Outdoor activity centres prepare for summer

Why not take advantage of that and have some fun at The Edge Adventure Activity Centre in Much Wenlock?

It caters for a massive range of activities. You can see how you get on riding on a Segway, which is quickly becoming the world’s fastest growing adventure hobby.

Once you have mastered how to balance, you will be zooming around The Edge’s purpose-designed course in the Shropshire countryside.

It is an eco-friendly way of travelling around and is fun too.

The Edge warns that it ‘might be unnerving’ at first but that after that initial worry it really is for everyone: all you have to do is lean forward to drive and lean back to slow down or stop. It is a thrill no one will forget.

The Edge runs a fleet of seven Segways, which means you’ll be able to enjoy taking them out for a spin with your friends or colleagues if you want to book them together.

But be aware if you’re thinking of taking the kids along, that you must be at least 10 years old to ride a Segway.

If that’s not your bag, try your hand at clay pigeon shooting. The range is based in open fields and it will test your skill, patience and accuracy against other people in your group.

You might be a little worried about the impact of the noise of the weapons or the recoil you might suffer from them. There’s no need to be. The guns are designed to reduce any impact that might impact on the shooters. They’re also fitted by silencers which reduce the noise from the fire arms.

If you choose The Edge, you’ll be given fully qualified instructors, who will guide you along the activity.

Find out whether you’ve got a great shot by trying that out – or taking a risk on the sniper pellet range. You’ll take a few practice shots then you’ll be given the task of trying to shoot down a series of mechanical sensor targets.

The Edge has an Olympic digital timer system which starts when the shooter hits the first target and doesn’t finish until the last target has been shot down. The system allows accurate competition between group members and you’ll use 10-pellet magazines in a high-powered BSA weapon, which will deliver accurate results.

For more information on The Edge and any other activities it offers, visit ww.theedgeadventure.co.uk

Alternatively, if you want to spend more time outside, get yourselves down to Go Ape! in Cannock Chase.

Set in the smallest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the country, the Staffordshire site has the longest combined length of crossings of any Go Ape! course in the country. It measures 1,500 metres in tree-to-tree crossings and is a physical course.

You can take two to three hours in the trees and take on zip wires, Tarzan swings, rope ladders and a number of obstacles and crossings, which is something for the whole family.

If that’s not too close to you, you can go to other courses across the Midlands. They include other courses in the Wyre Forest in Worcestershire, Buxton in Derbyshire, Sherwood in Nottinghamshire and the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire.

If you don’t mind going further afield then you could take a trip on the Crocky Trail, near Chester. The people at the trail are always keen for families or friends to drop down there for a few hours.

There are a number of rides and the trail and challenges mean it is the perfect way for families to have some quality family time and exercise too.

The adventure is a mile long and you will run along the trail scrambling through trees, crooked bridges and over the fast-flowing Crocky stream.

And there’s also, a bit closer to home perhaps, another option if you fancy visiting Oakerwood Leisure, near Leominster in Herefordshire. The centre is set in 175 acres of woodland and is also home to two lakes. But if you’re doing activities, each one is based in its own exclusive area so you’ll not be caught up in crowds.

And the centre has been running for 27 years, which means it says it really knows what people want and need when they go out to have a fun day out.

If you want to stay for a little bit longer, then you can make the most of a stay by taking a place in its Glamping Villages, which are set in secluded spots overlooking Welsh mountains. They’re designed to give a feel of nature without taking away too many luxuries you’d enjoy if you were at home.

Oakerwood Leisure says they’re perfect for stag or hens weekends, corporate camps, sports tours and families. They have electric lighting and heaters to ensure you’re cosy in the winter months.

Each pod sleep up to eight people in bunk beds so all you need to bring are sleeping bags, duvets and pillows. The villages each have heated showers and toilets.