What is a power kite?

A power kite such as the HQ Kites Symphony is a soft canopy kite that provides enough pull and traction to lift you off your feet. Power kites are used in a range of extreme sports for pulling you along. These include:

• Kite Surfing is an extreme sport where you use a power kite to pull you across water whilst standing on a specialist power kiting surf board.
• Kite boarding is where you use a power kite to pull you along whilst you are mountain boarding.
• Snow kiting is an extreme sport where you use a power kite to pull you along on your snowboard.
• Kite buggying is a sport where you sit in a buggy and use a power kite to pull you along a beach.
• Power Kites for Ships – Power kites are so powerful that you can tow ships with a power kite.

Choosing the Best Power Kite for You

There are several key players supplying power kites, with the best brands including Flexifoil, HQ, Ozone and Peter Lynn. The key characteristics of power kites are whether they have two or four line (quad line) control, and how big they are.

Two lines or four lines?

The main two lines on a power kite are used for steering it. If you pull the left line the power kite goes left. If you pull the right line the power kite goes right. On four line power kites, there are two additional lines that are attached to the trailing edge of the kite. These are the brake lines. The brake lines on a power kite are used for reducing the amount of pull the power kite is giving, and also for bringing the power kite down.

How to fly a 4 Line Power Kite

On four line power kites, you control the power kite using two bars, one for the left, one for the right. The top lines are for power, the lower lines are the brake lines. Some power kites also have bungee cords that attach to your wrists to act as a safety device. When you let go of the control bars, the bungees release the power lines and pull on the brake lines which brings the power kite down.

What Size Power Kite Should I Get?

The size of power kite you choose depends on your body weight, fitness and the strength of wind you will be flying your power kite in. Power kites come in a range of sizes. To help you understand what size will suit you, here is a comparison of the different Flexifoil power kite sizes.

Flexifoil Buzz and Big Buzz

The Big Buzz kite is the 2.05m version of the Buzz 1.45m. The only performance difference between the Big Buzz and the Buzz is an increase in power due to the increase in size yet the kite is still a super-easy and safe-to-fly kite.

Flexifoil Sting

Flexifoil’s entry-level 4-line power kite. Designed to provide a precision flying experience, perfect for learning to fly on 4-lines and bridging the gap into the world of traction kiting (skidding, buggying or landboarding). Available with 4-line handles or a 2-line bar.

The Flexifoil Sting power kite comes in several sizes.

• 1.2m The most junior of the Sting power kites, guaranteed to keep you smiling long after you have finished flying for the day.
• 1.7m Gives more power to your moves and introduces the traction element to your flying. Perfect for the younger first-time flyer wanting to get into power kiting.
• 2.4m This is where power kiting can become a reality. With a good wind, the 2.4m Sting power kite is powerful enough to move you on a mountain board or buggy. You will start to get a real sense of power in your kite flying.
• 3.3m Flexifoil’s new 3.3m size bridges the gap between recreational static flying and zooming along in a buggy or mountain board.  This kite is the perfect first time power kite.  If you’re keen on progressing with kite sports then this is the best way to learn.

Flexifoil Rage

A full on 4-line traction kite. The Rage power kite provides fantastic grunt in all sizes and is the ideal first power kite for older teens or adults who want a kite that they can learn with, yet with enough power to use with a buggy or mountain board. The Rage power kite can propel you up to great speeds with a buggy or mountain board. It is the power kite of choice for all kiters wishing to harness the elements.

Available in five sizes sizes from 1.8m to 6m, with either 4-line handles or 4-line bar.

Please seek advice on which size to go for, but for most adults the 2.5m or 3.5m is the right place to start.

Supplied ready to fly with all you need to get power kiting. A legend amongst kite flyers. Pure fun, pure adrenalin, pure power!

Flexifoil Blade IV

The Blade IV is not a power kite for the feint hearted – it is seriously powerful and designed for the most extreme power kiting activities. Flexifoil Blades have an exciting history – sailing the first kitesurfers across the English channel, pulling explorers across the South Pole, and powering our outrageous freestyle buggy team.

The BladeIV is an ideal second kite in your kite bag, best suited for people with some previous flying experience!

It is available in four sizes from 4m to 8.5m. If you already have a Rage then you can buy the BladeIV power kite only and fly it on your Rage lines. Due to the awesome power of the BladeIV, you may need to upgrade your lines in strong winds.

Recommended Best Power Kites

HQ Symphony

The HQ Symphony is an excellent power kite. It comes as a 1.3 metre size and 2.2 metre size power kite.  It allows you to do a lot of stunts and has quite a pull when in full flight. Easy to launch, and because it does not have any solid spars, it survives all crashes.

Children aged 8 and up should be able to fly this power kite with ease and supervision. Also lots of fun for adults who want to practice their stunt flying. Excellent value for money and makes a super gift to get someone outside.

Peter Lynn Hype

The Peter Lynn Hype is incredibly easy to set-up and suitable for all ages and skill levels. Flying the Hype does not require any prior kiting experience, as it’s docile flying behaviour ensures that there are no sudden power surges when flying the kite through the wind-window.

It is a 2-line fixed bridle kite with straps. It has an extremely robust construction, with great control and easy handling. This power kite is easy to launch and relaunch.

