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Issue 9 - The sky's the limit

Scotland Magazine Issue 9

Scotland Magazine Issue 9
July 2003

 

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The sky's the limit

HOW BETTER TO ENJOY SCOTLAND'S LUSH LANDSCAPES THAN FROM A HOT-AIR BALLOON? LOUISE GILBERT MEETS GRAEME HOUSTON OF SCOTAIR BALLOONS

The sky's the limit (Issue 9)

Imagine being handed a hot-air balloon on your birthday and not having a licence to fly it. An unlikely scenario? Well that's just what happened to Graeme Houston one auspicious day in 1988, a day that the winds changed the direction of his life forever.

Today, Graeme is owner and operator of Scotair Balloons, Scotland's first hot-air balloon flight company. Based in Lanarkshire, close to the quaint country village of Biggar, it seems the perfect place to float off above Scotland's green valleys.

It wasn't hard for Graeme to pick a location. “Scotland's home, so I knew Scotair had to be based here. I laid out all the Ordnance Survey maps for Scotland, and looked long and hard at every single area. There are less restrictions, danger areas and power lines here, so I started to fly the balloon in this part of the world to test it out. Not only is it amazingly scenic, but it's also very rural. I totally fell for the whole area.”

Looking at the surrounding countryside, it's easy to see why Graeme was immediately smitten with this place. Scotair Balloons fly over the Clyde Valley with the river snaking below and parting the surrounding woodlands. As the balloon rises to 2,500 feet, the rolling hills drop away, the contours flatten out and the landscape becomes a patchwork quilt of green and gold. An average flight will cover a distance of up to 15 miles, and takes about one hour. Graeme describes the experience:

“Very tranquil, very peaceful and relaxing. It's surreal re...

 

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