You stand, staring 12,000 feet down, in a plane hurtling forward. Your legs shake. Your stomach churns. But then you jump out – and there is no freer feeling.
Your heart races like horses hammering towards a finishing line, the wind blasts through your hair and the pinpoints of the ground grow larger and larger at a startling rate. And, just as you’ve never felt better, you pull the cord on your parachute and feel your rapid descent turn into a gentle glide.
Once your feet are on solid ground, all you can think is, “How can I get more people to experience this?”
Well, the trick is to start small. Take your friends on an extreme trip they won’t forget and you’ll soon have them jumping out of planes with the best of them.
But which sports should you give a go?
Saddle onto a Segway
The Segway might not seem like the most scintillating day out but, thanks to the guys at Segway Active, the Segway adventure centre is a fantastic way to spend a weekend.
Starting with a tutorial on how to use these two-wheeled wonders, you’ll end your time racing against your mates on complex dirt tracks and even striking out on time trials of your own.
Housed in Chepstow, the Segway experience is great for adrenaline junkies young and old, and could even earn you a few converts to extreme sports.
Jump off a bridge – safely
For some people the thrill of jumping off a bridge doesn’t have to end with a horrid splat noise. Instead, they attach a rope to their feet and call it bungee jumping!
There are many great locations for making that giant leap, but one of the finest is provided by Highland Fling, based in Highland Perthshire, Scotland.
The only purpose-built bridge in the UK, Highland Fling have perfected the ideal jump. On your descent you’ll be met with breath taking scenery and the ebb and flow of a river gently babbling beneath you.
It’s a feeling like little else. Who knows – you might even want to retry it once you’re done.
Tanks for the paintjob!
You love tanks! You love paintball! Then there’s no way you won’t love tank paintball!
An epic battle over abandoned military fields in Leicestershire, tank paintball is the ultimate combination of competitive extreme sports, pitting friend against friend and having a whole heap of fun in the process.
Teamwork, outmanoeuvring your opponents, learning to drive a tank – there are fewer things cooler than this.
Watching a giant globule of Dulux smack a heavily armoured vehicle on its flank is the most fun you can have outside of a long term relationship. You’ll soon have friends begging you for more extreme sports – and then you can strap the chutes to their back!
Image: here
