The first modern bungee jump at Clifton Suspension Bridge
How members of the Oxford University Dangerous Sports Club made the first modern bungee jumps in Bristol in 1979.
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Adventure history
Where British adventure activities came from, with sources so you can read further. Pick a guide below to get started.
Where coasteering came from
The story of how coasteering moved from sea cliff climbers and a few friends in Pembrokeshire to a guided activity across the UK.
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A short history of surfing in Cornwall
From wooden belly boards in the 1920s to stand up surfing at Fistral, how surfing took hold on Cornish beaches.
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How Snowdonia became a centre for climbing
From Victorian hotels to Geoffrey Winthrop Young's Easter meets and the 1953 Everest team, how Snowdonia grew into a home for British climbing.
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A short history of British skydiving
How sport parachuting organised itself in Britain, from the British Parachute Association in 1961 to British Skydiving today.
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The first balloon flights in Britain
How Vincent Lunardi's flight from Moorfields in 1784 started hot air and gas ballooning in Britain.
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Rob Roy MacGregor and the start of British canoeing
How a Victorian barrister and his canoe, the Rob Roy, helped turn paddling into a sport.
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Lyme Bay and the start of adventure activity licensing
How the 1993 Lyme Bay canoeing tragedy led to the law and the licensing scheme for adventure activity providers.
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How Outward Bound began at Aberdovey
The story of the sea school opened in Wales in 1941 that helped shape outdoor education in Britain.
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The early days of paintball
How a tree marking gun and three friends in New Hampshire led to paintball centres in Britain.
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How mountain biking arrived in Britain
From a few imported bikes in the late 1970s to purpose-built trail centres in Wales and Scotland, a short history of British mountain biking.
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How Wales became home to outdoor centres
A short history of the national and charity outdoor centres of Wales, from Aberdovey and Plas y Brenin to Glan-llyn, Llangrannog and Plas Menai.
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Where corporate team building came from
How ideas about group work and outdoor training in the 1940s turned into the team days companies book today.
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Women who shaped British mountaineering
A short history of the women's clubs and pioneers of British climbing, from Lucy Walker to the Pinnacle Club and Gwen Moffat.
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How scuba diving took off in Britain
The story of the British Sub-Aqua Club, from a meeting at a London hotel in 1953 to today's network of clubs and centres.
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