EVENING Press photographer David Harrison took to the skies today to take these stunning pictures of contestants preparing for the Ordnance Survey UK National Ballooning Championships.
The competition starts today and is taking place at Castle Howard throughout the week.
David, who was flying in a balloon sponsored by Corks and Cans off-licence in Norton, said: "The flight was very smooth and it was quite warm up there. There was some nice ground mist and it was a very nice flight."
David used a Nikon D1 digital camera with a 17-35 mm lens and also a Nikon F90 with a 80-200mm lens.
It is 25 years since the first ballooning event took place at Castle Howard, the setting for the television series Brideshead Revisited. Participants are competing for a place in the World Air Games taking place in Spain next year.
On Saturday a special Silver Key Grab event is taking place which spectators can watch.
A tall pole with a silver key on top is to be placed on Castle Howard's North Lawn. Balloonists will fly from a specified destination towards the pole. Whoever gets close enough to touch the key will win a new hot air balloon.
Copies of the pictures can be ordered from the Evening Press offices on Walmgate in York, Yorkersgate in Malton and Gowthorpe in Selby.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article