The first major event in the ballooning calendar celebrated its big 4-0 in the skies above the Savernake Forest this morning.
The 40th annual Icicle Meet saw around 30 hot air balloons take off from Warren Farm, near St Katharine’s, over the space of a couple of hours – a vast improvement on 2011 when only six were able to take flight in windy conditions.
The ascents were a welcome sight to spectators and organisers after the pilots decided not to attempt lift-off on Saturday.
Organiser Pete Bish explained: “The perfect conditions for the Icicle Meet are clear blue skies and hard ground.”
“The weather on Saturday was deemed unfavourable, but as the forecast for the following day was better the pilots opted for a Sunday launch.”
The annual event – held on the first weekend of the year after New Year’s Day– is well-known within the ballooning community, but unlike many balloon festivals it is not advertised as a public event.
As a result, members of the public who do pop along find themselves in the midst of the action as balloons are unpacked from trailers, burners are noisily fired and the colourful canopies are inflated.
Among the star attractions at this year’s event was the BT Olympics balloon, branded to promote the communication giant’s sponsorship of the 2012 games.
The first Icicle Meet was held near Newbury in 1973, when John Noakes of BBC’s Blue Peter filmed in a balloon.
In 1978 it became the largest hot air balloon meet ever outside the United States with 85 balloons making 179 flights, and in 1989 a record 143 balloons flew.
In 1993 the event moved to Warren Farm, when 97 balloons took flight. A year later the event hit the headlines when an airship crashed into a tree in the flying field. The crew were rescued by the fire brigade.
It’s not a race… but for the record this was the first balloon up
Inflating a balloon is a team effort
There was snow in the air… if only from the Snow Business balloon
The Union Flag on the tether of another balloon made for this interesting Olympic-themed picture
The BT Olympics balloon in flight
A cluster of balloons over the Savernake Forest