A new angle on Great Haywood Junction

A new angle on Great Haywood Junction

May 2016

Its not every day you get to see the familiar from a whole new perspective, but that's what happened at dawn today.

Sunrise over Shugborough

Helen included a hot air balloon ride on her 50 things to do at 50 list and to lots of Christmas presents were given to this end. We have made a couple of attempts to use the vouchers but each time the weather was against us - and then she had her surgery.

Then yesterday she had a call to say they were flying from Shugborough today if we were free? Strictly speaking she is barely recovered from her surgery but with a course of Chemo appearing likely she figured that this was the one window of opportunity before the autumn so on an impulse decided to "go for it".

Balloons need very settled weather to fly and that means starting at dawn, which is at 6.00am more or less. So 5.00 am saw us up and we were on out way by 5.15 and arriving at Shugborough about 30 mins later.

Tixall Wide

The balloon took off at 6.15 prompt and in no time we were soaring away with Tixall Wide just to the west and Great Haywood Junction more or less beneath us.

Great Haywood Junction with Trent and Mersey Canal

The flight was great covering about 12 miles in just over an hour, and we even landed without upsetting the basket which was a huge bonus for Helen's fragile arm.

Skyscape over Staffordshire

The pictures speak for themselves!