Extreme sports
Push yourself further than you ever thought possible by taking up an extreme pursuit such as mountaineering, abseiling, skiing, rock climbing and fell-running. (Although perhaps not all of them at once.) They offer a fantastic chance to see parts of the coastline and landscape you can’t access by more pedestrian means. And for an adrenaline-fuelled glimpse of our coastland, there is always kite-surfing. It’s an activity not designed for the faint-hearted or more laid-back among us. Combining elements of windsurfing, surfing, paragliding, oh, and gymnastics too, into one extremely extreme sport.
Take the plunge canyoning in Cumbria
Ever looked at a waterfall and rather than reaching for the camera, thought ‘I’d like to climb down that’? If so, you’re about to discover your new favourite sport – canyoning.
Location: Bowness, Cumbria
Explore the English Riviera Global Geopark
Spot rare wildlife, go coasteering, and discover stories of drowned forests at South Devon's Global Geopark, a fascinating area with rich historical and geological heritage.
Location: Torquay, Devon
Unleash your inner F1 racing driver at Buckmore Park
Speed around the track where world champions Hamilton and Button first got behind the wheel.
Location: Chatham , Kent
See an Island from the air
Enjoy the view that most visitors to the Isle of Wight miss every year by seeing it from the skies on a paragliding trip.
Location: Yarmouth, Isle of Wight
Celebrate your adventurous side at Avalanche Adventure
Are you one of those people who like their challenges a little off the beaten track?
Location: Market Harborough, Leicestershire
Rainy Day Activities: Scale the walls of Exeter’s Quay Climbing Centre
With over 200 climbing lines, training walls and an abseil tower, there are plenty of indoor activities to suit everyone.
Location: Exeter, Devon
Venture to the tree tops at Go Ape!
Enjoy fun and adventure in the trees, taking on epic zip wires, Tarzan swings, rope ladders and a variety of obstacles.
Location: Wendover, Buckinghamshire
Test your head for heights at the Adventure Rope Course
The Adventure Rope Course is a 17 metre Activity Tower with lots of adrenaline-fueled challenges attached to it.
Location: Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Reach new heights on a Lake District mountain
Climb where only birds fly and explore a hidden underground world in Cumbria’s Lake District mountains, the ultimate place to broaden your horizons.
Location: Honister Pass, Cumbria
Put pedal to the metal on a mountain biking break in Penrith
Hit those Cumbrian trails with your trusty bike on a cycling holiday in Penrith.
Location: Penrith, Cumbria
Take to the slopes in Dorset
The Snowtrax alpine activity centre will transport you to the mountains for the day.
Location: Christchurch, Dorset
Experience rock climbing in the picturesque Wye Valley
The spectacular Wye Valley cliffs offer a unique and beautiful playground for what is now one of the UK's largest participation sports.
Location: Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire
Rock Climb in the Peak District
With 10,000 recorded climbs the Peak District is widely recognised as having some of the best climbing in the country.
Location: Peak District, Derbyshire
Rainy Day Activities: Climb the walls of St Werburgh’s Church
Test your strength as you climb up the walls of this 15th-century church on an indoor activity break in Bristol.
Location: Bristol
Enjoy the ultimate free flying experience over North York Moors
If you’ve got a head for heights and the being ratcheted up to a thousand feet fills you with excitement, a gliding lesson might be just the ticket.
Location: Thirsk, North Yorkshire
Ice Climbing in London
Forget about that cheese sandwich and packet of crips - time for a liquid lunch. Frozen liquid, that is, and climbing it.
Location: Covent Garden, London
November events: Experience Kendal’s version of the Oscars
Kendal is a magnet for mountaineers who don’t just come to climb, but to gather and celebrate all things mountainous at its annual festival.
Location: Kendal, Cumbria
Soar above England’s highest chalk sea cliff
Work up the courage for a unique, exhilarating way to take in the iconic scenery of East Sussex’s famous Beachy Head, near Eastbourne.
Location: Eastbourne, East Sussex
Get the kids active at Mendip Snowsports Centre
Set in the beautiful Mendip Hills, action never stops at Mendip Snowsports Centre with kayaking, climbing, caving, archery, snowboarding, and more.
Location: Churchill, North Somerset
Take to the skies for a Wiltshire adrenaline rush
Jump 10,000 feet (or more) above the Wiltshire countryside for a high adrenaline adventure that you won’t forget in a hurry.
Location: Salisbury, Wiltshire
Enjoy Suffolk’s scenery from the saddle or high up in the treetops
Enjoy one of the UK’s most thrilling outdoor activities at the original Go Ape! in Thetford Forest or experience cycling in Suffolk.
Location: Brandon, Suffolk