Featured – Page 2 – The Activity People Blog

Be Like Bond This Half Term

The wait is finally over, three years after his last big screen appearance Bond is back! If like us you’ve always dreamt of pulling on a tuxedo and being Bond for the day here’s how you can make your dream a reality..

Drive like 007

When he’s not clearing up at the casino, or smooth talking his way out of trouble Bond’s normally behind the wheel of his beloved Aston Martin, and our heart-racing driving experiences give you the chance to find out first hand just how fast his rides really are!

Fly Like 007

Judging by his on-screen antics 007 is a bit of an adrenaline junkie, which is probably why we love him so much here at Activity HQ! His stunts are the stuff of legend and one of our favourites is a death-defying skydive that features notorious Bond baddie Jaws, but don’t worry we promise to leave him behind if you decide to take the plunge from 15,000 feet!

Shoot like 007

Bond is one of the most lethal marksmen at MI6 thanks to the endless amount of bad guys that come his way, and if you want a similar test of shooting skill clay pigeons are just as hard to hit and almost as evil!

Bernie’s Summer

Make the Most of the Mud with a Quad Trek!

The mud and mayhem of a quad trek can be enjoyed by almost anybody and although quad bikes were originally created to make the lives of farmers and land owners easier they’re much more fun in the hands of an adrenalin junkie!

Quad bikes are also known as ATVs (all terrain vehicles) and as the name suggests they’re perfect for exploring the most rugged and rural parts of the countryside. From rough and rocky off-road tracks to winding woodland trails these four-wheeled beasts can conquer almost any terrain, which means nowhere is off limits!

A quad trek can take place almost anywhere, from the Australian Outback to the Dubai desert but here in the UK we have the perfect conditions for quad biking. After all who needs sunshine and soaring temperatures when you’ve got relentless rain and mud by the bucket load! As far as we’re concerned the more mud and rain there is the better because there’s nothing more fun than racing through puddles and churning up the mud on a quad bike.

In the UK treks normally take place on farmland and country estates and incorporate a whole host of natural obstacles, from impossibly steep hills to ditches and dirt tracks, you never know what’s lurking around the next bend! The quads don’t do all the hard work though and your driving skills will be put to the ultimate test as you work your way round the tricky off-road courses.

So if you want to explore the most rugged and rural parts of the country a quad trek is the perfect combination of mud and mayhem! To book your off-road adventure head over to www.theactivitypeople.co.uk and get ready for some serious four-wheeled fun!

5 Valentine’s Activities Guaranteed To Get Your Heart Racing!

There’s more than one way to get your heart racing this Valentine’s Day, and with just over one week left before the big day it’s probably a good time to start thinking about what’s going to make the perfect present. With that in mind here’s a look at some Valentine’s treats that are guaranteed to make your day even more memorable, and more importantly save you from the annual last minute trolley dash!

Romantic Shoot and Stay

For a romantic getaway you’ll both love a shoot and stay voucher is the complete package and combines the rest and relaxation of a short break with the fun and thrills of a clay pigeon shooting experience. Your break starts at the shooting ground where you and your partner will take on either 25 or 50 clays each before heading back to your hotel for a romantic meal and relaxing overnight stay, all included in the cost.

Tandem Bungee Jump

If you’re looking for a more extreme adrenalin rush to take on as a twosome, a tandem bungee jump is a surefire way to find out how brave you really are! Strapped together by your ankles, you and your partner will take the ultimate leap of faith from 160ft in the air. Whether you leap from a bridge or crane sharing this truly once in a lifetime activity is guaranteed to bring you closer together, after all how many couples can say they spent Valentine’s Day hurtling head first towards the ground!

Hot Air Balloon Ride

Take your romance to new heights by heading for the clouds in the wicker basket of a hot air balloon for a unique bird’s eye view of some of the most picturesque parts of the UK. The giant balloons ascend to heights of between 500-1500 feet and can travel up to 10 miles in a single journey giving you the perfect opportunity to take in the sights as you glide along the horizon. Once you’re back on the safety of solid ground it’s tradition to raise a glass to a successful flight, and any experience which finishes with a glass of champagne is guaranteed to score you some serious brownie points!

Segway Experience

If you’re looking for an activity that guarantees fun, look no further! From full throttle races, to off-road treks and tours almost anything is possible on a Segway. The futuristic transporters may only have a top speed of 12.5 mph but they’re perfect for racing! Thrashing your Valentine in a Segway race and rubbing it in their face all day probably isn’t the most romantic way to spend a day, so if you’re looking for a more sedate experience there are a whole host of parks, off-road tracks and even country estates that are perfect for exploring on a Segway.