Flexifoil Buzz and Flexifoil Big Buzz

The Flexifoil Buzz power kite is suitable for ages 5 to 95. The 2-line Flexifoil Buzz is the perfect first power kite. Simple, robust and set up ready to fly straight out of the bag – all you have to do is unwind the lines.

Great in winds from 10mph up to 30mph, you will be able to practise precision flying with manageable power in all weathers making this the perfect fun family kite that you can fly time and time again.

The Flexifoil Big Buzz is the Buzz’s big brother. With a 2m wingspan, the BIG Buzz creates a strong but manageable pull across the sky. This gives you a more radical experience, with the same user friendliness as the Buzz.

The BIG Buzz is ideal for older kids, teenagers and anyone who wants to have fun with a traction kite that
will pull them in stronger winds. No trip to the beach or park is complete without the Buzz or BIG Buzz.

The Big Buzz comes with 18 metre colour-coded flying lines to ensure easy set-up and pack-down. When packed away, the carry bag is 40x20x10cm so can easily be stored in the boot of the car or suitcase.

You don’t have to buy the best power kite to have fun. Kids stunt kites provide plenty of entertainment for kids of all ages.

For more advanced power kite users, you should get some kitesurfing lessons.

The post The Best Power Kites For Beginners appeared first on Active Outdoors.

What is a Game of Conkers?

The game of conkers is ages old. Using the dark brown horse chestnuts, not to be confused with the smaller chestnut, you can have hours of fun trying to smash apart your opponent’s conker.

The game of conkers, also called conker fighting, involves trying to smash your opponent’s conker which is suspended at the end of a piece of string.  The winner is usually the person whose conker is stronger and harder.

How to remove spiky conkers shells

The first thing you will need to play conkers is a conker! Conkers are encased in a hard green shell that has spikes on the outside. When the horse chestnut ripens and falls from the horse chestnut tree, the outer casing often breaks open when it hits the ground. You can then prise the conker shell off with your fingers.

If the conker shell hasn’t come off and you are finding it hard to open, then there is a trick to opening them without hurting your fingers on the spikes. All you have to do is put the conker on the ground and gently roll it with your foot. By applying the right amount of pressure, the shell breaks open as you roll it.

Getting your conkers ready for conker fights

To play conkers, you will need to attach your conker to a piece of string or shoe lace. Make a small hole all the way through your conker with a meat skewer, bradawl or drill. The smaller the hole is, the stronger your conker will be as a bigger hole weakens conkers too much and makes them prone to being broken when hit. The hole does need to be big enough to fit your piece of string through though. If you choose a thin round shoe lace or piece of string, this will be best for your conkers. The string should be between 30cm and 50cm long.

How to play conkers

Conker fighting is great fun between two players. As long as you play fair, you will have a great time. Hopefully your opponent won’t hit your knuckles with their conker either!

The aim of conker fights

The general idea is that one of the conker players holds his conker still in the air by dangling it on the string. The other conker player then has to swing his conker overarm whilst still holding the end of the string so that the conker hits the opponent’s conker. The aim is to smash your opponent’s conker off the string.

Who goes first in conkers?

You usually toss a coin to see who decides to go first. The winner of the toss can choose to hit or receive first.

Conkers Game play

Conkers players take it in turn to try to hit the other conker. There are several outcomes of a swing. You can hit the conker and smash it off the string. You can miss the conker. You can miss the conker and get the strings tangled. You can hit the conker with no damage. You can hit the conker and break your own conker. Both conkers could get damaged.

Winning conkers

To win a game of conkers, you have to smash your opponent’s conker completely off the string whilst keeping your conker on the string. A partial break does not count. Also, if you knock your opponent’s conker off the string without breaking it, then they are allowed to put it back on the string.

Scoring and rating a conker

Scoring is done by counting how many conkers your conker has broken. The winning conker also gains the rating of the losing conker. So if you both have “none-ers” because they have won none, then the winning conker becomes a “one-er.” If you have a conker that has beaten four others, and then beats a two-er, then it also takes on the score of the losing conker and becomes a six-er.

How to Make Conkers Stronger and Harder

Everyone who has played conkers will know that you will most likely win if your conker is stronger than the other conker. Technically, if you make the conker harder, it also makes it more brittle. What you have to do is to make your conker strong. You also have to try to make your method undetectable, so this rules out coating it in an epoxy resin!

Pickling conkers in vinegar

Pickling conkers in vinegar is said to make them rock hard. This can however cause the inside to slowly rot.

Baking conkers

Baking conkers in the oven at a very low heat is one of the best ways to make conkers stronger. You need to leave it in the oven long enough to make it strong without making the outside wrinkly.

Using old conkers

The best way to get a winning conker that is unbeatable is to use conkers saved from last year. So, start collecting next years winning conkers now!

Varnishing conkers

Applying clear varnish to conkers can give them a strong hard shell, but this can be detectable.

Hand cream on outside of conkers

One method that does seem to make conkers stronger is to coat the outside of your conker with hand cream. This makes the outside more resistance to impact. I would bake the conker in the oven first to make the inside tougher, and then coat the outside of the conker with hand cream to make the conker shell more flexible to the impacts.

