Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th September 2009 @ Ashton Court Estate, Bristol

Arriving at Ashton Court on the most beautifully sunny, but unfittingly bluster free, meeting we met our stunt kite tutors for the day, Keith and Vee. Both are more than your common or garden kite flyers with ample knowledge of international competition and a similarly impressive bag of toys to boot. After selecting the lightest of his ten kites – the only option in these wind-famished surroundings – we were ready to launch.

I had always thought of kite flying to be a rather gentle, relaxing, Sunday afternoon activity but that was before being put through my paces by a professional! In order to control the speed of the kite, and more importantly to keep these sails filled with what precious little wind we could, it is vital to run back and forth - and in my case it seems even round and round in circles. Once we had the basics and I had just about got the hang of making turns, we started on the more difficult skill of crossing the lines to form a series of figure-of-eight movements.

Fantastic, the wind was picking up a bit and I was really getting the hang of some of the moves whilst also admiring some incredible looking kites, right next to us, being flown with somewhat more skill and style.

Visitors to this amazing event will leave with a sore neck I’m sure as all the action is above your head where flocks of kites of all types and sizes, including enormous dragons and flying saucers alongside the smaller swifter sports kites and four-line stunt kites, perform all manner of spins and stalls in perfect synchronisation. As far as new hobbies go, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little bit keen although I don’t think I’ll be entering any competitions just yet. With so many stalls and such fantastic advice from all those involved in the scene however, I had to pull myself away from the power kites and kite buggies before I maxed my credit card on some seriously cool toys for myself.

Kiting is a relatively cheap hobby and fun for all ages, don’t think you have to go out and spend a lot on expensive new kit that you will be afraid of damaging when you can buy a second hand kite reasonably cheap on the internet and you will also find that spare parts are readily available for those inevitable crashes.

Bristol Kite Festival was the brainchild of three friends; Martin Lester, John Peyton and Avril Baker. Lester and Peyton were designers and kite enthusiasts who had worked together at Bower Ashton College of Art and Design in Bristol. This year marks the 23rd year for the Kite festival and long may this world-renowned event reign on!

www.avonkiteflyers.org.uk

www.kite-festival.org.uk

David Penfold
Photos by Ian Bradley – www.ianbradleyphotography.com