AS The Yorkshire Balloon Fiesta wooed thousands of people across York this bank holiday weekend, reporter EMILY HORNER jumped at the opportunity to take her first balloon flight.

A THOUSAND feet above the ground, flying over a flock of geese - a trip in a hot air balloon was like nothing I've ever experienced.

Two balloonists, including Hugo Hall of the Fly Away Ballooning company, a fellow passenger and I took off in one of the 50 balloons that have been gracing the skies over York racecourse for the Yorkshire Balloon Fiesta, which commenced this Bank Holiday weekend.

York Press: Balloonist Hugo Hall setting up the hot air balloon

After climbing into the narrow basket with three gas tanks, the roaring white noise of the flame signalled we were about to float away.

I hadn’t experienced anything quite like a hot air balloon ride before - it's not like looking out of an aeroplane window seat. In spite of the rapid upward take off, it was quiet and calm as the balloon glided south from the racecourse and higher above the green fields below.

York Press: The Fly Away Balloon all set for take off

It felt as if we were floating almost to a standstill rather than flying.

As third generation balloonist Hugo put it: “You can’t describe it, its a totally unique experience.”

The houses looked like doll houses with toy cars in their driveways - even as we passed over a grand manor house - it looked so small you could pick it up.

Tiny people pointed upwards and waved as we flew over their streets, and the river looked like a thin, shiny ribbon of dark grey with toy boats.

York Press: Getting higher and higher above the ground

The peace only lasted the duration of the half-hour flight, and then it was time to land - and the windy weather that evening meant a bumpy landing at that!

We pressed our bodies against the sides of the basket as instructed, grabbing onto the handles, but the force pushed us down as the basket thudded onto its side, in the middle of a farmer’s field in Stilling Fleet, 20 miles from where we started. Ungracefully, we fell on top of each other in fits of laughter - I even screamed!

I was on such a high - I felt as if I could run back to the racecourse.