Website name of Countryside Balloons on the balloon envelope
  • The propane balloon burners.

    The hot air balloon burners use propane as their fuel for increased pressure and heat output. Propane burners made hot air ballooning much more possible due to its availability, storage and self pressure in the storage tank to supply the burners.

    Hot air balloon burner heating the balloon envelope
  • Inflation of the hor air balloon envelope.

    The balloon envelope is infalted first with cold air from petrol driven inflation fans. When the envelope is about three quarters full the propane burners are used to fill the remaining space in the hot air balloon envelope with very hot air. This being lighter than the cold air in the envelope rises to the top and giving the balloon its lifting ability. When the hot air cools the balloon will start to sink and the burners will need to be used again to replace the hot air.

    Inflation of the hot air balloon envelope starts by petrol driven fans blowing in cold air
  • The ground crew.

    The hot air balloon ground crew assist during the inflation of the envelope and follow in the Landrover by road. This picture was taken from inside the hot air balloon envelope during inflation. The sun in the background shining through the nylon envelope makes for a very good stained glass appearence.

    Picture of the balloon ground crew with the sun shining in the background.
  • Prested Hall take off site at Kelvedon

    The hot air balloon is inflated first on it's side. From Prested Hall, Kelvedon, Essex.

  • Ballooning from the Essex County Showground

    Hot air balloon take-off from the Essex County Showground at Great Leighs, Chelmsford.

  • Blake House Craft Centre take off site at Braintree.

    Take off from the maise maze at Blake house Craft Centre, Braintree, Essex.

  • Bright and sunny day for hot air ballooning in Essex

    Hot air balloon taken in flight on a bright and sunny day.

  • Strong shadows from the hot air balloon flight

    On a sunny day you can get a very strong shadow of the hot air balloon.

  • Relax and enjoy your hot air balloon flight

    Ballooning can be very relaxing with fantastic views.

  • Sights of interest to be seen when ballooning in Essex

    The castle at Castle Hedingham, Essex.

  • Chappel railway viaduct

    The Chappel railway viaduct near Colchester on the Essex and Suffolk border

  • Some of the wildlife in Essex and Suffolk

    In Essex and Suffolk there is a large number of deer to be seen when ballooning.

  • Combine harvesting in Brentwood, Essex

    Essex and Suffolk has lots of stubble and it is a good place to land for a hot air balloon.

  • Good views of Brentwood and Billericay area, South Essex

    Essex and Suffolk have many good sights to see from the balloon basket.

  • Traditional Essex & Suffolk Countryside

    Essex has many traditional sights that can been seen from a hot air balloon.

  • Heybridge basin, Maldon, Essex

    The lock gate near Maldon seen from the balloon basket.

  • Time to reflect

    The hot air balloon reflection over still water can be quite sharp on a still day.

  • Floating over trees on the breeze

    Hot air balloons will float on the breeze for about an hour or so.

  • Site of an old castle at Pleshey, Chelmsford

    Site of the old castle mound and moat at Pleshey near Chelmsford Essex

  • Pleshey near Chelmsford

    Pleshey near Chelmsford has its own castle mound.

  • The happy couple

    A hot air balloon ride is a romantic way to fly. The happy couple after landing ready to celebrate with a glass of Champagne.

  • Packing away the hot air balloon after a good flight

    After the balloon has landed near Billericay and the ground crew have arrived to help pack away.

  • Squeezing out the remaining hot air

    The remaining air from the balloon envelope is squeezed out and packed back in its bag.

  • Arrived to collect the balloon

    After the hot air balloon flight the Landrover collects the balloon.

  • Our balloon retrieve Landrovers

    The hot air balloon is following in flight on the ground by our Landrovers

  • Countryside Balloons & Essex Balloons are trading names of Anglian Countryside Balloons Ltd.

    Sunlight back lighting the hot air balloon envelope will give a stained glass look. This picture taken from inside the balloon envelope during the inflation at our take off site at Blake House Craft Centre, Braintree, Essex, East Anglia.