Conkers banned in schools

Apparently, conker fights are dangerous. The powers that be have decided for you that you should not play conkers in case you get hurt. OK, so there are risks of hitting your opponent in the face, or smashing your conker into their hand, but they will need to have quick reactions to avoid your bad aim. If you can’t play at school, you can always play at home.

Conker’s Bad Fur Day

There is also a popular computer game called conkers. The game stars Conker the Squirrel and involves a number of levels to complete. I would rather be outside trying to smash my friend’s horse chestnut to bits than be indoors playing on my own on a computer.

More information about Conkers

• How to play Conkers
• Fun Things to do in Autumn

The post How to Make Conkers Stronger appeared first on Active Outdoors.

If you fancy scaring the pants off yourself and your mates, book your advance ticket for a fright night at a theme park. It is such a fantastic thrill going on the rollercoasters during the day, and even more of an adrenalin rush in the dark at night.

October brings you theme park fright nights and scarefests. Most require advance bookings, even if you are a season ticket holder. Towards the end of the month and into November, you will also get fireworks displays as well.

UK Theme Park Halloween Fright Nights

• Alton Towers Scarefest – 19th October to 3rd November.  Book online now for 40% discount tickets – For real terror this Halloween, look no further than the Alton Towers Resort Scarefest! Be confronted by live terror as a chilling combination of indoor and outdoor scare attractions ensure those willing to be frightened this Halloween don’t leave feeling scared – they’ll leave terrified! Book online now and get 40% off.
• Thorpe Park Fright Night – 11th October – 3rd November.  40% discount off tickets. Fright Nights is back and even more terrifying than ever, transforming THORPE PARK into a world of twisted insanity!Only the brave will escape THORPE PARK Penitentiary as
  Fright Nights transform the nation’s Thrill Capital into a dark and twisted prison facility, where society’s most disturbed and dangerous prisoners have broken out and taken control.Take on THE SWARM for the first time in the dark, as you take a death-defying flight for your life on the UK’s first winged rollercoaster and brave all five terrifying live action horror mazes.Dare to Face Your Fears on the ultimate test as SAW – The Ride comes alive! And for the ultimate horror experience brave the terrifying live action horror mazes The Curse, Se7en, The Asylum, and Hellgate.

  If that’s not enough for you, experience exhilarating rides in the dark and take on the ‘Unholy Trinity’ of Stealth, Colossus and Nemesis Inferno in the pitch black of night until 10pm.

  Due to the extreme popularity of this event, Fright Nights is STRICTLY ADVANCE BOOK ONLY.
  LIMITED TIME ONLY: Grab your tickets now for just £24* – that’s over 40% saving!!

• Chessington Halloween Hocus Pocus – 25th October – 3rd November, 10am – 8pmThe whole family can enjoy spooky entertainment this Halloween as wicked witches and naughty Goblins take over the Park! Plus a mythical Fiery Faun will be weaving enchanting tales of his homeland using magic and fire to delight the younger members of your family. With rides in the dark and the chance to get up close and personal with the Zoo’s spiders, snakes and glow-in-the-dark scorpions there’s so much fun to be had it’s scary!

U.S. Theme Park Halloween Fright Nights

• Disneyland (Anaheim): Halloween Time with Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy and Halloween Screams fireworks show. 14th October – 31st October
• Magic Kingdom (Orlando, Fla.): Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party with Boo-to-You parade and Happy HalloWishes fireworks show. September through to November
• Universal Studios Hollywood: Halloween Horror Nights with scare zones, live shows and haunted mazes, including the “Saw” maze. Oct. 2 to Oct 31.
• Universal Studios Florida (Orlando): Halloween Horror Nights with scare zones, live shows and haunted mazes, including the “Wolfman” maze. Oct. 1 to Oct 31.
• Six Flags: Fright Fest with mazes, scare zones, nighttime rides and shows at the chain’s amusement parks across the United States including Six Flags Magic Mountain (Valencia) and Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (Vallejo, Calif.). Weekends through Nov. 1.
• SeaWorld San Diego and SeaWorld Orlando: Halloween Spooktacular with animal shows and trick-or-treating for children. Weekends through Nov. 1.
• Legoland (Carlsbad, Calif.): Brick-or-Treat with live shows and trick-or-treating for children. Saturdays in October.
• Knott’s Berry Farm (Buena Park): Halloween Haunt with 13 haunted mazes, four scare zones and seven shows. Wednesdays through Sundays through Oct. 31.
• Cedar Point (Sandusky, Ohio): HalloWeekends with haunted houses, five scare zones and eight shows. Weekends through Nov. 1.
• Kings Dominion (Doswell, Va.): Halloween Haunt with nine haunted mazes, five scare zones and four shows. Weekends through Oct. 31.
• Kings Island (Cincinnati, Ohio): Halloween Haunt with 13 haunted attractions. Thursdays through Sundays through Oct. 31.
• Carowinds (Charlotte, N.C.): Scarowinds with haunted rides, mazes and scare zones. Weekends through Oct. 31.
• Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (Florida): Howl-O-Scream with seven haunted houses, four scare zones and two shows. Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights through Oct. 31.
• Busch Gardens Williamsburg (Virginia): Howl-O-Scream with six haunted mazes, seven scare zones and six shows. Weekends through Nov. 1.
• SeaWorld San Antonio: Howl-O-Scream with haunted attractions, shows and scare zones. Weekends through Oct. 31 (and Oct. 12).
• Hersheypark (Hershey, Pa.): Hersheypark in the Dark with rethemed rides and live shows. Weekends through Oct. 31.
• Dollywood (Pigeon Forge, Tenn.): National Gospel and Harvest Celebration with gospel music and harvest foods and crafts. Oct. 2 to Oct 31.
• Kennywood (West Mifflin, Pa.): Phantom Fright Nights with six haunted attractions and four scare zones. Friday and Saturday nights in October.
• Darien Lake (Darien Center, N.Y.): FrightFest with a haunted house and tram tour. Weekends through Oct. 18.
• Queen Mary Dark Harbor, Long Beach, California Queen Mary Dark Harbor celebrates Halloween all month long at the Queen Mary in Long Beach as the annual scare-fest takes on a horrifying new dimension. Join us for 15 fright-filled nights of mazes and madness, food and cocktails, and live bands.

