Virgin Balloon Flights (Shrewsbury) - Hot Air Balloon Rides

The real draw here is obvious the moment you arrive - watching those enormous balloons inflate at dawn with Shropshire's countryside stretching out beneath a clear sky. Virgin Balloon Flights operates from near Shrewsbury, and frankly, it's the sort of thing that sounds gimmicky until you're actually up there.

You'll float roughly 3,000 feet above the landscape for an hour or so, drifting peacefully over fields and villages while the pilot works the burners. There's something genuinely meditative about it - no engine noise, just wind and the occasional whoosh of flame. On a clear morning you can see right across to Wales. The landing is a bit rough sometimes, which adds to the adventure rather than detracting from it.

This isn't cheap and it's weather-dependent, so you can't just rock up any day. Early mornings are essential - you need calm conditions, which means summer offers better odds than winter. Book ahead and allow most of a day for the whole experience, including the pre-flight briefing and the champagne bit afterwards (yes, it's properly traditional).

It suits people who actually want to do something memorable on holiday rather than just tick boxes. Kids old enough to sit still and appreciate what's happening will love it; fidgety toddlers less so. If you're camped at Springfield Riverside nearby, it's a cracking way to start a Shropshire break - you'll see the landscape you're about to explore from an entirely different angle.