by Matt Butler

     After gaining composure and clearing the sweat from his brow, Paul, a 53 year old Marketing Director from London was ready to tackle the 25 metre wall of rock that rose steeply from his feet. At the other end of the rope, Mark, an enthusiastic 28 year old guide masterfully controlled the rope action for his client. Standing on the sidelines were Paul’s 3 sons, Peter 8, Oliver 10 and Jamie 12. They were expecting a lot from Dad after they blasted up the face like it was the neighborhood’s local climbing frame. Mum Katie stood by nervously – not for her husband but because she too would be on the end of the rope having a go at one of the most exciting sports of today. Impressively, both Dad and Mum aced the climb then went on to experience the thrill of abseiling and gorge splunking before heading down to the busy coast for an evening meal and celebration with the kids.
     Sound enticing? Like an increasing number of people vacationing abroad today, Paul’s family sought a unique holiday alternative by choosing a series of adventure activities to supplement their usual beach days and visits to the endless coastal attractions. They joined up with a multi adventure excursion located only a half hour inland from their coastal resort. Their package, inclusive of transport, equipment, an English speaking guide and a superb picnic in a calm, natural setting made their day complete and hassle free. Moreover, the pace of the day – including the intensity of the activities was milder than anticipated – making the entire experience even more rewarding.
     By carrying out these adventure programs, families often find that the quality of their vacation rises significantly – especially as parents and children alike can experience equal opportunities and challenges. Although serving their purpose, non adventure activities such as arcades, fun fairs, theme parks and so on do provide entertainment for the family, there is potential for developing barriers between parents and children. Adventure activities on the other hand encourage equal participation, maximum involvement and a team effort from all involved. Memories generated by these activities can exceed the traditional coastal attractions and families often return home telling tales of adventure and achievement from their new experiences!

     So from this vast array of adrenaline pumping choices how does one choose activities best suited for their family’s needs? “Try everything once – get into it, trust your equipment and follow your guide!,” claims Ty McNee, an adventure instructor from the south of Spain. “People simply need to be thrown in at the deep end and it’s surprising how quickly they manage, if not master, the skills of an activity. “ Sounds painless enough but what level of fitness and experience must one be at before undertaking an adventure? “For the most part the less experienced you are the more rewarding the activity will be,” suggests Ty. Holiday adventures are designed for people hoping to have a go at something new and challenging – as it’s presented in the media. With good leadership and support, an activity will cater to all levels of fitness and experience and it need not be so demanding.
     To put his own theory to the test, Ty explained how multi adventure days are usually the most rewarding – particularly for families seeking a broad base of experiences without exhausting themselves completely. A typical multi adventure day in Spain, France or Italy might involve an escorted 4x4 tour over rough terrain, followed by an introductory session to abseiling or rock climbing and perhaps a return to base on horse back or mule. Other programs such as a half day of white water rafting followed by a guided exploration of a cave or gorge are popular. In Andalucia for example, one can mountain bike between the white villages, trek an ancient cobbled track, abseil down a castle crag then cool off in natural spring waters – taking in the area’s superb cultural features at the same time. Or, if you wish to take things a little slower, simply taking in one activity only is a sensible introduction too.
     For those wishing to specialize in an adventure, holiday destinations offer some of the best schools, facilities and equipment. Diving, parasailing, windsurfing, sailing and snowboarding are good examples of activities that offer specialized, advanced training opportunities. The Baleraric Islands offer some of Europe’s leading sailing schools and Tarifa in southern Andalucia is a Mecca for wind and kite surfing. How about West Ireland, Portugual, France and Cornwall for a surfing holiday? Not into surfing? Grab a horse trek, mule ride or mountain bike instead. Trekking, mountain biking and cycle touring is wide-spread in southern Europe although Andalucia, the Pyrenees, Picos de Europa, Bordeaux and Tuscany offer some of the best routes with wide open spaces and fine seasonal temperatures. Even Mallorca with its popular beaches and night life offers an incredible range of walks, climbs and cycles just in from the coast. The Canary Islands are the same – fascinating off road exploration and high trekking can be done year round.
     Finding adventure excursions whilst vacationing is simple and usually a matter of spotting sign boards on streets, picking up brochures along the coast or reading adverts in the local tourist literature. Northern Spain for example has a host of summer adventure programs such as rafting, climbing, treks, horse tours, canoeing and more. Often you can join a day of adventure right from your resort base. By the way, if you are not sure what to do with the little ones, many adventure companies provide a child minding service that not only baby sits toddlers but involves them in unique activities as well. Overall, everybody gets a piece of the action and yet the beach, lounge chairs, umbrellas and the sea are never that far away! Galicia and the Costa Brava for instance offer a wide range of day outings for the family. The Costa Blanca and Benidorm areas also have plenty to offer – from morning safaris by jeep to evening sails and night diving. Andalucia and the Costa Del Sol down to the Costa del Luz offer a remarkable base for year round adventures and companies are bringing more and more visitors to its hinterland.
     Indeed there are endless opportunities for participating in adventure activities while on holiday in southern Europe and the trend looks set to continue. For years adventure travel was normally associated with far off places such as India, Africa, Asia, and South America. Today, European holiday goers are discovering the unexpected beauty and exoticness right behind their own coastal resorts – and only a few hours from home!
     So if your next family holiday warrants a little excitement, why not attempt an adventure excursion? Who knows, finding your true potential can be a very rewarding experience.
     See you on the crags!

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