Scotland Europe's Adventure Capital

Outdoor Activities in Scotland Extremely Appealing

From snowboarding to ice climbing in the mountains, from quad biking to dog sledging on land and anything from kayaking to canyoning in the water, the possibilities for Adventure in Scotland are almost endless.

Here is just a flavour of just some of the extreme sports and outdoor activities you can get up to in Scotland Europes Adventure Capital.

Adventure Scotland Mountain Bikes to Plastic Balls

There was a time when the best way to get around Scotland was on a horse. These days, think bike. Mountain Bike. The International Mountain Biking Association rates Scotland as the best place in the globe to ride, and Fort William in the west now hosts an annual World Cup event.

But it isnt just Lochaber that excels for mountain biking in Scotland.
In the south of the country trails, known as the Seven Stanes, offer nearly 250 miles of biking byways, all linked to facilities including accommodation and bus routes. The haunting majesty of the Forest of Ae, the splendours of Glentrool and eastwards towards the Tweed valley. Choose any or do them all, but be prepared for both you and your bike to be tested to the limit.

With mountainous terrain and a chilly climate, Scotland is the ideal territory for skiing, snowboarding and perhaps the most extreme of winter sports, ice climbing. Experts say you could spend every winter of your life exploring the peaks and never need to do the same climb twice.

Or if that sounds too strenuous, how about being strapped inside a large plastic sphere on your own or with a partner and rolling down a hill near Dunkeld in central Scotland? Freestyle sphereing sounds gentle enough, but with speeds of up to 20 miles an hour this is an extreme experience that has to be tried to be fully appreciated.

And it doesnt stop there. What better way to view the remote and unspoilt wonders of Scotland than by taking to the air, either skydiving or the more relaxing paragliding?

Water Sports Scotland for All

White Water Rafting has long been prominent in Scotland. But the level of adventure depends on the river and the time of the year and its a sport that can be enjoyed by anyone from age six to sixty. Speeding rapids are also ideal for kayaking. Though here again, gentler rivers still offer challenges for the novice.

A more recent addition to extreme water sports in Scotland is canyoning. Its simple really. All you have to do is navigate your way through a narrow gorge by any means necessary. Swimming, jumping, sliding over waterfalls or scrambling across rocks anything goes. At Aberfeldy in Perthshire, experienced trainers take you through cliff jumps that start at one metre and finish at a sensationally scary twenty metres! Alternatively you could just sit inside a purpose built rubber ring and take a white knuckle ride down the river. Adventure tubing though is most definitely not for the faint hearted.

Surfing Scotlands Captivating Coastline

From the inland waterways to the coast, the adventures continue. While it might not be California, Caithness on the northern tip of Scotland is still a surfers paradise. Thousands descend every year on the small town of Thurso, attracted not just by the waves but by the warmth of the welcome they receive. Like Fort William the town is now home to an established annual competition on the international surfing calendar. But it isnt hard to search out beaches or coves where the breakers are just as enticing. Far to the south, the inlet of Pease Bay in Berwickshire is another sensational spot for surfing.

The tiny Hebridean island of Tiree hosts the Tiree Wave Classic a professional windsurfing event that has been going on off its magical shores for almost a quarter of a century. And if you dont want to get your feet wet, how about kite surfing? With some of the most spacious and stunning beaches in the world, and no shortage of coastal winds, this sport has a natural home in Scotland. Again, what started as a pastime for enthusiasts is now attracting serious competitors to places like Troon in Ayrshire and Fraserburgh in the north east.

Whatever your choice, whatever your sport, whatever your age or fitness level, theres something for you in Adventure Scotland. Champion snowboarder Lesley McKenna summed things up when interviewed by a national newspaper recently. There's nowhere else in the world like it. You can do all these different sports in other countries but not in the same proximity, as everything can be just a few hours drive at the furthest. Scotland is great for most kinds of extreme sports and it's becoming more popular all the time.