Balloon Meets
Strange times – The 5th Leap Meet, Feb 2020 – Peter Dowlen reports
I am writing this in strange times, we are in lockdown and, as I sit here in glorious April sunshine, I am reminiscing back to the very last balloon event, held in normal times, in the UK. I am speaking, of course, about the 2020 Leap Meet, held in Llandovery, South Wales, at the end… Read More ›
The No Ice Re-frozen Icicle 2020
The Icicle has been part of balloonings’ heritage since it first started and over the years has become the national institution that reminds us that better is yet to come as the evenings draw out and the sun shines warmer. It’s a chance to meet up with friends old and new, check out the latest… Read More ›
2019 Icicle Warms up nicely
What a way to start the year. An Icicle that flies all the slots. The benchmark for 2019 is now set high. We had actually got a couple of flights in with the trusty ’56 on the Thursday and Friday before the Icicle stole the weather for the weekend. Despite rumours to the contrary I… Read More ›
Keith and Jeff’s Big Adventure – the Channel Crossing
Probably one of the greatest adventures you can have in ballooning is to leave this fair isle using the wind currents and arrive on foreign soil. The Channel isn’t that wide and thus France not that far but crossing it requires a lot of careful planning and preparation. To run an event that looks to… Read More ›
Debbie’s Great British Dash – Long Jump 2016
The Long Jump is one of the last great personal challenges. Forget your altitude records, round the world flights and competition flying, all very challenging to different degrees I’m sure, but The Great British Long Jump is truly a personal challenge and one that has seen some pretty courageous flying over the years. Last year… Read More ›
Sunshine and Shapes – The Incredible Inflation Day
The British Balloon & Museum Inflation day takes place on a fixed day every two years so the weather isn’t exactly guaranteed! Despite this the Old and Rusty mob are no fair weather fliers and will, within reason, always give it a go. The chosen day, May 7th 2016, couldn’t have been better. Blue skies,… Read More ›
Damp squibs? – Not likely its the Icicle Refrozen 2017
Charged with being on the organising Committee of the now nicely re-established Icicle Refrozen it came as a huge relief to Geoff Lescott and the 3-4-40 Icicle Refrozen organising crew that this year they managed to actually fly, an occurrence missing from the meet for quite a few years. Attendance was great, the atmosphere brilliant… Read More ›
From Warstein to Ferrara – by van!!!!
Having toughed it out in Warstein Neil Iveson filled his rucksack with beer and set off to march over the Alps to Ferrara from where he wired us this report. Ferrara Balloon Festival in Northern Italy ran from 10th to 18th September. Due to the first weekend clashing with the German Warstein Meet Team Khaos,… Read More ›
Cheers – it’s Warstein 2016
European globetrotter Neil Iveson reports on the popular Warstein Balloon Meet. Whilst most teams attended for the full week Team Swatch arrived on the Wednesday for the second half of the week. A number of British teams made the trip to Warstein for 2016. Having been there since Saturday they reported it had so far… Read More ›
Armed with some Old & Rusty balloons the BBM&L head to Warstein 2015
Remembering free beer and fine flying Neil Iveson arranged to take the BBM&L’s Maxwell House to the famous Warstein Balloon Meet in Germany. Despite a slow beery start he and his Team had a very fine time and recommend this meet to anyone. Here’s his report. After the enjoyment of the Joure balloon festival in… Read More ›