HIGH WYCOMBE BALLOON RIDES
FIND YOUR PERFECT HOT AIR BALLOON FLIGHT OVER HIGH WYCOMBE!
FIND YOUR PERFECT HOT AIR BALLOON FLIGHT OVER HIGH WYCOMBE!
Enjoy an epic hot air balloon ride over High Wycombe and let the gorgeous Buckinghamshire countryside unfold before you. Launching from the home of the late author Roald Dahl, the quaint village of Great Missenden is the perfect spot to get aloft and let the contrast of the hustle and bustle of High Wycombe, set in a deep valley, against the quiet Chiltern Hills expand into view. One of the first things that will demand your attention will be the 800 plus year old Missenden Abbey. Founded in 1133 by a group of Augustinian Cannons, it was a place where King Henry III accepted the Abbot’s hospitality on numerous occasions. It has an interesting history, and seeing it from your balloon is the perfect way to frame its story on the ground.
Depending on the will of the wind any number of interesting sights and sites may drift in to view. If you start off in a westerly direction keep an eye out for Hampden House, a handsome cream house with exquisitely maintained lawns. Floating to the north-east may bring Chartridge Lodge and the nearby Chartridge Park Golf Club into view. On the outskirts of High Wycombe, the striking Hughenden Manor captivates the eye. This former home of British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli has an intriguing past, both as home to an unlikely prime minister and his life split between two faiths – Jew and Christian – as well as an important wartime significance as a top secret Second World War map-making base. So secret it was its operation, that it only came to light 60 years later after a chance encounter one of the Hughenden’s volunteers had with a visitor. She overheard a man telling his grandson he’d been stationed here during the Second World War and this led to a decade-long unravelling of the story. No matter which way you end up flying, one of the first and lasting impressions you get will be of the glorious Chiltern Hills; with their undulating lushness, they will frame your unforgettable High Wycombe balloon flight to perfection.
Make a day of your ballooning experience over High Wycombe by discovering a little more about the town. If you’re flying on a Tuesday, Friday or Saturday, be sure to enjoy a stroll around the markets. High Wycombe has an interesting history on many fronts – for example, it is known as ‘the furniture capital of England’ and was once famed for its chair-making industry. A stroll around town will reveal the Little Market house – or ‘Pepper Pot’ – and the striking raised Guildhall that sits above multiple arches. On St Mary Street you’ll find the Wycombe Swan Theatre; so if you’ve indulged in a morning balloon flight and are staying the night, check out the performances, shows and talks that this busy venue hosts.
Just outside of the town centre you can visit Hughenden Manor, a handsome building with an interesting history as mentioned above. Set in 680 acres of glorious parkland and formal gardens, it is well worth a visit. Outside you will find the Walled Garden that dates from 1749, whereas inside you will discover a house that has been a backdrop to high drama, political intrigue, royal visits, wartime secret operations and an enduring love story. Back at your launch location of Great Missenden you can visit the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre on London Road. A fantastic escape for kids and kids at heart. Here you can learn more about the creative genius who had a career far beyond writing – having been a spy, an ace fighter pilot, a chocolate historian and a medical inventor! Or if you prefer, just relax in the charming Black Horse Pub – your launch site – where you can enjoy quality food, a welcoming atmosphere and of a drink with which to raise a toast to your balloon ride over High Wycombe, the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the beautiful Buckinghamshire countryside.
• A luxury gift voucher valid for 12 months
• A 60 minute flight over Buckinghamshire
• Passenger insurance
• Traditional champagne toast
• Presentation of flight certificate
• Return transport to the launch site
• Magical memories you’ll treasure forever
The main departure point is from beside the Black Horse Pub in Great Missenden just outside High Wycombe. There are also always other sites nearby in Buckinghamshire that can be used to get you aloft though if you need them. Always make sure that you check your voucher details and again when you book in, for the latest launch site details, as they can change depending on weather and site suitability. The good news is, that your voucher is valid for all launch locations in the South East and you can leave your car at the launch site as this is where your ballooning experience will also finish.
Your unforgettable balloon ride will start with a full safety briefing, after which you you can help the team with the the inflating of the balloon if you wish – or kick back, soak up the atmosphere and let others do the hard work. But when it’s time, there is no escaping the collective excitement as the burners fire up and the balloon starts to prepare itself for taking you up, up and away on a ballooning adventure over Buckinghamshire!
As you drift gently over the Buckinghamshire countryside near High Wycombe, there will be ample opportunity to take photographs from this unique vantage point. During your flight you are free to discuss how the balloon works with the pilot, who will also be pointing out the many points of interest that drift below you or rest gently on the horizon.
No two flights are the same, and as such any number of towns, villages and important landmarks could come into view – all of which create talking points for years to come.
After an unforgettable hour ballooning your pilot will begin your descent towards a gentle landing. Once back on the ground, and should you wish, you can help in packing away the envelope (that’s the official name for the fabric canopy).
With the balloon all packed away, you will be transferred back to your launch site where you can sip on the fine stuff and raise a toast to an unforgettable adventure hot air ballooning over Buckinghamshire.