Zorbing

This awesome activity is guaranteed to have you head over heels by the end of the day as you and your partner climb inside a giant Zorb ball for the ride of your lives! Secured on opposite sides of the ball by harness you’ll be able to see the look of terror on each others faces as you bump, bounce, rock and roll down the steep sloped track. Once the initial shock of bouncing down a hillside in giant ball has passed the laughter kicks in, and you’re guaranteed to be in stitches when the ball finally comes to a halt at the bottom of the track.

Karting

If you’re always arguing about who’s the better driver this is definitely one way to settle the argument for good! A day at the track gives you the perfect opportunity to let out all that built up frustration and satisfy your need for speed as you battle it out to be first across the line. If you’ve not got a score to settle karting can be just as much fun, but it does make victory taste that little bit sweeter! Who said romance was dead?

New Years Bucket List: 10 Activities to Try in 2015

If after a week you’re already thinking about giving up on your New Year’s resolutions why not aim to tick a few things off your bucket list in 2015 instead, and if you’re in need of a bit of inspiration here’s 10 awesome activities to try in the new year.

1. Bungee Jumping

Whether you choose to go it alone or drag a friend along for a tandem bungee jump nothing comes close to the rush of plummeting towards the ground head first!

2. Skydiving

Jumping out of a plane at 15,000 feet might not be everybody’s idea of fun, but this truly once-in-a-lifetime experience is guaranteed to push your adrenalin levels to new heights.

3. Zorbing

These bonkers bouncy balls are as fun as they are thrilling, and as you bump and bounce down the sloped track you’re guaranteed to be in stitches!

4. Clay Pigeon Shooting

There’s nothing more satisfying than blowing clays to smithereens as they soar through the air so why not put your sharp shooting skills to the ultimate test!

5. Supercar Driving Experience

Celebrate the new year in style by getting behind the wheel of the car of your dreams and finding out what it’s really capable of by putting it through its paces on the track.

6. White Water Rafting

Britain is home to some of the wildest white water in the world which means there’s no better place to experience the intense excitement of negotiating boulder strewn rapids.

7. 4×4 Off-Road Driving

Why not put your driving skills to the ultimate test by heading off the beaten to take on a mad and muddy off-road driving course.

8. Paintball

If you’ve always dreamt of unleashing your inner action hero, paintball gives you the perfect opportunity to live out your childhood dreams, no matter how old you are!

9. Segway

From flat out races to off-road treks there’s no end to the fun that can be had on Segway, and almost anybody can master the art of riding the futuristic transporter.

10. Quad Biking

Quad bikes can conquer almost any terrain so get ready for some mud churning mayhem as you take on the ultimate off-road adventure.

What’s the Difference Between a Skydive and a Parachute Jump?

Throwing yourself out of a plane might not be everybody’s idea of fun but for real adrenalin junkies nothing comes close to the rush of taking to the skies and making a daring descent back to the safety of solid ground. If you are brave enough to head for the heavens you have a tricky decision to make between a skydive or a parachute jump, so to help make the decision a little easier here’s a quick look at some of the main differences between the two.

SKYDIVING

Skydives usually take place from around 14,000 feet.
Most skydives are done with an instructor and are known as tandem skydives.
Skydivers experience an exhilarating 65 second free-fall.
The parachute is deployed by the instructor.
It’s the instructors job to control the descent and landing.

PARACHUTE JUMPING

Parachute jumps usually take place from around 3,000 feet.
All parachute jumps are done without an instructor.
If you choose a parachute jump you won’t experience any free-fall.
The parachute deploys automatically as soon as you leave the plane.
It’s the jumpers job to control their descent and land safely.

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Whichever airborne activity you opt for you’re in for the experience of a life time and if you’re still not sure which of the two you should pick why not find out how brave you really are by starting out with a slightly less daunting parachute jump. Once you’ve experienced the intense excitement of a parachute jump you’ll be ready to take things up a notch and head for the heavens to take on an exhilarating skydive.

Bernie’s Travel Log: 500km of Wet and Wild Windsurfing

Here at Activity HQ we don’t just sell the most adrenalin fuelled activities, we also take part in them, and as we speak, one of our directors is windsurfing 500km down the northern coast of Brazil! Bernie is one of 14 windsurfers from around the world making the epic journey from Fortaleza and we’ll have regular updates of their progress throughout the week, starting with a summary of day one from Bernie’s travel diary.

Day 1: Fortaleza

Day one was epic! My best single run being a 10km blast taking just 20mins before gybing 2.5km out to sea. Lots of big ships in the way! The wind direction was perfect for long runs near parallel to the coast.

There were problems though, logistical issues beset the first day meaning we set off 3 hours later than planned, thus missing the best wind (my 10km run would no doubt have taken a lot less than 15 minutes in the earlier stronger winds). The alarm on a bridge was set off when sailing under it because the tide was higher than planned, mast contact meant a wobbly ride for one of the team but all good.

