Got a taste for adventure? You ain’t tried nothing like these adrenaline-inducing activities…
Bored of the same old walks? Tired of the same old exercise? It’s time to get out there, live life to the full and throw off the shackles of the mundane. How? By ticking off your adventure activity bucket list. You can head into the great outdoors and make the most of God’s Own adventure playground, because there’s nowhere better to get your adrenaline pumping than Yorkshire.
Take the path less travelled and go off-roading
If you’re looking for an adrenaline thrill behind the wheel, off-roading on Yorkshire’s mud trails may just be the best way to get it. And you can do just that at the North Yorkshire Off Road Centre in Whitby. For this heart-in-your-mouth activity, you’ll jump in a 4X4 and tackle the places cars rarely reach, from hillsides to gulleys, rock beds to ditches. From £250 for a half-day session, you can leap into their Land Rover Defender 110 TDCi and carve a swathe in their specially-built off-road course, all with stunning views over Robin Hood’s Bay.
North Yorkshire Off Road Centre, Bay Ness Quarry, High Lane, Robin Hood’s Bay, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO22 4PJ.
Face your fears on a rock climbing adventure
Whether you want to get fit or just want to pit yourself against gravity, rock climbing is the activity that has something for every adventure-seeker. Parthian Climbing Harrogate is the perfect place to test your mettle. Here, you can scale a cliff or climbing wall with tricky handholds and vertigo-inducing overhangs in the indoor gym. They’ve got tons of bouldering problems and climbing lines across an array of courses for all abilities. For £10, you can test out everything from vertical scrambles to auto belays, alongside free-climbing routes.
Parthian Climbing Harrogate, Hornbeam Park Avenue, Hornbeam Park, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG2 8QT.
Float on a paddle board along the Yorkshire Coast
If surfing seems a touch scary, why not give its slightly gentler cousin paddle boarding a go? Head to Dexters Surf Shop in Scarborough, where their paddle boarding experts run beginner and advanced sessions for £35 per person. During this sea adventure activity on the Yorkshire coast, you’ll go from kneeling to standing on a paddle board and push your way along the water. Following a full safety briefing, you can find it’s surprisingly easy to pick up during a 90-minute session, with the Yorkshire Coast as your backdrop.
Dexters Surf Shop, Kepwick House, North Bay Promenade, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, YO12 7TN.
Journey under the surface to discover hidden caves
Looking for a day out in Yorkshire to get your pulse racing? Head underground for a spot of caving, or spelunking, if you will. It’s not for the faint hearted, so make sure you go with an experienced guide like the ones at How Stean Gorge. You’ll be led into underground routes, climbing, crawling and every so often, wading your way through the near-impossible narrow nooks and crannies, that are all hidden underneath our feet. For £65 per person, you’ll get a half-day tour under the Yorkshire Dales, with a safety briefing, caving kit and knee pads.
How Stean Gorge, Lofthouse, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG3 5SF.
Float through the air like a feather
Hang gliding is one of the best adrenaline-charged adventure activities in Yorkshire. The Dales Hang Gliding & Paragliding Club has been welcoming newcomers to this adventurous sport since 1974, so if you want to try it out, rest assured you’re in good hands. They’ll help you try it anywhere from the stunning Ilkley Moor to the expansive Tailbridge. What better way to experience God’s Own County than gliding through the sky with unbeatable panoramic scenery below you? You must be a new or qualified pilot to join the club, with part-year membership costing £12.50.
Dales Hang Gliding & Paragliding Club, The Granary, Ellingstring, Ripon, North Yorkshire, HG4 4PW.
Bound across the rocks on a bouldering kick
If rock climbing is not quite scratching your adrenaline itch, it’s time to try its spiritual successor, bouldering. This is rock climbing in its rawest form – no ropes or harnesses, just good shoes, a pinch of chalk and of course, a strong grip. Yorkshire has plenty of craggy spots that’ll do the job, but the best might just be Almscliffe Crag. There are over 571 routes across this enormous rocky mound, so make sure you scope it out first. It’s private land, but thankfully, the farmer that owns it doesn’t charge for access – all he asks is no night climbing.
