Microlighting
Fly through the air in a lightweight aircraft. These amazing crafts look similar to hang gliders, but have a mini engine and can reach speeds of 40m/ph. Or opt for a course and work towards getting a pilot’s licence.
Daily. 9am-sunset, £79
Aveley Road, RM14 2TQ
Tube | Upminster
londonairsports.com
Kiteboarding
Power kites can pull up to a ton in weight, meaning flying them is an absolute rush. One false move and you’ll end up metres in the air.
Get full instruction with Kite Vibe, who’ll hook you up with a beginner’s kite. When you’ve mastered that, they’ll let you try a board.
Lesson times vary depending on wind conditions.
Richmond Park, TW10 5HS, £40
Tube | East Putney
kitevibe.com
Ice Climbing
In London, of all places, you can climb an 8ft wall of ice. Hidden behind a secret door in the Ellis Brigham store, in Covent Garden, wannabe explorers can feel what mountaineers go through when climbing Everest for days on end. Believe us, it’s tough climbing that block with two ice picks and some sharp crampons.
Times vary, £5 Vertical Chill
Ellis Brigham Store, WC2E 7HA
Tube | Covent Garden
vertical-chill.com
Kayaking
Take to the Thames in a coloured boat, and negotiate strong currents on London’s busiest river, past naval boats, ferries and canal boats. Soak up the city’s most iconic landmarks while floating on the water.
Every weekend, timings dependant on tides
Cremorne Riverside Centre, SW10 0QH, £33
Station | Imperial Wharf Station
kayakinglondon.com
Diving
This south London dive centre offers open-water dive trips just 45 minutes from central London to Wraysbury. Here, underwater explorers will find carp, pike, tench, eels plus a sunken boat, fruit machine, VW van, bus and London taxi.
Every Sat. 8am-4pm, £10
Voltaire Road, SW4 6DH
Tube | Clapham North
bigsquid.co.uk
Read more: Going to extremes – Escape your boring 9-5 with adventure sports in London
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Motocross
Go full-throttle around a hardpack Supercross-style outdoor track with 11 tabletop jumps, bowled corners and ski-jumps. Beginners can also get involved in classroom workshops before they take to the track.
Fri and Sat. 10am-3pm, £50 Gate 14
Woolwich Manor Way, E16 2QY
Station | Gallions Reach DLR
docklandsriders.org.uk
Snowboarding
Before you hit the slopes this winter, get a few practice runs in at SNOzone. They’re currently offering 50 per cent off all activities and lessons.
Daily. Discounts apply until 6pm. £25
602 Marlborough Gate Central
MK9 3XS
Station | Milton Keynes Central Station
snozoneuk.com
Skydiving
You need balls the size of apples to jump from 13,000ft in the air. The North London Skydiving centre offers the chance to drop like a brick through the sky at speeds of up to 300m/ph.
Haven’t quite plucked up the courage yet? Get a taste for skydiving by hovering safely above ground level, in their indoor wind tunnel.
Tues, Thurs, Fri. 8.30am-8pm, £200
Chatteris Airfield, PE15 0FB
Station | March
ukskydiving.com
Paddleboarding
Take to London’s waterways on a giant board. Paddleboarding can be as extreme or tame as you like. Go on mammoth sessions from one side of town to the other, or try some paddleboarding yoga, which requires double the balance.
Try doing a downward-facing dog on a moving surface without getting wet – believe us, it’s not as easy as it looks.
Mon-Fri 11am-8pm, Sun-Sat 11am-7pm
Waterfront Studios, E16 1AG, £25
Station | Royal Victoria DLR
wakeupdocklands.com
Parkour
At this purpose-built parkour centre (complete with perfectly designed concrete blocks) they teach you how to jump like James Bond across skyscrapers and move through urban environments in the most efficient way possible. Great fun.
Mon-Fri. Times vary, £10 225 Harrow Road, W2 5EZ
Station | Royal Oak
parkourgenerations.com
4×4 Driving
If you’ve got a valid licence, you can hurtle along a purpose-built 4×4 course while slipping and sliding on muddy paths, trying not to roll the car. For the ultimate adrenaline rush, they’ll even let you do it blindfolded.
Daily. 9am-8pm Ashford, ME19 5RL, £134
Station | West Malling
teamtactics.co.uk
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Sky Walking
Suit up, clip in and climb over the roof of the O2 Arena, one of London’s most iconic buildings. Don’t forget your camera: at the top there’s a spectacular 360-degree view of Canary Wharf, The Gherkin and London’s waterways.
Mon-Fri 10am-8pm, Sat-Sun 10am-4pm, £22
Peninsula Square, SE10 0DX
Station | North Greenwich DLR
Skateboarding
Pro skater Domingos Santoro is offering up his time to teach all levels of skateboarding, whether you want to learn speed, better footing or how to do tricks such as ollies and kickflips. Equipment is included in the first session.
Daily. 9am-8pm, £15
Rookery Road, SW4 9DD
Tube | Clapham
TEL 07947 184954
Mountain Biking
Hit the dirt tracks on two wheels with a mountain bike tour of the great British countryside. The Surrey Hills Centre offers half-day trips and one-to-one tuition for those looking to improve their riding techniques on all terrain.
Daily. Any time Pedal and Spoke
GU5 9RR, £35
Station | Gomshall
allbikedup.com
Zip Wire Park
This is the most fun you can have in a playground, without getting arrested. Here, you can let out your inner baboon and climb through the tree tops on various obstacles from high ropes to Tarzan swings. Clamber up cargo nets, crawl through tunnels and whizz along zipwires up to 16m high.
Mon-Fri. 8am-9pm, £30
GoApe, Trent Park, EN4 OPS
Station | Cockfosters
goape.co.uk
Windsurfing
A taster session will take place this week at BTYC Sailsports on the Brent reservoir. Then, keen and competent windsurfers will have the option of paying a membership fee to use the club’s equipment throughout the winter (fees £105 from Oct 1).
Every Thurs. 6pm, free Birchen Grove, NW9 8SA
Staiton | Wembley Park
btycsailsports.org.uk
Read more: Going to extremes – Escape your boring 9-5 with adventure sports in London
Photos: Kite Vibe, Harriet Sinclair, Nonnie Warren, Kayaking London, Team Tactics, All Biked Up, Parkour Generations
