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TRAIL TO TIDE: THE NORST JOURNAL

10 Things To Try in 2023

by Gemma Tadman 04 Sep 2022 0 Comments
10 Things To Try in 2023

Don’t let the the year pass you by – pick up a new hobby to thrill, motivate and scare you 

Looking for a new activity to push your mental and physical limits? You’ve come to the right place. Whether water, mountains, land or sky is your thing, get ready for excitement as you get stuck into something new. Here are 10 things to try before the end of 2023. 

Bouldering

1) Bouldering

You may have been rock climbing before, using a harness, rope and belay, but bouldering takes playing Spider Man to a whole new level. Gone are many of the safety measures, except for a thick, padded mat to break any falls, and sky-high is the adrenaline. Indoors or out, on mountain faces or specially planned-out walls, find your way up different routes by reaching, pulling, hooking and manoeuvring your body up the wall to reach the finish point.

But this sport is not purely physical, it’s as much of a mental challenge as it is a physical one. You will need to select the most suitable hand- and foot-holds and carry out the right movements as you navigate the route upwards, using an almost code-cracking-like cognisance. And then you need to get down… Learning how to fall is key when bouldering, and quickly, as you will be sure to do it at some point. 

Where to do it: Colchester Climbing Centre, Boulder Shack Climbing Gym, White Spider Urban Climbing, The Arch London, The Climbing Depot Birmingham, Glasgow Climbing Centre, Climb Newcastle, Eden Rock, Kendall Wall, The Climbing Hanger, The Ballroom Climbing Wall.

Volcano Boarding

2) Volcano boarding

Yes, this is as insane as it sounds, but also as much fun! It takes snowboarding to new heights – instead of sliding down a snowy slope, you’ll be cruising down a volcano. The most popular place to try it is by tackling a slope at Cerro Negro in Nicaragua – a live volcano.

Having erupted as recently as 1999, Cerro Negro has become a bit of a hotspot for extreme boarders, who often reach speeds of up to 90kmh as they shoot down the volcano. If this sounds like something you’d love to try, Bigfoot Nicaragua run day trips including a hike, boarding experience and mojitos to top it all off! 

Where to try: Bigfoot Nicaragua, +505 8505 1284, Del Banco Procredit ½ cuadra al Sur, Leon, Nicaragua, experience costs $30 including your entrance fee to the park.

Wakeboarding

3) Wakeboarding

Not near as extreme as volcano boarding, wake boarding is a must for lovers of the water and air. Standing upright with your feet secured to a board, keep your balance as you are towed along by a motorboat or crank.

When you’re confident enough, you can start learning how to take to the sky with different tricks and jumps like Ollies, Scarecrows and Tantrums. The hard part is landing them without falling into the water, but that’s all part of the fun!

Where to try: Festival Wake Park Basildon, Box End Park, Liquid Leisure, New Forest Waterpark, Blackpool Wakepark, Foxlake Adventures, Industry 1, JustWake, Sheffield Cable Waterski, WMSki.

Wing Foiling

4) Wing foiling

Another sport that combines both the air and ocean, is wing foiling. Essentially, wing foiling is surfing on a board with a hydrofoil fitted to its base, with the rider holding a wing that is not too dissimilar to an inflatable kite. The hydrofoil uses similar physics to an aeroplane to generate lift to get the board up and out of the water, with the rider and board suspended up to two metres above the ocean. 

The rider uses the wing to harness the wind and power their board over and around the waves. The wing is handheld, not attached to the board nor to the rider by a harness. The fun will be entirely in your hands, as well as the wind’s. The freedom that comes from this is just one of the reasons why wing-foiling is loved the world-round. Once you’ve mastered the basics, jumps and tricks can take the challenge to a whole other level.

Where to go: Surfs SUP Watersports, TFC Foiling School Kent, Cave Active Adventures, Blast Kiteboarding.

Hiking

5) Hiking

If you live in an urban area, you might not have gone hiking before. Essentially, the activity involves taking yourself on a long, vigorous walk in nature, usually on trails into the countryside, woods or up mountains. The purpose is to get to your chosen destination, and simply enjoy being out in nature.

