United Kingdom

Divided into four constituent countries: England; Wales; Scotland and Northern Ireland; the UK offers a challenging but rewarding landscape of environmental, cultural and societal variety. Across the United Kingdom adventure travel will always take you near a coast. That’s because despite being connected to mainland Europe by the channel tunnel, which runs into France, it’s surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, English Channel, North Sea and Irish Sea. Outdoor activities in the United Kingdom are heavily dependant on the weather, which is best described as ‘changeable’.

Northern Ireland offers a more traditional Celtic feel akin to its neighbour the Republic of Ireland. But in boasting four capital cities: London, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast – alongside other cultural hotbeds such as Liverpool and Manchester – the UK is justifiably a nation held in high cultural esteem throughout Europe.

The smart adventurer must be aware of one important thing: Alongside the rich heritage and regional diversity that has developed from such a unique set up, the initial challenge – before the adrenalin rush – is to get-to-grips with the dialects and national identities across the United Kingdom. But instead of being shy, just embrace the diversity on offer and this will open up the range of cultures and United Kingdom adventure travel opportunities on offer.

Positioned in north-west Europe, the United Kingdom’s seasonal climate is sometimes erratic. Outdoor activities in the United Kingdom are massively varied. There are distinct mountain ranges in Wales and up in Scotland that provide mountaineering, hill walking and technical climbs.

For such a small area you’ve lots of rivers fuelled by the rain, strong winds across the isles that make for ideal kitesurfing and windsurfing and the weather really isn’t as bad as people make out…British Summer Time extends from the end of March through to October, but don’t be completely fooled by the name. The sun-filled months of June to August see the coastal seaside towns saturated with holidaymakers and you can get temperatures well into the 30’s.Contrast this with the bitterly cold but beautiful autumn and spring months of October and March respectively, and you get some idea of the mixture of weather.

Start your United Kingdom adventure travel journey in the north or up in Scotland and you will find a wetter climate – as you will in parts of Wales. This is not totally unique from the generally warmer south, though as you’ll get rain across all the country. There are chances of snow in winter throughout the United Kingdom, just way more likely the higher you are and the only decent snow season is in Scotland.

It would take two weeks to cycle from one end of the country to the other. From the extreme north tip of Scotland at John O’Groats, to the southernmost point of the United Kingdom at Lands End in England, the UK is a total distance of 874 miles by road. With two weeks leaving little time to explore, but what better way to enjoy the UK than to ride its full length.

The sheer magnitude of outdoor activities in United Kingdom leaves few of its counties without recommendation. For those wanting a taste of everything, from the outstanding and incomparable global city of London to the relaxed Scottish Highlands then an extended trip really is the only way to do each destination justice.

From English ale to Scottish malt; from Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre to Edinburgh’s Comedy Festival; don’t take a United Kingdom adventure travel holiday without embracing the culture of these islands. Whether you want a real tourist style experience visiting London’s Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace, or you just want to sit in a traditional English pub having a chat with one man and his dog over a beer. The wealth of experiences and adventures is unrivalled in Europe. One thing is for certain, you’ll never be short of something to keep you occupied!