Launch Sites

Kent Ballooning has 8 different launch sites across Kent. The choice of launch site is based upon the forecast wind direction for your flight period. The Pilot will choose the best launch site in order to give us the longest and most importantly safest flight, without ending up in the sea!

Launch Site Addresses and Directions

1. Canterbury

Kingsmead Leisure Centre, Kingsmead Rd, Canterbury, CT2 7PH
Map LinkDownload pdf directions


2. Broome Park Country Club

Canterbury Road, Barham, CT4 6QX
Map link | Download pdf directions


3. Etchinghill Golf Club

Canterbury Road, Etchinghill, Folkestone, Kent CT18 8FA
Map link Download pdf directions


4. Evegate

Station Road, Smeeth, Ashford, Kent TN25 6SX
Map link | Download pdf directions

5. Great Chart Golf & Leisure

No longer in use


6. Headcorn Aerodrome

Shenley Road, Headcorn TN27 9HX
Map link | Download pdf directions


7. Mercure Maidstone Great Danes Hotel

Ashford Road, Hollingbourne, Kent ME17 1RE
Map link | Download pdf directions


8. Port Lympne Reserve

Aldington Road, Nr. Ashford, Kent, CT21 4PD
Map link | Download pdf directions

A message from our Chief Pilot, Michael,
about how we choose the launch site

Balloons travel in the same direction as the wind and cannot be ‘steered’.  Kent is a small county with the sea on 3 sides so it’s important to choose the most appropriate launch site for your flight.

It is impossible to predict the wind direction at the time when you book a date for your flight.  As your Pilot I will choose the launch site once I have the most up to date forecast for the flight period.  For a morning flight this will be at 22:00 the night before.  For an evening flight it will be at 14:00 on the day of your flight.  The reason I make this decision so close to the flight time is that the accuracy of the short term forecasts is much greater.  You might be disappointed that the launch site chosen isn’t your preferred option, however, the one I choose won’t take us into controlled airspace or the sea, instead it will give us the longest and safest flight possible.

Ready to take to the skies?