The post Theme Parks Halloween Fright Nights appeared first on Active Outdoors.

Paintball is a sport that combines strategy, teamwork and skill into an exciting action packed day. It is usually played outside in woodland areas or fields.

Players are supplied with a special marking paintball gun that fires biodegradable paintballs. The paintballs are propelled by compressed air making them very accurate up to a range of 60 metres. And yes, you get to shoot them at the other team!

You do not have to be super fit to play paintball; all you need is the ability to have fun and a sense of humour. Paintball is an exciting outdoor leisure activity, suitable for both sexes from the age of 12 upwards. It is ideal for birthday parties and groups from youth clubs or a bunch of school or college friends.

Paintballing Tips

On arrival at a paintball site you will be given full instructions and tuition, including a full safety briefing. At all times you will be totally supervised by experienced marshals who will accompany you throughout the day explaining everything you need to know about the paintball games and keeping you safe.

You will need to be quick thinking and resourceful as you attempt, with the rest of your team, to outwit the opposing team. During the day you will be set an exciting variety of objectives and missions, all designed to test your abilities in a friendly atmosphere.

Playing in a range of purpose built game zones, with names like The Alamo or Chemical Alley, combining man made structures with natural cover. You might be tasked with attacking then defending a fort or bridge, protecting a convoy of vehicles, ambushing your opponents or capturing and recovering a flag.

If you manage to hit a member of the opposition with a paintball they are eliminated from that round of the game, and the same goes for you. So you need to have your wits about you and work out the best time to make a move, or dive for cover and keep your head down!

After each game you hand in your paintball guns for checking and cleaning and return to your base for the day in the ‘Safe Zone’ where you can wipe of the paint (unless you’ve cunningly avoided being hit), re-load, grab some refreshment or stay for lunch and discuss your team tactics for the afternoon missions – having learnt from your mistakes in the morning!

Paintball is one of the fastest growing sports in Europe with over a million players last year. It can be an addictive adrenalin rush, so you might find yourself becoming a regular player and joining in competitive tournaments around the country.

Does Paintball Hurt?

Yes it does. A lot! It usually hurts as much as if someone flicks you hard on bare skin with their fingers. The rules are that you should not shoot close up, but in the heat of the battle you will usually get some vicious opponent who will get you. One game I went to, quite a few people left with large blood blisters and welts where the paintballs had damaged the skin.

However, if you find play strategically and work well with your team, you can usually come out with just a few slight bruises or none at all.

If you want to get some some protection from bruises, then there is a great selection of padded compression tops and trousers available in black or camo.

You can buy 500 rounds of paintball rounds for under $20 on Amazon.

What to Wear for Paintballing?

Wear old clothes. You should be given full overalls to wear when going paintballing, with a neck protector, head cover and full face mask. If you don’t like the idea of getting hit by a high velocity ball of paint, you might want to wear some thick clothing underneath for padding, but be aware that once you move about, you get quite hot. You are usually not allowed to run about (trip hazards), but the adrenalin usually makes you feel hotter.

Places to go Paintballing

There are paintball venues all over the country. Whichever one you choose, check whether they provide all the safety gear, such as full face masks, neck protectors, and overalls. Paintball is a real adrenalin sport that gets the blood and paint pumping.

Paintball Gear

One of the easiest places to buy paintball gear is from Amazon.com. Here are the recommended paintball essentials on Amazon.

The post Winning Paintball Tips appeared first on Active Outdoors.

What is stand up paddle boarding?

Stand up paddle boarding involves standing up on a board that floats on water and using a paddle to move around. The paddle board looks similar to a surf board and is made from glass-reinforced plastic around a polyurethane or expanded polystyrene foam core.

Guy Fisher, Director of SUP Rentals Ltd in the UK explains, “Stand-up paddling has become one of the fastest growing sports all over the world. The water based activity can be enjoyed on any pool of water, be it a river, lake or sea at any time. In addition to the fun that can be had, it is a great sport that provides full body and low impact exercise which improves body balance and overall strength.

How was stand up paddle boarding invented?

