This film is part of Free

Hot Air

A relaxing hobby? Hot air ballooning over the Suffolk countryside

Documentary 1977 17 mins

From the collection of:

Logo for East Anglian Film Archive

Overview

How does a busy man unwind? This film looks at a businessman’s enthusiasm for hot air ballooning which led to his company sponsoring a Balloon Meet. The camping and careful preparations that make ballooning possible have their own gentle pace and supportive teamwork. Birdsong accompanies the aerial views of the Suffolk landscape. Less relaxing perhaps for the vehicle teams who chase the balloons along the lanes, but it's a welcome antidote to everyday working life.

The first East Anglian Balloon Meet was sponsored by N. De Groot International, seen operating through Felixstowe Docks as part of the their international fruit and vegetable transport business. Shrubland Park, site of the Meet, was styled by Humphrey Repton in the late eighteenth century as part of the estate around Grade II listed Shrubland Hall.