An experienced hot air balloon enthusiast took a flight over Bedford Borough recently and shared the bird’s eye view with his followers on YouTube.
Rob Parr, who lives in Chatteris in Cambridgeshire, took off from near Wilden and his trip took in the Cardington Sheds and Oasis swimming pool, as well as many of the new housing developments throughout the Borough.
Speaking to the Bedford Independent, Rob said: “We launched just outside Wilden and headed straight over the top of Bedford, the colossal Cardington Airship Sheds acting as a beacon and waypoint.
“Another landmark that stood out was the Oasis pool pyramid, I thought we were over Milton Keynes for a minute.
“With the vastness of Bedford below we could hear kids shouting up at us as we glided overhead in our tiny baskets suspended over a bag of air. The wind direction took us around the edge and as we got closer to the sheds we were reminded of the time we brought a little airship magic to Bedford the year previous.
“We eventually landed [in Moor Lane playing fields] but not near the sheds.”
Rob has been flying balloons for over seven years but says he has loved them since he was just eight years old.
“I used to live in Watford but then moved to the countryside and got bored and bought a hot air balloon and learned how to fly. It took 32hrs of training over 18 months to obtain my licence. I have flown in multiple countries such as Switzerland, Belgium and most recently Qatar.”
Rob attends events up and down the country to share his love of hot air balloons and he and his fellow pilots can be found “dazzling the skies in a spectacular array of colours and shapes”.
He said: “At times we have to be patient with the weather as balloons can’t fly in anything above 11mph surface wind speeds and we can’t control where the balloon will land, if we’re lucky we can “steer” the balloon using the wind directions.
“It’s an honour and a privilege to follow the great intrepid pioneer pilots of decades past and a great rewarding experience flying in the oldest form of air transport in the world and I hope it’s around for many more years to come.”