Stand up paddle boarding was said to have originated on the African coast where people stood up in their dugout canoes to get a better view of what was around them, especially looking out for danger. This is the reason that lifeguards also use stand up paddle boards to look out for anyone who might need help and to be able to quickly get to them.

Another reason that stand up paddle boarding came into favour as a sport was in Hawaii where it was adopted as a different way to go surfing when there weren’t many big waves. SUP enables you to practice your surfing technique and balance in the sea when there isn’t much swell.

Due to the stability of stand up paddle boards, they have become increasingly popular as a recreational activity, allowing you to get unique views of nature from the water.

What do you wear for stand up paddle boarding?

You can wear whatever you want for stand up paddle boarding, however you might want to think about the temperature and getting wet if you fall in.

In warmer weather, T shirt and shorts will be just fine, but if the water is a bit cold for you, a wetsuit may be required. You can buy wetsuits or rent them from the place you rent your board from.

Where Can I Try Stand up Paddle Boarding in the UK?

Being an island, the UK is a great place to try stand up paddle boarding. There are an enormous range of places where you can go to hire one. But if you fancy trying stand up paddle boarding on a patch of water near you and there isn’t a board hire shop nearby, you can now get a paddle board delivered to your door!

SUP Rentals Ltd in the UK – Stand up Paddle Boards for Hire and Delivered to Your Door

SUP Rentals Ltd is an Oxfordshire based stand up paddle board hire business offering inflatable paddle boards to rent in the UK.

SUP boards are larger boards and the desire to travel with them has led to the development of an inflatable system where the board and pump can be carried in a back pack.

SUP Rentals Ltd offers the rent of stand up paddleboards from one day, up to two weeks with prices starting at £15 per day per paddle board.

Each stand up paddleboard – the Zray Tourer Elite 330 cm / 10’6” – is perfect for adults or families and comes with its own pump, ensuring quick and easy inflation.

The inflatable stand up paddle boards are lightweight and pack down in to a rucksack and the company will deliver to the customer via courier to their doorstep – or customers can collect from their base in Oxfordshire.

The inflatable stand up paddle boards can be rolled up and packed in a lightweight pack for easy transportation. The boards are safe and durable, with a more rigid construction technology than other inflatable boards currently on the market. SUP Rentals have a long history in renting equipment for water based activities and the quality of their equipment and safety of their customers is second to none. It is awesome to be able to rent a stand up paddle board that is delivered right to your door. In addition, when hiring the SUP boards, life jackets and dry bags can be reserved through the online booking process.

If you want to buy your own inflatable stand up paddle board in the UK, it will set you back around £500. You can buy them from stores such as Decathlon, Surf Boutique or Amazon.

The Great Social Stand Up Paddle Boarding Trip

Stand up paddle boarding is pretty straightforward and easy to learn. The boards are very stable and make for a great way to spend your recreational time at the weekends with friends. You can go online and rent a couple of inflatable boards, get them delivered to your door and then have some fun at the weekend.

If you are still wondering if it is easy to learn how to stand up paddle board, this Youtube video explains everything for you.

The post Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Boards to Get You On the Water More appeared first on Active Outdoors.

You can give the gift of amazing days out doing unforgettable activities ranging from spa pamper sessions to thrill seekers’ delights such as driving experiences or flying an aeroplane. My wife is happy, because she can buy me a wonderful present, and I am ecstatic because I get to try out all sorts of brilliant experiences. And it’s not all about me; there are plenty of gifts for her that I can buy as well.

With so much on offer to choose from, I have collated a list of the entire selection of activity gifts available, all sorted into categories for you. I have written about what the experience days are like, and what you need to know before booking.

What are Experience Days?

Experience days are exactly what they say. Rather than buy someone a physical gift they unwrap, you can choose from a huge range of activities and experiences that you can buy. You go to an experience days website such as Red Letter Days and browse through the experience days on offer. When you buy one, your loved one will receive a pack in the post all nicely gift wrapped that gives details of what the experience day is and how to book the day and location that suits them.

Where to get Experience Days

There are a number of experience days companies online. The way they work is that they do all the hard work of making deals with activity providers and then collate them all together so that you can pick and choose which one you want. You then buy an experience day gift voucher. When someone receives an experience day voucher, all they have to do is to go to the company’s website, enter the voucher code, and choose what day and location they want. Experience days vouchers are usually valid for an entire year after purchase, so if you want to give the gift of hot air ballooning for Christmas, your loved one can activate the voucher in the summer when they want to go. Easy.

Each gift experience company has a slightly different selection of experience days on offer. What I do is to choose the experience day that I want, check that the company does it in the location I want and at the best price, and then buy.

My preferred experience day provider is Red Letter Days. Browse the massive selection of activity gifts and you will definitely find an experience day gift voucher that is perfect for the one you love.

The post Valentine’s Day Gift Experiences for the Outdoorsy Boyfriend appeared first on Active Outdoors.

Make Them Comfortable

Bundle up the kids and make sure they are kept warm. Gloves, warm socks, coats and winter footwear should be worn to keep you and your kids comfortably warm. It is always good to have another pair of gloves dry and ready on the radiator to swap out with the wet snowy ones.  You can also use pocket hand warmers.  With that done, you are all ready to have some fun in the outdoors!