Hiking is a bit of an adventure, taking up a large part of the day or even days, if you want to camp. Make sure to pack light or share the load between friends, as you will be carrying all your provisions (maps, food, water, camping equipment) on your back. It’s important to plan your route beforehand, or know roughly where the trails will take you, and bring along helpful items like a compass and maps.

Hiking is a brilliant activity for lovers of the outdoors, as well as adventurers and those who enjoy a challenge – depending on the route you choose, hiking can be difficult! You might have to scramble over rocks, jump over streams and haul yourself up steep inclines to get from A to B. So, get yourself some sturdy walking boots, plan yourself a route and grab your friends!

Where to go: Best places to hike in the UK, click here.

Top places to wild swim in the UK

6) Wild swimming

Just as it sounds, wild swimming is simply swimming – or even dipping in and out – in any natural body of water. That might be in the ocean, a river or a lake, and it could be in fresh or salty water, at any time of year. The main thing is that there are no man-made structures, only Mother Nature’s work. 

Why is wild swimming so great? Aside from the pure joy of it – being away from the noise of daily, urban living; the bracing cold waking up your senses and rushing adrenaline through you; the feeling of being out in nature – wild swimming has a myriad of health benefits.

Outdoor swimming in open water is a fantastic all-round activity for increasing fitness and strength, but research also shows it has restorative benefits, too, especially cold-water swimming. It can result in a strengthened immune and cardiovascular system, increased libido, nourished skin and it can also lift your mood. Plunging into cold water is truly a wonder-worker, as well as a lot of fun. 

Where to go: Best places to wild swim in the UK, click here.

Wing Chun

7) Wing Chun

Love watching Bruce Lee films? Enjoy pushing yourself both mentally and physically? Get learning Wing Chun! A form of kung fu traditionally originating from southern China, Wing Chun, also known as Ving Tsun, is an excellent martial art form to learn for fitness, fun and self-defence.

Wing Chun specialises in close combat self-defence, utilising timing and well positioned, quick moves and tight defence as opposed to favouring strength and size of an opponent. It is ideal for beginners as well as people of all genders, ages and fitness abilities, and with enough practise, a person can learn the basics of Wing Chun in just a few years (though it will take a lot more to become a master!). If you enjoy practical, skill-based fitness and love the challenge of learning something new, then give Wing Chun a go.

Where to go: Colchester Wing Chun, UK Wing Chun Kung Fu Association, The London Wing Chun Academy, Black Country Wing Chun, Wing Chun Martial Arts School.

Free Skating

8) Freeskating

Yes, roller-skates might seem a bit 90s, but hear us out on this one, because freeskating is a true test and not one for those who aren’t willing to fall over – a lot. A form of aggressive skating, and sometimes known as urban skating, freeskating (on four or two wheels) involves learning tricks, jumping over obstacles and generally pushing your body to its limits. It can be done anywhere, inside or outside, on a flat and smooth floor. Just be prepared to get covered in bruises when practising tricks – it’s worth it. 

Where to go: Take lessons at Colchester Rollerworld and Epic Rollers UK or learn online and take to the streets!

Learn to fly

9) Flying lesson

Are you fascinated by the sky? Do you ever dream of soaring amongst the clouds? Then book yourself a lesson flying a small plane or helicopter. There are tonnes of places all over the UK where you can learn, either in a one-off lesson (which will still involve you taking the controls for a little while!) or a full-on course, with many contributing towards your pilot’s license.

There is nothing better than seeing the world from up above, and not much else beats the feeling of being in control of a plane for yourself.

Where to go: Earles Colne Airfield, Biggin Hill Airport Kent, Leicester Aero Club, Gamston Flying School, Fly Days – all over the UK, Virgin Experience Days – all over the UK. 

Sky Diving

10) Indoor or outdoor sky diving

The ultimate adrenaline rush and the biggest way to push your limits and fight your fears, is to go skydiving. Jump out of a plane thousands of miles above the ground and soar back down to Earth, strapped on to a professional diver when you’re a novice, or on your own once mastered. When that parachute opens, look around and fall in love with the world around you. 

Outdoors is the standard, but indoor experiences are also available if you’re not quite ready to go the full hog. Indoor venues use giant wind tunnels that blast air upwards, allowing you to experience the same rush of air that suspends you in the sky as real skydiving. 

Where to go: iFLY Indoor Skydiving – all over the UK.

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