There are few better ways to see the glory of the Wiltshire countryside than from the air.

But planes, helicopters and hot air balloons can all weigh heavy on the purse strings.

However, in a field one mile outside Shrivenham lies a haven for the flying enthusiast.

The Vale of the White Horse Gliding Centre is home to 40 members who regularly take to the skies for a bird's eye view of our county. And it doesn't cost the earth, either.

Next weekend the public will get the chance to experience the magic of flying when the club holds its open days.

Everyone is welcome to watch gliders in action and take to the skies themselves.

Jane Nash, 39, will be one of 10 instructors on hand offering taster flights. She caught the flying bug when she was 16.

Jane, who became a fully categorised gliding instructor 20 years ago, said: "My dad loved the sport and I went along with him for a few flights.

"My first flight was very pleasant, not scary at all, and I thought this would be something I could get into."

Clearly she did, having notched up almost 4,000 flights in the last two decades.

Jane now holds 12 British women's records for her speed over various distances. Her achievements include flying at 136kph over 100km. Now she is chasing the 750km diploma.

Jane and her husband Steve, 60, who is also a qualified instructor, own a glider Mosquito and a single-engine aircraft, a Cherokee 180. Their children Jennifer, 12, and Michael, 10, think nothing of hopping in a plane to travel to the beach.

Jane said: "They have been up several times and it has become the norm for them. It gives you incredible freedom."

Mike Leach, the club's marketing and communications officer, became a member in 1991 and has been looking skyward ever since. Mike said: "It's a wonderful feeling to be flying up there with the birds. Pure magic.

"If a bird flies alongside you, not only is it a wondrous thing, it also shows that you're a competent pilot as you have caught the thermals just right.

"Gliding provides a marvellous physical and mental challenge. You need to learn about the weather and how to read the sky, and there's a technical aspect in reading the equipment."

Glider pilots can be as young as 14, and can fly solo when they reach 16. But the sport is also proving popular with people coming up to retirement age.

Mike said: "A lot of people say they have always wanted to fly but either never had the time or the money.

"When they come along they realise it's quite a cheap hobby. It's cheaper than taking up golf."

Trial lessons will be available at the open days on June 7 and 8. Two-seater training aircraft will be used.

Each trial lesson costs £45, with two months' free membership for newcomers to the club.

For more information call Mike on Swindon 725265 or Swindon 783685.

www.swindongliding.co.uk

www.gliding.co.uk