Outdoor activities for kids and families in winter is not only going to be fun, it is good exercise too. Here are some outdoor activities the kids and the entire family can enjoy and learn from in winter.

Wintery Fun with Sledding

Head to a major retailer and get the kids their sleds. Going down the hill in a sled is so much fun. Climbing to a hill to have a fun ride down can be tiring. It is good exercise though for the kids and yourself.  Find out which are the best sleds this year.

Let’s Play the Game of Tag

Kids always love to play the classic game of tag. This time it is going to be the flashlight tag. Instead of using hands to tag each other, players will use the beams of light. Bring the kids out in the garden at night and have them chase each other while flashing their flashlights. Be sure to be with your kids when they play this game. They might get carried away and wonder out in the streets trying to catch each other.

Or you could get them their own laser tag gear.

Build a Snowman

An old-time favourite! Even your grandparents use to roll snow into balls to build three parts of a snowman. Making a snowman is not only fun, it is a good form of exercise, too. Moving and rolling all that snow takes a lot of work and will flex all of the kids’ muscles and yours too.

Do some Walking and Hiking

Bundle up and dress in layers. Wear gloves, a well-fitting hat and comfortable winter shoes. Pack in some drinks and snacks. Since you will be hiking with kids, you should be travelling through well-marked trails. You also need to be familiar with the trail. You do not want to get lost in the cold and with kids in tow.

Get on a Fat Bike

Fat biking is similar to mountain biking except that they have wider tires for good snow traction. Fine a nice simple trail for the kids to try out. You can move on to some other trails as soon as the kids get the real feel of fat biking. The nice thing about fat biking is it does not hurt a bit when you fall in the snow.

Help Dad and Mom do Some Snow Shovelling

Snow removal is hard work. It is also a great exercise. The kids can each pick up a snow shovel appropriate for their size and have so much fun clearing the pathway of snow. They will also have a sense of fulfillment that they were able to help in an adult chore.

Hunt for Some Treasure

Treasure hunting will keep the kids on their toes. It will make them do a lot of thinking too. Hide in your garden or nearby park some Ziploc plastic bags with clues that will take the kids to next stop. Fill the “treasure box” with goodies such as glow in the dark sticks and stickers and a few candy bars. You may also include a photo of your next winter adventure to get them all excited!

Create Ice Art

Freeze ice in jello containers, ice cube trays and other containers. On a chilly day bring those ice blocks in the porch and have the kids make some ice sculptures. Dribbling water will make the blocks of ice stick together to form fun shapes.

When There’s a Mountain, There’s Skiing and Snowboarding

If there is a mountain nearby, bring the kids out there for some skiing and snowboarding. You can rent out some gear and have the kids try a few skiing and snowboarding lesson. You might need one yourself, too. The kids will surely enjoy this activity and may just be requesting to be back soon.

Play Powder-Puff Football

Invite some of your kids’ friends over and form two teams at least three in each team. Fill spray a bottle with a mixture of water and food coloring to make a large rectangle mark with a centerline on the ground.

The teams start off at the opposite ends of the field. A player kicks off the ball and once a teammate catches it, he will try to bring the ball across to their goal by passing it to his other teammates. The players from the opposite team will try to tag the player with the ball to give them ball possession. The game ends when the players start getting cold.

You could also try bubble football.

Go Ice Skating in a Lake

Ice skating is always fun for little and big kids. Indoor ice skating can be a lot of fun but ice skating in the lake, river, canal or pond can be even more fun! Rent or buy some skates for the kids and yourself. Look for a frozen body of water and glide around in fun.  Or try one of these city ice skating rinks.

Play with Bubbles

Find some of bubble mix in the kids’ playroom. Bring the kids outdoors and have them blow bubbles in the winter air. If it is cold enough they might just be blowing ice crystals. The bubbles will freeze before popping and will form into ice crystal. The kids will surely find these extremely amazing.

Get into a Scavenger Hunt

A scavenger hunt will be a lot of fun for the kids. Hide some objects in the snow. Ask the kids to go out and fins frozen puddles, icicles, animal tracks and the objects you hid in the snow. Prepare some goodies for the lucky scavengers.

Roast those S’mores

Prepare a fire ring if you do not have access to one, check put camp sites or parks near your home. Chocolates, graham crackers, roasted marshmallow and the sound of a roaring fire will get all the kids excited. S’mores are perfect for cold winters days.

Create a Gargoyle

Bring along a small amount of clay in plastic bags as you and the kids head out for the woods or well anything similar to the woods. During the walk have the kids pick up leaves, twigs, cones and other natural features. Let them study the tress searching for natural features that could be part of a gargoyle’ face. With the use of the clay, let them stick on the trunk of the tree the items they collected along the way. They can also use the clay for the other features such as eyebrows, mouth, eyes etc…. Take a photo of the kids with their gargoyle!

There are a lot of things to do in the outdoors in winter. It can be such a waste of fun time to stay indoors.
Which activity on the list did you find to be the most exciting for you, the kids and the entire family? When my kids were little, most of our winter days were full doing most of those activities.

Whichever of the activities listed above you choose to do, it would be nice if you could do it as a family. If you want more ideas for fun outdoor activities for kids and families in winter, look at my winter activities section.  Or you could always try these winter activities for teens.