Almscliffe Crag, Crag Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS17 0ER.
Strap up your feet and tackle a mountain of mud
Snowboarding without snow? Yes, it’s an actual thing. Want to try it out? Head to Another World Adventure Centre, the UK’s first purpose-built mountain board course, with sky-high slopes and all the safety equipment you’ll need. Mountain boarding is one of the fastest-growing adventure activities in Yorkshire and it’s used by Olympic snowboarding teams for training. All you need for this muddy hilltop activity is a board, four wheels, a hill, and you’re away. For adults, it’s £22 for an hour and £16 for juniors, so buckle up and get on board.
Another World Adventure Centre, Moss Farm, Ogden, Halifax, West Yorkshire, HX2 8YB. Available from mid-April until the end of November.
Try to keep your balance on the water
If you’re looking for fun adventure activities to do outdoors in Yorkshire, water skiing and waterboarding are both a bundle of fun. To cut your teeth, make your way to Welton Wake & Ski Club. They’re one of the longest-established wakeboarding and waterskiing clubs in the UK, so they know their stuff. You’ll get a wetsuit, put you behind the boat and even provide a much-needed hot shower after all that cold water action. Introductory lessons cost £35, it’s £35 for a guest day membership with a 15-minute tow or £370 per adult for a year.
Welton Wake & Ski Club, Common Lane, Welton, East Riding of Yorkshire, HU15 1PT.
Pit man v. nature with white water rafting
When it comes to adrenaline-inducing activities in Yorkshire, few come close to white water rafting and canoeing on the River Washburn. Volunteer groups coordinate varied boating days where you can take on these rugged waters. You’ll jump into a boat and bob your way down the fast-flowing water while the current batters you from all sides. The river comes to life in the winter with a dam release pouring a torrent of raging water downstream. Up for it? It’s £10 a day, but you’ll need third party insurance with British Canoeing to give it a go.
River Washburn Canoeing, Thruscross, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG3 4BB.
See Yorkshire from above with a parachute jump
What may just be the biggest adrenaline rush known to man, parachuting involves leaping out of a plane hundreds of miles in the air, with nothing but a bit of cloth tied to your back. And there’s only one place in Yorkshire you can do it. Skydive GB is just north of the Bridlington coast and can take you on a tandem thrill-ride with unparalleled views. You’ll see over North Yorkshire and beyond on the way down, but be warned, risking life and limb starts from £199 per person for a tandem jump, depending on your group size.
Skydive GB Parachute Club, East Leys Farm, Grindale, Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire, YO16 4YB.
Scramble along the shore on a coasteering day out
Coasteering makes for an action-packed day out that will see you jumping off rocky ledges, swimming through gorges and scrambling over rocks along the North Yorkshire coastline. Head to Thornwick Bay where Scarborough Surf School will show you the ropes. They’ll kit you out in wetsuits, helmets and buoyancy aids before your instructor takes you into the water. You’ll swim up to the cliff face, scramble under and climb onto ledges in some of Yorkshire’s largest sea caves. The adventure costs £45 per person for two hours.
Scarborough Surf School, Killerby Cliff, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, YO11 3NR.
Enjoy the thrill of the slopes on an indoor skiing trip
Dying to hit the slopes but don’t know where to ski? Snozone is the only place in Yorkshire that produces real snow for you to practise your aerials and turns on. At this indoor skiing centre, you can find perfect snowy conditions all year round – because nothing beats carving a path through fresh snow down the mountain on a pair of skis or a snowboard. It’s your one-stop skiing and snowboarding shop, with an adult day pass costing £29.99, you can squeeze in eight hours of practice on the slopes every visit before ski season arrives.
Snozone Xscape Castleford, Colorado Way, Glasshoughton, Castleford, West Yorkshire, WF10 4TA.
