Photography Experiences (up to £500)

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Chris
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It's my 40th next March and the wife wants to buy me an experience of some sort, there is almost too much choice out there so I'd love to hear any recommendations. Did a forum search as I'm sure it has come up before, but couldn't find anything helpful. Budget is up to £500 and preferably anywhere no more than a couple of hours from Wiltshire (so anywhere South West, South Wales, London, Kent, up to Silverstone etc is fine).

I've done the Big Cat photography experience at the Big Cat Sanctuary at Smarden in Kent, which was absolutely incredible (and good value for a full day).

I like motorsport, aviation and animals, which I imagine will cover most things out there! I have found a flight in an old WWII passenger plane where you get to fly alongside a Spitfire (and have a good look around on the ground) which is along the lines of what I'd like to do.
 
Quite a few years ago, we did a flying day at the Hawk Conservancy Trust near Thruxton. Not ideal for photography but a great day out (and close to you!)
 
It's my 40th next March and the" wife wants to buy me an experience of some sort", there is almost too much choice out there so I'd love to hear any recommendations. Did a forum search as I'm sure it has come up before, but couldn't find anything helpful. Budget is up to £500 and preferably anywhere no more than a couple of hours from Wiltshire (so anywhere South West, South Wales, London, Kent, up to Silverstone etc is fine).

I've done the Big Cat photography experience at the Big Cat Sanctuary at Smarden in Kent, which was absolutely incredible (and good value for a full day).

I like motorsport, aviation and animals, which I imagine will cover most things out there! I have found a flight in an old WWII passenger plane where you get to fly alongside a Spitfire (and have a good look around on the ground) which is along the lines of what I'd like to do.

What about a night at the " local female pleasure club" for an experience you will never forget?? sorry just could not resist a "norty" comment. Just to say my memory foam mattress is now trying to blackmail me. ;):D
 
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My daughter did the Hot Air Balloon experience and I went with her.
Really good, got up to just over a mile and as luck would have it flew over our hometown.
 
Supercar drive around Silverstone?
Years ago I did a Brands Hatch rally experience (and got sworn at by the instructor haha), which was great. Also did a single seater, at Thruxton which was also super fun.
 
Some years back I bought a bit of curve ball driving gift for my SWMBO....................driving a battle tank ( as I recall it was a Chieftain?) and though she was a tad unsure, she had a hoot of a time. NB I would have liked to have done this myself :D

PS there are (now) various places offering such drives but back then I think only two...............................too many years gone by but it must have been somewhere here in the South!
 
Not sure where in Wiltshire you are, but there's a few flight experiences from Compton Basset, just over the border in Dorset.


It's only 20 minutes from me, with a decent cafe, so pre lockdown we used to visit regularly. They have a 1940's Havard Trainer, a Chipmunk, and an old Boeing Biplane.
 
Not sure where in Wiltshire you are, but there's a few flight experiences from Compton Basset, just over the border in Dorset.


It's only 20 minutes from me, with a decent cafe, so pre lockdown we used to visit regularly. They have a 1940's Havard Trainer, a Chipmunk, and an old Boeing Biplane.

I'm near Trowbridge, those experiences look fantastic, I will ask if photography is prohibited (i know some flight experiences are fine as long as you secure the camera to yourself).

I've just seen they do a Wings and Wheels Experience, starting from Melksham (5 minutes up the road), a day in an Audi Quattro then a flight is looking like an absolute winner.
 
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I'm near Trowbridge, those experiences look fantastic, I will ask if photography is prohibited (i know some flight experiences are fine as long as you secure the camera to yourself).

I've just seen they do a Wings and Wheels Experience, starting from Melksham (5 minutes up the road), a day in an Audi Quattro then a flight is looking like an absolute winner.

Let me know when you're doing it (if you do) I'll come down and get some pictures... I live in Mere, just south of the A303, about a mile from the Dorset border....
 
Supercar drive around Silverstone?
Years ago I did a Brands Hatch rally experience (and got sworn at by the instructor haha), which was great. Also did a single seater, at Thruxton which was also super fun.

For Xmas my girlfriend bought me a track day experience.
It's all booked for Dunsford in and I'm looking forward to having a play with an Audi R8 and Aston Martin (not sure which model).
 
Thanks folks, booking the Harvard at Compton Abbas Airfield, hopefully do it sometime late March next year, I'll update this thread nearer the time (and after!) if the forum is still around.
 
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