The post Outdoor Activities for Kids and Families In Winter appeared first on Active Outdoors.

Treasure hunts with a Twist

Treasure hunts are fun for all ages. Run around following clues to race to the end and win a prize. But you always want to do something different. So, you can make your treasure hunts memorable by using glow sticks and Pringles tubes.

How to set up a night time treasure hunt

You are going to need some Pringles tubes and some glow sticks. Bit obvious really. All you do is stick the glow stick inside the empty Pringles tube (yes, you will unfortunately have to eat all of the Pringles first). You then need to mount the tube on its side so that you can only see the glow stick when you are standing facing the open end of the tube.

You can then place the glowing tubes around your treasure trail. You then need to give each treasure hunter directions so that they will stand in a place where they can see only the next glow stick tube in the series. When they get to that tube, they can then get the next clue.

You can use your imagination to adapt the idea to suit the players. You can even cut holes in the side of the tube to make a Halloween lantern.

If you want more Halloween activities ideas, look at my Fright Nights post.

Where to get glow sticks

Amazon is your friend. In the UK, you can buy glow sticks from Amazon.co.uk or if you are in the US, buy glow sticks from Amazon.com

The post How to use Glow Sticks and Pringles Tubes for Fun in the Dark appeared first on Active Outdoors.

The mornings start to become that little bit colder and a little bit darker.  Autumn is drawing near and as the seasons change, so does the availability of pleasant weather for your favourite outdoor activities.  Students across the world are thinking about the new academic year ahead. For some, it is the first time away from home as you head for Freshers’ week at University.

For business professionals, their return to work after the summer break is often difficult.  With the holidays over and the nights drawing in, what on earth can you do to stay active outdoors?

Running is Always an Option

Running outdoors in September after work will mean having to use a torch and some high visibility clothing.  Proviz provide a range of very highly reflective running jackets in a range of styles.  You will need to supplement  this with a good running torch.  I prefer the body worn running torch that straps over your shoulder and around your chest.  The white light on the front is bright enough to show all of the roots and uneven trails as you run, with the red light on the back making you visible from behind.

Student Fun

What fun have you been up to lately? Last weekend most students will have started at college or university. Oh the memories of Fresher’s week. Meeting new people, joining the most obscure clubs and societies (which mostly involved participating in a drink or two), and generally having a laugh.

Higher education has a great selection of clubs partaking in a spot of outdoor recreation. Depending on where you are, the traditional track and field sports are supplemented by more adventurous activities such as canoeing, sailing, snow sports, mountain biking and even a few aerial activities like flying or kite surfing.

What activity clubs do you have at your college or university? Which ones have you joined? Did you join for the appeal of the activity or because of some hunk who was already a member? Thought so :o)

Fall Outdoor Activities

October brings the change of seasons, and with it the weather changes. October and November are great months for wind powered activities. Kite flying, kite surfing, sailing and windsurfing are all ideal. It is also a most entertaining time for any drone enthusiasts. Those spinny rotor gadgets just don’t cope well in wind, so be prepared for youtube vids of some epic drone fails and crashes.

The end of October also sees the start of the marketing season for snow sports. Ski shows and exhibitions pop up at the end of October, offering fantastic bargain ski holidays and discount gear. It is the best opportunity to find out what it is all about and grab yourself a bargain. This winter, the ski industry is making a concerted effort to entice more under 35 year olds to go on a ski holiday or snowboarding holiday. Across the UK, the Go Ski Go Board campaign is offering taster sessions for only £1 at ski slopes across the country. You should get together with some of your friends and make a group outing of it. If you like it, there are lots of ski chalets you can rent as a group, some even have catering included. All you have to worry about is having fun in the snow. If you want to know more, read my guide to choosing a ski holiday that’s right for you and helps you with all the things you should consider.

My ski fund is currently generated by me providing you and your friends with great ideas on outdoor activities which leads to you clicking on useful Amazon affiliate links and other ads. Thank you so much if you do. I really appreciate it, as do my teenage daughters.

The end of October means Halloween, and if you are a thrill seeker you are definitely going to want to go to one of the theme park fright nights. Theme parks all over the world put on special events during the end of October for Halloween where you can scare yourself silly by going on the rides at night in the dark! Awesome. They also put on scare mazes and other attractions that will mess with your head. I went to one last year with some friends and had a brilliant time. It is totally different on the rides at night, and such an adrenalin rush. If you are not of a nervous disposition, I highly recommend it.

I wish you well in your work and education. May you make lots of great new friends, be invited to many memorable parties, and generally have so much fun that you walk around with a huge grin.

More outdoor activities to try

The post Fall, Fashion and Finding Fun appeared first on Active Outdoors.

I have been blessed with a generally good level of fitness, probably due to walking my dog several times a day, but have always wanted to up my game. The thing is, it takes motivation to actually do it. I found that when I try running by myself I soon falter at the first signs of fatigue, usually within the first 30 metres or so. I get out of breath or my legs ache and before you know it I have slowed to a walk with the intention of running again in just a moment. Honest. Oh well, maybe in a minute or so. Oh who cares about this running lark? It requires effort that I can’t be bothered with. I’ll just have a little rest here. Maybe tomorrow.

If only I knew someone who could keep me company to go running and give me a reason for going for a run.

