World Heritage launches competition to celebrate 30 years

English Heritage has launched a competition to offer 30 people the opportunity to view Stonehenge from the heights of a hot air balloon. The ancient monument has been a site for Unesco World Heritage for 30 years, and the organisation wants to give 30 people the opportunity to view the site from the skies. The winners, who will be randomly selected, will be able to take someone along to accompany them in October this year. The very first images of Stonehenge, taken from an aerial view, were completed in 1906 by photographers using a tethered balloon. A curator of English Heritage, Heather Sebire, explained:

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to see Stonehenge from above and to appreciate the monument and the landscape from a whole new perspective.”

Sebire added that the aerial view would also highlight the changes and improvements which had been made by removing the A344 road and old buildings. The curator also stated that further improvements would be made by removing the A303 road from the site, which would enhance the site. A spokesman for English Heritage confirmed that the visitor experience in 2013 was hindered by the roads nearby, the car park and old buildings. Since the improvements were made, the site offers a much more rewarding experience, and further commitment from the Government to remove sections of the current A303 from the site will improve the visitor experience further. Hot air balloons offer an alternative view of various places of interest, which is why they are becoming increasingly popular.