Ballooning

For today's offering I have chosen a few shots of a hot air balloon taken last Friday close to Bolton Abbey in the Yorkshire Dales.

Two or three times a year I like to combine photography with another of my favourite activities; camping.  I find an area with good photo opportunities and I try to get the best of the light during the evening and early morning.  Of course in the summer months the later sunsets mean more time to get snapping but the downside is for the sunrise I have to get up at stupid o'clock. In spite of this however I enjoy the peace and the beauty being out alone as the sun comes up and I've been able to get some great shots.

Last weekend I decided to make the most of the good weather and set off for the Yorkshire Dales.  I had found a fantastic campsite catgillcampsite on the Bolton Abbey estate.  I have to say it was probably the nicest campsite I have every stayed on and the facilities were genuinely first class (seriously you should check out the photos of the shower block on their website).  I'd found a nice flat pitch and got set up and then I'd gone for some tea at another great find just a mile or so up the road. Billy Bobs Parlour has a superb range of ice cream and 1950's American Diner food.  It was so good I went back the next morning for a massive breakfast which set me up for the day.  

Anyway it was after tea on Friday as I was driving back to the campsite when I saw this balloon drifting towards me.  I could see that it was coming down, looking for a safe place to land, so I pulled over and took a number of pictures with my Canon EF 70 - 300mm f4 and I've picked a few to share with you. 

I like the way the burner adds interest to the pictures, looking at them brings back the roar of the flame and the sense of anticipation as the basket seemingly skimmed the trees and dry stone walls.   Feel free to add a comment.