Blake House Craft Centre, Blake End, Rayne, Braintree, Essex, CM77 6RA
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The Blake House Craft Centre will be our first choice to fly from if the wind is from the North West. This site is well signposted from the A120 and is close to Braintree, a bustling market town which sits as do most of Essex’s towns on the route of an old Roman road.
Every year towards the end of the summer Blake House has a wonderful maze cut in the adjoining field of maize and we have several pictures taken over the years for you to see below. Soon after take off your balloon basket may float over Braintree, the original home of one of Essex's most famous architectural exports, Crittall Windows. Although now based in Witham, these world famous steel windows originated from a humble ironmongers shop in Braintree in the 1800's.
Or perhaps you will move south east towards the Notley's as our hot air balloon ride drifts down towards Rivenhall and beyond. Great Notley, White Notley and Black Notley, three very different villages – if you are lucky you may float close to all three. With this area being central to Essex's crop belt combine harvester spotting during the summer months of July through to September should be easy.
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Aerial view as a hot air balloon gently rises over the maze at Blake House
A balloon flight over a combine harvester dispensing into a trailer as it farms the Essex countryside
