Category: London

London is one of the UK’s top locations for great nightlife, shopping and historical sites, but this city and the surrounding areas provide some pretty cool activities to get any adrenaline junkie excited. Check out some of the best adrenaline-inducing activities to do while you’re in London.

1. UK Bungee Club

At 300 feet high, UK Bungee Club is the highest jump around. With two locations at Windsor Bray and Manchester Tatton Park, the UK Bungee Club offers a 300 foot jump from a crane over the water. You must book ahead and have the option to do a tandem jump as well!

2. Harness Zorbing

Ever heard of zorbing? This wacky activity is essentially a chance for you to roll around for an extended period of time in a giant bubble. The zorbing track located in Surrey is open from March to October and offers an experience like no other. Get ready to roll down a hill for surrounded by beautiful wooded areas at speeds of up to 35 mph!

3. FlyBoard Aquatic Jet Pack

The most exciting water-based experience around, the FlyBoard Aquatic JetPack takes water sports to a whole new level. The jetpack will send you up to 30 feet in the air! It’s open from late March to late October and is available for ages 16 and up.

4. Mountain Boarding

Available all year round, mountain boarding combines snowboarding, skateboarding, surfing, and mountain biking into one extreme adrenaline rush filled adventure. Choose either a half day experience or a full day experience of riding around up and down slopes and hilly playgrounds on a board with oversized wheels for an awesome off roading thrill.

5. Superjet Stand-Up Jetski

Just 48 miles outside of London, reach speeds of up to 40 mph as you attempt stunts, spins and tricks. Training is available to get you comfortable enough to work your way up to standing up on the jetski.

As parkour and freerunning become increasingly popular, more and more facilities dedicated to this extreme sport continue to pop up around the UK. London is home to the famous 3Run parkour team as well as some great parkour and freerunning gyms if you’re interested in taking a few courses yourself.

1. SingleBound

Formed in 2003, SingleBound quickly became one of the most active parkour groups in London. SingleBound offers classes in professional parkour, martial arts and freerunning for all age groups. The coaches here are also the official parkour and freerunning teachers and consultants for the Leeds City Council, The Leeds Metropolitan University Parkour Society and other organizations.

2. The Chainstore Parkour Academy

Located in East London, the Chainstore is the UK’s first parkour and freerunning facility. They offer space for people to come in and practice on their own or take classes with the coaches onsite. The center features the UK’s only indoor parkour specific training zone which is designed to mimic an outdoor urban atmosphere with metal, concrete and wood surfaces and structures. Additionally there is a functional strength and fitness gym, a dance/activity zone, as well as an observation deck for watching all the awesome talent!

3. 3Run Evolution Academy

3Run parkour and freerunning academy offers classes 6 days a week led by the world famous 3Run team in their all-purpose parkour and freerunning gym. Classes include parkour, freerunning, late night rave training, street fitness and drop in sessions.

4. Paramount Parkour Academy

This newer gym was built in 2013 and is located in Milton Keynes, just minutes away from the train. The Paramount Parkour Academy is a membership based club that caters to all levels of ability. Classes offer a combination of soft and hard environments with the option to join a summer camp there as well!

While there isn’t much mountain biking to do in London itself, there are a handful of great trails just a short train ride outside the city. Check out the list below and go exploring!

1. Ennerdale Forest

This 12.48 mile ride is comprised of both dirt and tarmac and begins with a nice downhill. The rolling hills take you through beautiful forested areas in Cumbria. It’s a great ride for all weather conditions but riders must be careful as there tend to be lots of walkers in certain areas of the trail.

2. The South Downs

Looking for something a little more substantial? The 100 mile ride from Winchester to Brighton is an epic experience, which typically takes riders 2-3 days to complete the whole thing. This trail features 12,600 feet of ascent and great views of the chalk hills.

3. Delamere Forest

Delamere Forest is a great location for riders looking flowing tracks through a nicely wooded area. With two routes of four and seven miles long, this ride is great for all levels of experience.

4. Mendip Hills

Mendip Hills, located in Somerset, is home to Britain’s longest running race events called the Cheddar Challenge. In addition to the Cheddar Challenge there are some awesome trails around Beacon Batch and Black Down which offer steep and narrow descents and lots of jumps and rocky terrain. These challenging trails will definitely get your heart pumping.

5. Epping Forest

If you’re looking for a cool area to go cross country riding, this is your spot! Epping forest is located close enough to London that you can choose to bike there or take the train. Although its trails are rather muddy year round, it’s a great place to spend a few hours exploring.

