Activities To Try Before Reaching 40!
Life goes by faster than a bullet. If you see the BIG 40 on the horizon, it’s time to put some unique lifetime experiences on schedule!
Here is our selection of things you simply must try out before your 40th birthday!
Disclaimer – NONE of the activities below are reserved for people under 40! If you are already beyond that milestone, try them anyway…
Adventure in Cornwall… in a Campervan
Enjoying Cornwall’s stunning natural beauty without having to worry about accommodation, is surely worth considering – especially whilst you’re on the right side of 40.
Growing older inevitably means needing more accessories and planning to enjoy your escape – so make sure you try it while things like hot water and comfy pillows are not of vital importance.
Why Cornwall? Well, Cornwall boasts some of UK’s best beaches, and of diverse character too.
Some beaches are wide and sandy, with clear turquoise waters – perfect for swimming, snorkelling, or paddle-boarding; others steep-cliffed shores with menacing waves, which have made Cornwall a surfing haven.
Find some friends as crazy as you are, find a nice campervan to fit you all and spend a week or more there, enjoying your favourite water-sports and staying wherever the mood takes you!
Try Scuba Diving in Lundy Island
Scuba diving has only recently found the attention it deserves in the UK, mainly because most imagine it within a dark, bottomless and murky lake.
In fact, UK has some of the most stunning scuba diving spots in Europe, with abundant marine life and excellent visibility.
Lundy Island, just a 10–15-minute drive from Barnstaple in North Devon, was UK’s first place designated as a Marine Conservation Zone, for its superb underwater landscape, an abundance of impressive species and no less than ten captivating wrecks, catering for divers of all levels of experience and skill.
If you have not tried scuba diving before but like the idea, Lundy Island is a perfect pick.
Try Skydiving Above Wales
With just the right amount of lunacy and safer than ever, skydiving will a rush unlike anything else; and allow you to marvel at the natural world fro, a unique viewpoint at more than 2 kilometres above ground.
Great spots for skydiving are constantly popping up, but if you want some guaranteed fun in a beautiful location, try Wales.
Offering excellent rates, Wales’ skies will reward your courage with magnificent views over the beaches of Gower Peninsula and its bold, gigantic cliffs.
Spend a Hiking Weekend in Snowdonia
While climbing demands more technical skill, experience and stamina, hiking is far easier and, often, equally rewarding, especially if pick the right spot.
Snowdonia, the imposing Eryri of the Welsh, dominates the country’s north west region, encompassing a national park of more than 2 square kilometres, offering gorgeous views over the landscape stretching beyond from its gentle slopes.
The place is the perfect choice for all ages with routes to suit all levels of ability; and is also a great choice for solo hikers.
Choose Snowdonia if you would love spending an exciting hiking weekend in a safe yet beautiful place.
Travel Overland… On a Bicycle!
Just pick a route and go for it.
Whether solo, with friends or your partner, adventure cycling is a great experience. Watching the landscapes unfolding before you, at a speed allowing you to really appreciate the sights and smells of a location is something unique to cycling.
Whether you follow an agreed itinerary, or just head off without knowing exactly where you will spend each night, your experience can be tailored to your preferences. Pitch a tent, wild camp or stay in a B’n’B; the options are endless.
The UK and Europe offer safe routes for cyclists with many well-trodden paths to enjoy; and others off the beaten track.
Challenge Yourself with the 3 Peaks Challenge
The famous Three Peaks, namely Ben Nevis, the Scafell Pike, and Snowdon are, as you may know, the highest mountains in Scotland, England and Wales. The challenge involves climbing each of the peaks…in one day.
While the exact sequence is of no particular importance, the challenge is considered completed only if you ascend all three peaks within a day; and we are talking about almost 45 kilometres in horizontal distance and a vertical ascent of no less than 3,000 metres!
All participants must boast excellent physical condition and be experienced climbers; but also be prepared to remain awake and in sharp mental competence for 24 hours!
The 3 Peaks Challenge may sound a bit extreme…and it is. While you will likely be part of a group and have seasoned guides with you, do prepare physically and mentally for the venture months before attempting it.
If you do manage it, you will have a massive confidence boost, and a great story to tell!
SUP the Norfolk Broads
This maze of –in the most part- navigable rivers and lakes covers more than 200 300 km2, encompassing more than 60 uniquely beautiful broads.
Its calm waters are just perfect for SUP boarders of all levels of experience, wishing to enjoy spectacular surroundings!
Coasteering in Wales
Coasteering is arguably the most thrilling outdoor activity mixing land and water; and Wales is by far the best place in the UK for such a venture.
Coasteering is, simply put, managing your way along a coastline. Bold cliffs, raging waves, slippery rocks and muddy traps, which you have to find a way to overcome, wearing nothing but a wetsuit and a helmet and carrying a buoyancy aid.
A combination of cliff jumping, swimming, scrambling and cave exploring in Wales’ stunning coastal headland, coasteering is not something you want to leave too long before you try.
Images thanks to:
www.devon-dubs.co.uk
www.awe365.com
www.smartrailworld.com
www.supboardermag.com
www.celticquestcoasteering.com