The late start meant a night time finish (flashing lights on buoyancy jackets proved their worth) for some. Missing the low tide meant a number of trashings in the shore dump for a number of the team. Including the rather uncomfortable 10 minutes (felt significantly longer as most of it was under water) I spent being rolled whilst trying to protect my kit before finally being dumped on the beach 500 metres downwind. A combination of big dumping waves, low wind (which is always significantly lower in the impact zone), and a sail not designed for a wave environment led to a tricky water start being impossible.

A lot of lessons learnt, not the least being set off early. Today is windier, if we catch the early low tide we’ll be 60 kms down the coast at our next stop in no time.

For the most up to date information on Bernie’s progress head over to our Facebook and Twitter accounts or follow his GPS tracker labelled Activity HQ by following this link.

Driving Experiences: 10 Seriously Fast Supercars you Could be Driving

Winning the lottery isn’t the only way to get your hands on the wheel of a ludicrously fast luxury car. Our range of heart racing driving experiences give you the chance to channel your inner James Bond and put the car of your dreams through its paces. The only hard part is choosing from the huge range of high-spec supercars on offer. So here’s a look at ten of the most fast and furious supercars available at our sites across the country.

Lamborghini Gallardo

Estimated top speed: 202 mph
0-60: 3.4 seconds
Price: £125,000

There’s nothing subtle about a Lamborghini, these beasts are loud and proud. If the roar of the engine doesn’t turn heads, their distinctive paintwork will. The Gallardo is even used by the Italian police force to keep criminals off the streets of Rome.

Porsche 911 GT3

Estimated top speed: 196 mph
0-60: 3.5 seconds
Price: £100,540.00

Porsche is the largest race car manufacturer in the world, and all the speed and style of their thorough bred racers can be found in the 911 GT3.

Ferrari F430

Estimated top speed: 202 mph
0-60: 3.6 seconds
Fact: £119,500

An icon of the motoring world, Ferraris are fast, furious and full of flair. It’s impossible not to love blasting round the track in this Italian, motoring masterpiece.

Aston Martin DB9

Estimated top speed: 183 mph
0-60: 4.6 seconds
Price: £135,527

Like Bond, the Aston Martin oozes class, and it’s easy to see why the world’s most famous spy has a soft spot for Astons. The DB9 has featured in two of the last three 007 movies and is the ultimate combination of speed and style.

Subaru WRX STI

Estimated top speed: 155 mph
0-60: 4.5 seconds
Price: £28,995

Subaru is rich in rallying history and the WRX STI is just as fast on the track as it is off it. This is definitely one for the boy racers out there, no matter how old they are!

Audi R8

Estimated top speed: 185 mph
0-60: 4.8 seconds
Price: £93,735

Adding brains and brawn to the supercar scene the R8 smashes the German stereotype in style, the V8 engine is guaranteed to have petrol heads purring.

Formula Ford 2000

Estimated top speed: 130 mph
0-60: 4.8 seconds

Single seater Formula Ford racing cars are as close as you can get to getting behind the wheel of an F1 car. So if you fancy yourself as the next Lewis Hamilton why not find out how good you really are!

Nissan GTR

Estimated top Speed: 195 mph
0-60: 2.9 seconds
Price: £76,610

You might recognise the GTR from the Fast and Furious films but there are no Hollywood effects behind these seriously souped up street racers.

Lotus Elise

Estimated top speed: 150 mph
0-60: 4.3 seconds
Price: £35,000

What the Elsie lacks in size it more than makes up for in speed. The small but mighty roadsters can compete with the best in terms of acceleration and when it comes to fun, nothing comes close!

Jaguar E-Type

Estimated top speed: 153 mph
0-60: 6.7 seconds
Price: £120,000

You don’t have to be a classic car enthusiast to appreciate the E-Type, it was was recently voted the most beautiful sports car ever! and it’s no slouch either, which isn’t something you could say about most 53-year-olds.

Book your driving experience with The Activity People today!

White water rafting: Six handy tips

1. Be prepared to get wet! – You’re in for a soaking so wear swimwear, take a towel and pack a spare set of clothes to change into.

2. Make sure your boat is well balanced. – Balancing the boat is essential, people of similar weight and paddling power should be positioned opposite each other.

3. Communicate with your team. – When you’re racing down fast flowing stretches of white water simple communication is key. Establishing a basic set of commands will mean you can quickly relay instructions as you meet obstacles head on.

4. Make sure you’re holding your paddle properly. – Holding your paddle correctly is key for safety. One hand should be at the base of the paddle and the other should be over the T shaped grip at the top. Keeping your hand over the T grip will not only help you control the paddle, it will also cushion the blow should you accidentally catch yourself with the paddle.

5. Fully submerge the blade of the paddle – Improving your paddling technique will give you more purchase as you fight the fast flowing water. Submerging the blade of the paddle is a much more efficient way of paddling.

6. Try and stay in the raft – It sounds obvious doesn’t it but it’s easier said than done. Hold on tight and try to keep your balance by leaning towards the centre of the boat.