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Where can I find out about action adventure holidays (weekend breaks will do) in the UK online

01:00 Mon 17th Dec 2001 |

Asks Henderson

A. The growth of outdoor pursuits and activity oriented breaks favoured by multinational companies as a way of getting their staff to "bond" and "work together as a team" have helped support the huge rise in popularity of action/adventure breaks. Add to this the ever-popular stag "do" that has moved out of the pub and into the go-carting rink or into the woods for a bout of paintballing - and you've stumbled on a thriving industry. Lots of these companies advertise their services online - many with their own illustrative and breath taking websites - in a bid to get you to part with your hard earned cash in return for many adrenalin-fuelled activities.

Some of the best sites include the following:

Exhilaration

This site is full of out-of-the-ordinary activities - the team behind it have really thought hard to come up with unique breaks and it really works. Some of the best activities you can book online here include:

Harley Davidson tours of Kent for �169 - you're on the back of the bike and swept through many sleepy towns in Kent (starting in Sevenoaks) on a two and a half hour ride - stopping off only for a pub lunch.

Action & Adventure Training days - these include Bodyguard Training Day for �225, SWAT Training Day for �225, Stuntman Training Day for �150 and a Survival weekend for �119.

Air Adventures: these innovative air journeys include Vintage Aircraft flights (in a De Havilland Tiger Moth, a Boeing Stearman or a Vintage Stampe) for �149; skydiving - �245; parachuting - �225; paragliding - �129; helicopter flying lessons - �169; aerobatic flying lessons - �99; an amazing dare devil accelerated freefall parachuting course for a staggering �999 and the ultimate Top Gun experience flying a fighter jet for �999.

Maximise

Maximse is the site for the Activity, Adventure Sport and Social Event organisation, which specialises in activity weekends. No run of the mill activities here either - some of its best activities include:

The Full Monty Military Day where you get to drive tanks, a Stalwart 10-ton truck, a Rappier rocket carrier plus more while you're kitted out in camouflage all for �200; drive a classic car for the day (you can choose from an AC Cobra, an E-Type Jaguar or a Porsche 911) for �219; white water rafting in for �49; and the chance to drive a Formula 1 racing car around the track for �999.

Wild Weekends

You can choose from a wide variety of activities at Wild Weekends - all of which can be combined into a bespoke weekend package. All of the following can be included in your selection:

Abseiling, mountain walking, caving, pot-holing, climbing, Tyrolean traverses, mountain biking, orienteering, canoeing, raft building, dinghies, kayaking, 4-by-4 driving, quad biking, multi-vehicle driving, hovercrafts, clay pigeon shooting, pony trekking and paint-balling.

The website only takes group bookings for six or more people in a group (geared towards stag and hen weekends) and prices range from �188 per person for an activity weekend including full board and transportation.

Red Letter Days is one of the most popular organisers of activity breaks in the UK - and does most of its trade through surprise gifts. So if you want to give a loved one a day out to remember then this could be the site for you. Activities or "experiences" as they are called on this site include the following:

Karting, �49; quad biking, �89; driving a Ferrari 308, �99; JCB racing, �120; rally driving, �160; winch launch gliding, �49; survival weekend, �99; F4 Phantom Simulator, �159; multi activity tank driving, �165; helicopter flight over Stonehenge, �249; and a champagne balloon flight over London for two, �345.

You can also book a night dancing and dining at the Savoy here or book your loved one a place on a highly recommended cookery course from some of the best chefs in the country including a Red Letter day at Mosimann's Academy, a masterclass at Nairns, a trip down to Padstow for Rick Steins Seafood School experience or a day out at Raymond Blanc's Ecole de Cuisine.

Tall Stories

Specialises in adventure holidays in the UK and Europe - all holidays or breaks include B&B in comfortable and plush surroundings. Activities include trekking, skiing, paragliding, canyoning, rock climbing, rafting, mountain biking, horse riding, hot dogging, hydrospeeding, sailing, kayaking, snorkelling, water-skiing, and diving.

COAST - Cornwall Outdoor Adventure Sport Training

This site specialises in coasteering and offers activity weekends for �120 per person - for this you get two nights accommodation in a local B&B (usually above a pub) on the west Cornish coast and three activity sessions. Activities include coasteering, go-karting, kayaking, paintball, climbing, abseiling, snorkelling, horse riding, sailing, quad biking and pitch & putt.

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By Karen Anderson

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