London isn’t exactly known for being mountainous with tons of climbing routes, however, there are some really cool indoor facilities and even a man made outdoor bouldering park which you must check out!

1. Fairlop Waters Boulder Park

As the UK’s largest boulder park, Fairlop Waters is located right in the London borough of Redbridge. The park includes 9 individual boulders made from carved and sprayed concrete, which vary in height and difficulty. Boulder difficulty ranges from beginner all the way to an f6a level expert. There is also a little snack shop on site where you can grab something to eat after a fun day on the boulders!

2. Vertical Chill

This unique climbing spot caters to those looking for an awesome place to ice climb. Located at the back of the Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports store in Covent Garden, Vertical Chill is a 26 foot ice wall with varying degrees of steepness, including a nice overhang, for a range of experience levels. The ice wall is situated in a refrigerated room with windows on multiple floors of the shop.

3. The Castle Climbing Centre

The Castle Climbing Centre is one of the most popular climbing locations in London. This indoor climbing facility features some great top rope/lead climb routes that reach heights upwards of 40 feet! Located in an old Victorian water pumping station, the climbing center offers over 450 routes and about 90 roped lines as well as awesome bouldering routes with about 250 marked problems. One of the reasons The Castle is so cool is that the climbs are spread out over multiple floor levels which makes for a unique climbing experience.

4. The Arch 2

Also known as the Biscuit factory, this bouldering only facility was constructed inside an old biscuit factory in 2012. It is comprised of over 11,000 square feet of bouldering options with hundreds of climbing routes. It offers climb levels ranging from f5+ to f7c so if you don’t have prior climbing experience you will have to take an introductory course. The facility also includes a 55 degree training wall and a strength training and stretching area.

5. White Spider

The White Spider also opened in 2012 and consists of about 15,000 square feet of roped climbs with 103 rope lines and 300 routes as well as over 6,000 square feet of bouldering. The longest route reaches up to over 42 feet and grades range from f3-f8a. There is also a stalactite ceiling for a cave-like experience. The lower mezzanine features overhangs, a boulder cave and horizontal climbing next to a training area while the upper mezzanine has slabs and traverses. There is also a castle play area so you can bring the kids along as well!

Thanks to the Green Belt Policy in London, there is actually quite a bit of unurbanized land surrounding the metropolitan London area. This makes London and the nearby countryside great locations for scenic day hikes with tons of historical sites that are definitely a must see. Whether you live in the UK or are just passing through, the list below is just a handful of all the beautiful hiking trails London has to offer!

1. Hastings Circular, East Sussex

Looking for the best coastal views around? This 5.9 mile hike begins in Hastings Old Town, takes you along the seafront at Rock-A-Nore and then brings you to a cliff-top coastal walk through Hastings Country Park. This 2 hour and 40 minute route also features plenty of historical sites including the house of 1678 fraudster Titus Oates, the entrance to St. Clements Caves and the Hastings Castle (pictured below) at the end of the loop. The terrain is varied with a few steep sections but altogether a fun and scenic experience.

2. Hurst Green to Oxted, Surrey/Kent

One of the best routes for a nice autumn stroll is from Hurst Green to Oxted. This walk takes you along the hills of North Kent and Surrey with the majority of it passing through wooded areas of Greensand Way, which makes it such a beautiful walk in the fall months. There are also a couple of spots to stop at for lunch during your walk!

3. Richmond Park

As the largest enclosed space in  London, Richmond Park is a major draw for tourists and Londoners alike. This 3.69 mile national nature reserve is home to the Isabella Plantation, Pembroke Lodge, and 630 red and fallow deer. Richmond Park is a great spot for a leisurely afternoon walk!

4. Box Hill Circular

This rather strenuous hike goes through a very beautiful part of North Downs. The main walk is approximately 4 and a half hours and 9.3 miles long, however, you also have the option shorten it by cutting out the section to Headley Heath and taking a direct route through Box Hill Country Park. For the entire day trip, it is recommended that you give yourself about nine hours to accommodate train travel, sightseeing, and meals throughout the hike. The Box Hill loop offers rolling hills with plenty of things to see along your way. This part of North Downs gets very popular on the weekends so be prepared for a crowd!

5. Salisbury to Amesbury via Stonehenge

At 15.6 miles long, this is one of the longer hikes in the area. The route features plenty of gentle inclines through the rolling countryside. It is a great hike for the springtime when all the flowers are in bloom and awesome in the summer months when you can see all of the wheat and barley fields. There is plenty of sightseeing to do on this walk but how much you see depends on how far you go and what paths you take. Close to the end of the hike is where you will be able to see Stonehenge, which you can view from off site.