New adventures Time to try some new outdoor pursuits

It’s wonderful to get back on the road, heading for the great outdoors, but why not use your freedom to try new activities? Marcus Leach recommends some favourites

After so long in lockdown, I dare say I am not alone in feeling elated to be planning our first few local trips. For some, being on a campsite will be enough, but plenty of us are looking to extend our adventures beyond those boundaries.

Walking and cycling have been a great escape in lockdown, but there has also, for us at least, been a growing desire to seek out new adventures and experiences.

Not to say we won’t be exploring new routes on our bikes once we head away, but we will also be looking to inject a bit of variety into our activities as we set out to make up for lost time.

So if you are seeking something new to enjoy this year, here are a few suggestions…

Zip-lining

The idea of exploring treetop canopies while attached to zip-lines has become hugely popular in the UK, largely thanks to Go Ape (goape.co.uk), but as with most things, there is always someone taking it to the next level.

This is where Zip World (zipworld.co.uk), based in North Wales, comes in. It is home to an amazing array of outdoor adventure activities, including the world’s fastest zip-line – known as Velocity 2 – which also happens to be the longest in Europe.

Hanging from your harness on the centre’s 1.5km-long line, you can take in breathtaking views of Snowdonia, while soaring above Penrhyn Quarry at speeds of more than 100mph.

Best for zip-lining

There are many great reasons to visit Snowdonia National Park, not least the spectacular mountains and the brilliant walking on offer, but if you are looking for an adrenaline fix, Zip World is the place to be. If that’s not enough action, you can double up on the excitement by visiting Adventure Parc Snowdonia (adventureparcsnowdonia.com).

Stand up paddleboarding

There’s a lot to be said for the feeling of gliding along effortlessly on a tranquil lake as the sun rises – or, as is often the case with me, falling into the water as other people glide past! I’m talking about the pleasures of stand up paddleboarding (SUP), which, some might be surprised to discover, is not a new means of travel – it has been around for about 80 years, with its roots in Hawaii. However, it’s only over the past 10 years or so that it has become more of a mainstream pastime.

One of the main reasons behind its rise to prominence is the advanced design of the boards now being used. These days, many paddleboards are inflatable, making them far easier to pack down and take away with you, especially in a caravan.

It’s enormous fun – even before you progress to the standing up phase, this is simply a great way to get out on the water, and when you do master the skill, it can be a serene experience.

Best for SUP

For ease of access to the water, a variety of locations and stunning scenery as your backdrop, it is hard to look past the Lake District. This really has to be the perfect destination for SUP.

Red Paddle Co has a handy tool on its website (redpaddleco.com) that allows you to search for training schools and the best locations in the UK to get out onto the water with your board.

Sea kayaking

Being an island nation, we are blessed with thousands of miles of stunningly beautiful coastline, and it’s safe to say, many of us have walked at least some stretches of it on our travels. However, perhaps it’s now time to take a look at that coast from a rather different perspective, looking back to the land from out at sea – in a kayak.

Being on the water not only allows you to admire the coast from the other side, but also offers a unique chance to explore in and around places that are impossible to reach from the landward side, and to discover little nooks that just aren’t visible to you from the land.

That’s not forgetting the opportunity it gives you to get up close and personal with the fabulous wildlife living along our shores – seals, seabirds, bottlenose dolphins, to name but a few.

Best for sea kayaking

It’s a toss-up between Pembrokeshire and the Scottish Highlands, because both offer brilliant ways to explore the coast and see a wide variety of wildlife.

For those of you looking for a bucket list challenge, there’s the Scottish Sea Kayak Trail (scottishseakayaktrail.com) to work your way up to – this 500km route takes you around the most scenic parts of the Highlands and Islands.

Orienteering

It’s somewhat hard to remember now, but there was a time when we didn’t rely on phones and sat nav to direct us, when every vehicle carried a road atlas in the glovebox, and you wouldn’t set out on a hike without a trusty OS map in your pack.

It now seems map-reading is becoming something of a dying art, which is why there’s never been a better time to reverse

‘ Even before you get to the standing up phase, it is a great means for getting out on the water’

the trend. And what finer way to add an element of adventure to the experience than by heading out orienteering?

Best summed up as ‘competitive navigation on foot in unknown terrains using a map and compass’, there are any number of orienteering courses, events and competitions taking place throughout the UK on a regular basis.

Best for orienteering

The High Weald, in south-east England, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, is the ideal place to try your hand at orienteering. It provides a number of permanent courses, to suit a whole range of abilities, in the parklands around Bewl Water.

Grizedale Forest, in Cumbria, also has a great variety of orienteering courses, including the Gruffalo route, which is designed especially for the youngest members of the family.

Birdwatching

Extending the adventure while you’re on tour isn’t always about adrenaline rushes or high levels of activity. In fact, sometimes what’s going to be needed is an altogether calmer experience.

There’s really no better way to relax than by whiling away the hours watching for birds, of which the UK has a huge array, ranging from the rather small and common to the very large and rare.

Although there’s no need for any sort of qualification to get started, several places offer introductory courses, including the Canal & River Trust, in the Yorkshire Wolds (canalrivertrust.org.uk).

Best for birdwatching

You can get started anywhere in the UK, but what you hope to see might dictate where you decide to go. For magnificent golden eagles, head to Scotland, while red kites, once rare but thankfully now more numerous, can be seen in Wales.

Rough-legged buzzards can be spotted on the islands of Shetland and Orkney.

Wild (tent!) camping

As brilliant as touring in a caravan is, when it comes to gaining access to more remote locations, the reality is that you can explore even further when not behind the wheel.

So what happens when the road comes to an end, but your quest for adventure doesn’t? Simple – you pack a lightweight tent and a few basic essentials, and head off for the night to wild camp.

As an ultra-distance bike-packer, I am accustomed to carrying everything I need to sleep in more remote locations; which is where the idea to pack the same kit in our van came from.

So when I, or indeed the rest of the family, fancy a bigger adventure, we can leave our van on-site and set out to explore and experience places that are only accessible on foot.

Best for wild camping

Undoubtedly the best place for wild camping is Scotland: bearing in mind the common-sense guidance to respect the countryside and stay safe, you can pitch your tent pretty much anywhere, including the stunning national parks.

That’s not to say you can’t wild camp elsewhere in the UK, but this does usually mean asking the landowner’s permission.

It goes without saying that it is vital to remember – wherever you wild camp, leave absolutely no trace of your stay.

Ice swimming

This is one for the winter, and the most adventurous (or craziest?) among us. I can say from experience that it offers excellent benefits, both physical and mental. There’s nothing like sitting in near-freezing water to clear the mind and focus on the moment, which in essence, is what meditation is about.

As my wife always tells me, there are more sensible ways to switch off, but there’s no escaping the fact that this is growing in popularity.

However, it is absolutely imperative that you never enter cold water alone, for reasons of safety, and bear in mind that it is best to build up to this with other cold-water immersions.

Best for ice swimming

There are all manner of places in the UK where you can swim, or just submerge yourself, in icy water; but for me, few are as beautiful as Keeper’s Pond, at the top of Blorenge mountain in the Brecon Beacons. There are many campsites nearby, making this a great base for a winter trip focusing on mental health.

‘There’s no better way to relax than by whiling away the hours watching for birds, of which the UK has a huge array’