Put your back to the drop before abseiling into the unknown
When it comes to abseiling, getting to the top of the crag is only half the adventure. First time? You can join Alfresco Adventures for a taster session tailored to your abilities. You’ll learn the basics, from safety tips to rope management and climbing techniques – all at a pace you feel comfortable with. And since Yorkshire is full of rocky clifftops, you’re in the right place. You could take on Almscliff, Twistleton Scar, Brigham Rocks or Scugdale, all of which will set you back £49 per person for two-hours with safety equipment included.
Alfresco Adventures, Hudson House, Reeth, Richmond, North Yorkshire, DL11 6TB.
Surf through the wind on a Leeds lake in style
You can spend the day out on the lake with the wind blowing through your hair at Yeadon Tarn. It’s home to the Leeds Sailing and Activity Centre, an accredited Royal Yachting Association Training Centre for windsurfing. Whether you’re a complete novice or an old hand, they’ll teach you everything you need to know. Just book onto one of their taster sessions, and you’ll get your full kit for the day and the guidance of an instructor from £26. Want the confidence to get out on the water on your own? Their Start Windsurfing Course costs £140.
Leeds Sailing & Activity Centre, Yeadon Tarn, Yeadon, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS19 7UR.
Zoom around on four wheels with a set of quad bikes
If you’re a fan of all things fast and love a good all-terrain adventure activity, you need to try quad biking. And if you’re looking to do it in Yorkshire, you’re in luck as Thornton Hall Country Park is home to Quadtrex – a specially adapted quad bike trail. We’re talking an enormous 160-acre wonderland, where you can get to grips with the quad and the muddy track. You’ll cover all types of ground in a power-packed four-wheeler, from woodland and grass to dirt tracks and quarry land. Fancy it? It’s £54.95 for 60 minutes with safety briefings and equipment.
Quadtrex, Thornton Hall Country Park, Thornton-in-Craven, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 3TS.
Tackle the high seas by kayak
There’s more to Yorkshire than countryside, we have our very own coastline too. So why not take your water sports to the next level with a bit of sea kayaking? Head to Filey where Bay Watersports will lend you a sit-on kayak, as well as wetsuits, buoyancy aids and helmets for the waves. Your one-man boat can tackle the deep blue, with shore trips and paddles round the coast. It’ll set you back a mere £15 and you can also sign up for a beginner’s lesson for £20 or take a tour around the caves and coves further afield from £40.
Bay Watersports, Hawthorn House, Primrose Valley Road, Filey, North Yorkshire, YO14 9QR.
Use metal rails to cross deep gorges
It’s best known in the Alps, but How Stean Gorge has created its own version of via ferrata high up in the Dales – and it’s the only place in Yorkshire where you can do it. Via ferrata is an outdoor adventure activity that uses a series of steel wires to allow you to cross gaps in some seriously dangerous routes at incredible speeds. Scrambling over the iron rungs, clipping your harness to the different cables, you’ll feel like Spider-Man for the day. With prices from £65, you can try a three-hour session with ropes, equipment and a guide all included.
How Stean Gorge, Lofthouse, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG3 5SF.
Swim as far as the eye can see
Open water swimming is one of the most exhilarating adventure activities you can do in Yorkshire, and we don’t just mean the ice-cold water. Head to the Blue Lagooners, an enormous lake full of clear water, filtered by the surrounding limestone rocks. It’s Yorkshire’s premier open water swimming venue, manned by leading industry experts. With a good wetsuit (or a tow float), the lake is your oyster. Ready to dive in? A dip for non-members is £10, or you can get a year’s membership for £36 for discounted swims and coaching.
Blue Lagooners, Northfield Lane, Womersley, North Yorkshire, DN6 9BB.
Descend into the depths on a potholing adventure
Potholing sees you tackle the deepest, darkest and longest cave systems Yorkshire has to offer. Roping your way to the base and back again – this is caving but dialled up to 11. To take on the descent, you can join local cave experts from Yorkshire Dales Guides. Caving is their greatest passion and they love showing fellow adventurers the underground world they’ve come to know so well through years of their own explorations. They cater for all, from total beginners to seasoned pros – just pick a location and they’ll give you a price.
Yorkshire Dales Guides, Hornby Laithe, Stainforth, Settle, North Yorkshire, BD24 9PB.