    Website name of Countryside Balloons on the balloon envelope

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Countryside Balloons. Hot air balloon flights over Essex and Suffolk

Champagne hot air balloon flights in Essex & Suffolk

Countryside Balloons is the longest flying balloon operator in Essex and Suffolk. Join us for a hot air balloon ride and experience ballooning at its best. Each year we consistantly provide a service second to none to our passengers. See the guide to buying a hot air balloon flight. Take a trip in one of our hot air balloons and drift effortlessly along, watching villages and countryside unfold beneath you.

Special offer. Hot air balloon flights from £85.00.

Our balloons fly in Essex from Chelmsford, Braintree, Colchester, Kelvedon, Brentwood and Billericay.

Trading Standards Buy With Confidence scheme Approved by Essex County Council Trading Standards as members of the Buy With Confidence scheme. The balloon office. Telephone 01621 786777

Below are the different types of Champagne Balloon Flight Gift Vouchers available

7 Day Anytime Balloon Flight Gift Voucher by e-mail. £115.00. Purchase online and receive the voucher immediately by e-mail. This voucher is vaild for 12 months for a Champagne balloon ride in Essex & Suffolk on weekends, weekdays and bank holidays, mornings and evenings.

7 Day Anytime Balloon Flight Gift Voucher by post. £119.00. Purchase online or by telephone and receive the gift voucher by post. This voucher is vaild for 12 months for a Champagne balloon ride in Essex & Suffolk on weekends, weekdays and bank holidays, mornings and evenings. The gift pack consist of presentation voucher card, ballooning brochure and balloon flight baseball cap.

Weekday Anytime Balloon Flight Gift Voucher by post. £103.00. Purchase online or by telephone and receive the gift voucher by post. This voucher is vaild for 12 months for a Champagne balloon ride in Essex & Suffolk on weekdays for mornings and evenings. Excludes bank holidays. The gift pack consist of presentation voucher card, ballooning brochure and balloon flight baseball cap.

Weekday Anytime Balloon Flight Gift Voucher by e-mail. £99.00. Purchase online and receive the voucher immediately by e-mail. This voucher is vaild for 12 months for a Champagne balloon ride in Essex & Suffolk on weekdays for mornings and evenings. Excludes bank holidays.

Weekday Morning Balloon Flight Gift Voucher by e-mail. £85.00 Purchase online and receive the voucher immediately by e-mail. This voucher is vaild for 12 months for a Champagne balloon ride in Essex & Suffolk on weekday mornings only. Excludes bank holidays.

Sunrise Exclusive Balloon Flight for a couple or small group. Purchase online or by telephone and receive the voucher by post. This voucher is vaild for 12 months for a Champagne balloon ride in Essex & Suffolk for sunrise flights on weekdays. The gift pack consist of presentation voucher card, ballooning brochure and balloon flight baseball caps.

See the helpful guide to buying a hot air balloon flight. More about the gift vouchers.

Give a hot air balloon trip as a gift

Whether a single person joining one of our groups, or a couple sharing the experience together, all passengers are made to feel involved and welcome in the balloon ride. We often have more than one balloon taking off with us making the event more exciting. Countryside Balloons offers not only a hot air balloon flight, but also the opportunity to become involved in the preparation of the balloon for take off, the chance to find out how the balloon works and the pleasure of enjoying a glass or two of Champagne after landing somewhere in East Anglia! We also provide licensed minibus transport to return all our balloon passengers back to the original take-off point.

National ballooning gift vouchers

Countryside Balloons are members of Balloons Over Britain, widening the ballooning horizon so you can go ballooning at over 70 national locations throughout East Anglia and the UK. See the list of locations. For more details or to book online click on national ballooning gift voucher.


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Copyright 2010
Anglian Countryside Balloons Ltd.,
Woodlands, King Edward Avenue, Burnham-on-Crouch, Chelmsford, Essex, CM0 8PB.
VAT No. 623 4529 50
Director, T.J. Parker. Company reg. No. 4701143.
Company registered office, 14 Railway Street, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1QS.
Licensed by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Operator No. BL132 Members of The British Balloon & Airship Club Members of The British Association of Balloon Operators Member of Balloons Over Britain, providing hot air balloon flights nationwide.