white water – The Activity People Blog

Introducing White Water Tubing in Llangollen

We really know how to celebrate the new year in style here at Activity HQ, and we’re delighted to be offering yet another new activity to start 2017. So far this month we’ve already brought you medieval jousting in Warwick and Extreme Trampolining in Blackpool, but we’re not done yet. So get ready to squeeze into a wetsuit for some serious fun, because you can now try your hand at White Water Tubing at our new venue in Llangollen, North Wales.

First things first, what exactly is white water tubing? Well, we think it’s best described as an exhilarating alternative to white water rafting, which gives you the chance to ditch the crew and the paddles, to race down stretches of wild white water on your very own inflatable rubber ring. As if that wasn’t enough excitement, you only have a pair of webbed gloves to guide your descent downstream, which means when the water get seriously fast you’ve got no choice but to hold tight and enjoy the ride of your life!

Obviously white water tubing wouldn’t be half as much fun without the white water, and thankfully our new venue in North Wales is almost tailor-made for this wickedly fun water sport. Based on the breathtaking (but wild) River Dee, White Water Tubing Llangollen guarantees you an experience you’ll never forget thanks to huge stretches of fast flowing water, as well as some of the fiercest rapids in the region. With all the essential equipment provided with every experience too, there really is nowhere better to brave the water and try this insane activity.

So if you think you’re ready to tame raging rapids and wild white water water, why not give this brilliant new activity a go before everybody else. Visit The Activity People website for more information.

Try out Power Boating in Scarborough..

Who can say no to high speed powerboat action? Here at The Activity People, we are over the moon to announce we have a brand new powerboat site ready and waiting for you to climb on board and get the ride of your life! Adrenaline junkies in North Yorkshire will love our Scarborough site. You’ll definitely grow a pair of sea legs when you head out into open water here!

The Scarborough coastline is one of the most eye-catching in the country and a powerboat ride is the perfect way to discover it for yourself. There are plenty of top notch packages that will let you take in the stunning scenery- from a ten minute, high speed ride to an hour long sea safari that will take you around the best views the region has to offer. All you’ll need to do is sit back, hold on tight and enjoy the ride.

Our drivers are incredibly friendly and can’t wait to welcome some fresh faces to enjoy the powerboat experience. It is far more adrenaline fuelled than the usual sightseeing experience, so if you want a stag/hen do with a twist, or an excellent corporate activity or birthday treat, you’d be a fool to not consider an adventure like this. Check The Activity People’s website and book with us today.

Introducing Canyoning Coniston and Garrigill, Cumbria

We’re delighted to welcome Canyoning Coniston and Garrigill, to The Activity People network.

Cumbria is home to some of the most spectacular canyons and gorges in the country, and with two brand new venues in the area there’s no better time to unleash your inner explorer!

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With all canyoning and gorge walking packages including tuition from experienced instructors, as well as all the necessary equipment you can really make the most of every exhilarating second. So get ready to abseil down waterfalls, scale streams and dive into icy plunge pools as you explore Cumbria like a real-life adventurer.

To find out more about these wet and wild adventure sports visit our website.

Introducing White Water Tubing Newbiggin, Durham

We’re excited to welcome White Water Tubing Newbiggin to The Activity People network.

This wet and wild white water sport is just as crazy as it sounds, and at our brand new venue in Newbiggin you’re guaranteed to take on the ultimate combination of raging rapids and fast flowing white water.

The County Durham countryside is home to huge stretches of white water, which makes it the perfect place for tubing, and let’s face it there’s no better way to explore your surroundings than from the safety of giant rubber ring!

With full tuition and all necessary equipment included, this activity is perfect for participants aged 14+. So if you like to live on the wild side, and want to experience the rush of crashing over waves and racing down rapids, nothing comes close to the excitement of white water tubing!

To find out more visit our website.

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.

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.

White Water Rafting – Strange Beginnings

White water rafting is one of the most popular adrenalin activities in the world, and millions of people put their paddling prowess to the test by taking on some of the wildest, white water stretches they can find. The main reason people choose to take on the challenge of white water rafting is to experience the rush of racing down fast flowing water, negotiating rocks and rapids as they go. However in its formative years rafting served a much more practical purpose, a million miles away from the adrenalin fuelled white water sport many people recognise it as today.

In the 1840’s United States Army officer Lt. John Fremont and inventor Horace H. Day created the first rubber river raft. Their primitive but revolutionary raft was made from four rubber cloth tubes and a wraparound floor. They made their first successful voyage in 1842 when they used their raft to survey parts of the Rocky mountains which were only accessible by boat.

As rafting slowly gained in popularity it became more viable as a business opportunity and in an attempt to capitalise on its growth John D. Rockefeller Jr. constructed a hotel in the Gran Tenton national park Wyoming. In the late 1950’s the lodge started offering trips down the river in surplus war rafts which were 8ft wide and over 20ft long. The trips were so popular that rival rafting companies started to spring up across the United States, offering rides down some of the fastest and most thrilling stretches of water in the country.

White water rafting grew in popularity throughout the 60’s and 70’s and in 1972 it was included to the Olympic Games held in Munich. In 1997 the international federation of rafting was established and the first international white water rafting championships were held in 1999. The introduction of an international governing body meant rafting became much more strongly regulated and as a result safety improved. The information available to rafters also improved and rivers were graded 1-6 using the International Scale of River Difficulty designed to reflect the technical difficulty and skill level required to navigate a section of river. Rafters use this system to find out what kind of conditions they can expect to face on stretches of river they’ve never been down before.

Modern day white water rafting has changed dramatically and almost anybody can take to the water for the challenge of negotiating boulder strewn rapids and fast flowing water. There are rafting sites across the globe and its popularity continues to grow, especially in the UK. Scotland is home to some of the best and most difficult white water rafting routes in the world which may explain why it’s so popular. There are even artificial rafting sites with man made rapids that are tailor made to put a rafters paddling skills to the test. So whether you’re trying rafting for the first time or just want to hone your skills the perfect location could be closer than you think. It may have started out as a way of crossing treacherous stretches of water but the fun that can be had in a modern day rafting experience is second to none!