Adventure Sports: Europe – The Best Sports to Try in this Region

Published: 01/02/2015

Are you an adrenaline junkie? Do you live by the philosophy that the best way to enjoy life is to fill it with adventure sports? If so, there is no shortage of opportunities. We will explore some of them in this four-part series beginning with our first blog post focussing on Europe.

While you are dreaming of doing some of these incredible things, keep in mind the importance of travel insurance. Adventure sports are high-risk activities by which you could seriously injure yourself. Travel insurance will help you cover your costs in the event of an accident. That said, let us look at some of the opportunities we found in Europe.

Kite Surfing

The sport of kite surfing has been described as a combination of traditional surfing, wake boarding, windsurfing, and paragliding. Participants use a specially made board and a parachute-like kite to streak over the surface of the water at incredible speeds. Throw in a few tricks and you have quite an adventure. Some of the best kite surfers in the world can do some pretty impressive tricks.

As you would expect, kite surfing requires wind and water. What better place to do it than off the coasts of England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland? All three areas are known for optimal wind conditions year-round.

Cheese Rolling

Another great adventure sport in England is known as cheese rolling. It is by no means glamorous, but it is an adventure in every sense of the word. Participants in this sport stand at the top of a steep hill as a round of cheese is sent rolling down before them. They then charge down the hill at full force in pursuit of the cheese. Needless to say, there are a few injuries at the annual Cooper's Hill Cheese Rolling competition in Gloucester.

Ice Swimming

If your idea of adventure sports involves cold winter weather, ice swimming in northern Europe might be your cup of tea. The best place in Europe to try it is Finland. There they have managed to combine a cold dip in an icy lake with the warmth and cosy comfort of the sauna. Finland is known for a number of large polar bear clubs that relish the thought of swimming in the dead of winter. Be sure you are in good health before you try this one. The drastic difference in temperatures can be detrimental to those with heart problems.

Coasteering

This unusual sport was born in Wales, along the rocky coasts of Pembrokeshire. It involves traversing a section of rugged coastline through a combination of swimming, hiking and climbing. No boats are allowed. Wales is the obvious first choice for coasteering, but you can also enjoy the sport in Scotland, Greece, Italy, and Crimea.

 

This is just a sampling of adventure sports in Europe. In our next post, we will take a look at Australia and New Zealand. There is a lot of adventure out there!

 
Posted in: General Travel
 
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