So it was by good fortune that one of my dog walks took me by chance past a poster in my village for a local running group. Apparently, every week a group of like minded individuals of varying abilities gather by a gate and go running together. Sounded like it warranted some further investigation, so I sent an email to the address on the poster to see if I could join in one week.

The next week I put on my old pair of trainers and was warmly welcomed by a group of about ten at the starting point. The beginners running group was led by two Athletics England qualified running group leaders. The group consisted of men and women aged between 25 and 80. I was to be starting out in the beginner’s group, running 4.2k. Sounded like quite a long way to me for my first continuous run, but the group leader reassured me that the running pace was matched to the slowest person. Looking around the group I was fairly confident that wouldn’t be me, but the next forty minutes would let me know for sure.

We headed off along the roads around two of the Kent villages, running at a nice and easy pace. Everyone was very sociable and friendly, which was perfect for taking your mind off the fact that you were actually out running. At the first gentle hill the group began to spread out, but no one was left on their own. Everyone in the group watched out for each other and even slowed to walk with those who were struggling. For those who had the stamina to keep going, the group leader would keep running for 100 metres and then they would turn back to join up with those at the back. This was a really good way of keeping the group together whilst allowing people of different abilities to keep to a pace that suited them.

I successfully completed the run with only a couple of points where I slowed down to a walk. I blame those darned hills, and being noble by keeping company with some of the slower runners who I felt needed the support. At least that’s what I told them.

The group leader congratulated me on doing so well on my first session and encouraged me to come again. I walked home feeling quite chuffed with myself. That wasn’t so bad, and the company was good. These social workouts were a real mood booster. Would definitely be back.

Slowly Building up Running Fitness Before Going Too Far

I stuck with the beginners group for about 5 weeks so as not to overdo things. This allowed my body to get used to running that distance at a steady pace. Then I moved on to joining the intermediates running group. Some of those who ran with the beginners also ran in this group, effectively using it as a warm up and giving a total distance that evening of about 15km.

You guessed it; I was now up for running 7-10k. The first coup!e of months was tiring but achievable. The pace was nice and easy with everyone keeping together, and more importantly ensuring I didn’t get left behind. From the start of each run, everyone was very friendly and conversation flowed on a wide variety of topics. The beauty of social running groups is that you can move around the group and join different conversations depending on your mood. And if you don’t feel like talking much, that is fine too.

After a few months, the intermediates group regularly completed 10k running every week. The group run was one of the best ways for 10k run training.  Each week the 10k running plan incorporated a different element that built strength and stamina.  What’s more, it was done without you really realising how much benefit you were gaining.  Before I knew it this 10k run every week was becoming fairly straightforward.  Some weeks you did struggle if you were suffering from a cold or busy week, but the running group always catered to the ability of the entire group on that evening.  The perfect tailored 10k running plan for all abilities.

During the warmer months, we ran alot more off road across the gorgeous Kent countryside. Due to the enthusiasm of the group, they also began organising informal Sunday morning runs. Using WhatsApp, the group cold also spontaneously go for small group runs by putting out a call to see if someone wanted to go for a quick 5k that evening, or perhaps a nice little 10 miler a bit further afield. I was quite content with my weekly session.

Now after regularly running for about a year now, I feel up for seeing how I fare in running a bit faster over 10k. There is a local annual event that was just begging to be entered (along with much encouragement from my fellow runners). So, we shall see how I get on in the Darent Valley 10K in May.

How Group Running Helps Fitness and Wellbeing

The biggest motivating factor in group running is the supportive social aspect. If I hadn’t found out about the local running group I doubt that I would be as fit as I am today. We humans need that reward feedback in order to do things; those biological and chemical signals telling us that what we have just done was good and we should do more of it. If you are starting out in running, you need to get that positive feeback in anyway you can to motivate you to do it again. If the physical effort is a huge barrier for you, then the social aspect, friendship and having a good laugh together really does help to make you want to go out again. After a while, you become used to the physical effort and seek to achieve more. More distance and more speed.

The variety of running routes also helped keep things interesting.

Although the beginners group used the same route so you could sense how you were improving week on week, the intermediates group always ran a different route each week. Occasionally there would be a track session to run at different paces on the flat, or hill sessions to help improve stamina (or completely exhaust you).

How to Find a Running Group Near Me

You can search for local running clubs near you on the Run Together website. It lists all of the running groups and clubs across the UK, when they go running and what routes they take. Most of the sessions are free, but some running courses that offer a 10 week couch to 5k training routine may cost.

Another great way to go running regularly with lots of like minded people of varying abilities is to go to a parkrun. Parkruns are held at locations all over the world. It is a free 5k running session at local parks at 9am on Saturdays. You get timed, and you can compare your results with people worldwide. A great way to start your Saturday outdoors with family or friends.

I can’t recommend group running enough. It made a huge difference to my sense of wellbeing and fitness, and I look forward to my weekly running sessions; followed by the post run session in the local pub.

More about getting into running:

• Getting into running
• Orienteering
• Trail running
• Adventure races and ultra Marathons
• Obstacle course Races and Tough Mudder

The post How a Social Running Group Motivated me to go from Couch to 10K appeared first on Active Outdoors.