Will you accept The Next Challenge?

We love people with great ideas, especially in the outdoors. Tim Moss, the founder of thenextchallenge.org has hatched a plan to get us all out and enjoying a range of new adventures.

From May 14 to 18 he is calling for all of us to have a week of adventures, from simple pursuits such as cycling to work instead of driving or taking the god for a different walk.

Every day, for one week, Tim will set a challenge from his website, www.thenextchallenge.org The challenge can be interpreted by every individual according to their abilities and ambitions.

So, on Monday May 14, Tim is suggesting you Start Your Day A Different Way.

· You could choose to travel to work by bike, or rollerblades, or skateboard rather than car

· You could walk the kids another route to school - even if it is out of the way - so they have see new landmarks and get more fresh air

· You could go for a dip in your local loch before going to work.

Whatever you choose to do, the idea is to dare yourself to step away from the path well trodden and treat yourself to a new experience each day for one week.

Tim will also be taking on his own challenges and blogging about them on his site. He will always publicise his location in case anyone wants to join him in his pursuits but be warned, as a professional adventurer, he will be setting a daring pace.

Go on, set yourself a daily challenge and see how great you feel by the end of the five days!

School and youth groups welcome at Highway2

Are you a school or youth group looking for rewarding activities for children? Are you keen to find activities that benefit children both mentally and physically? At Highway2Adventure we are fully licensed to offer a range of fantastic children's activities.

Activities for children-only

Outdoor education plays a vital role in giving young people experiences that will be rewarding, as well as the stuff of memories. Kids will talk endlessly about the day that they went gorge walking, or built and sailed a raft. Being outdoors is also healthy and it's a great way to increase confidence for younger people.

Added to this, Highway2Adventure use the building blocks of the new Curriculum for Excellence to provide an activity programme to suit a school group's needs.

Highway2Adventure school group activities

You can pick and mix from a wide range of outdoor activities suitable for youngsters including:

Hillwalking, first aid courses, coasteering, climbing and abseiling, canoeing, raft building, gorge walking, mountain biking, canyoning, archery, problem solving and team building. We also run National Navigation Award courses.

Why not give us a call and find out what we can offer your school or youth group?

Grown ups just wanna have fun not boring exercise

If exercise is fun, then it stands to reason that we're more likely to keep at it. It seems that the problem with many keep-fit activities is that they are just too dull and repetitive. As well as a lack of time, another big reason for adults shunning exercise is "it's too boring".

But if you think a little outside the boundaries of "normal" exercise, such as going to the gym, running and swimming, it's possible to see a range of opportunities for fun and engaging fitness activities.

For example, have you thought about climbing? Whether indoors or outdoors, climbing is great for strength and toning and also offers advantages of flexibility and cardiovascular benefits. Climbing is more of a "leisure pursuit" and also involves chatting while sorting out belays and next climbs, and breaks for nice cake and coffee. Trying new routes and challenges keeps this sport interesting.

Mountain biking is also high on the fun factor, and great for body toning and cardiovascular fitness. The challenges are there to suit a wide range of people, ages and aspirations. Again, chat and coffee stops are all part of the culture – and you'll rarely repeat the same trail or bunny hop twice so it's very unlikely to become boring.

Outdoor adventure pursuits, including canyoning, gorge walking, surfing, white water rafting and coasteering can be enjoyed on a regular basis. This sports are high on adrenaline and also require you to be physically active. There is no chance of being bored taking part in adventure activities and you'll find yourself pleasantly physically and mentally tired by the end of a session.

Hill and mountain walking: Walking is one of the most accessible, and cheapest, forms of exercise. Walking to the shops or walking your kids to school might become a bit boring, but heading to Scotland's hills and mountains for a walk is completely different. A day in the hills offers physical and mental challenges and will leave you feeling de-stressed and high in spirits. Walking is also a great muscle toner and calorie burner.

Next time you imagine that keep-fit is boring, try thinking of a new activity.

Great outdoors activity ideas for October

The October school holidays are almost upon us again! It only seems like yesterday that the children were off school for the long summer holidays - and now you'll be called on to by Chief Entertainer again. But don't worry, we have a list of great ideas to keep the kids (and mums and dads) busy and active in the October school break.

Great activities for families

A is for: Abseiling and archery. Not together, but perhaps one after the other? If you dress for the weather, with warm winter outdoors clothing and accessories, there are so many possibilities for enjoying days in the outdoors in October. Abseiling is a great challenge and can be adapted to suit most abilities. At Highway2Adventure we pride ourselves on finding brilliant places for abseiling and for encouraging children and adults to enjoy the thrills of descending crags in the knowledge that they are safely harnessed and roped. Our expert instructors will show you how to have fun and push your limits just a wee bit.

And after the challenge of abseiling, why not try archery. This activity is growing in popularity and allows children and adults to compete on an even playing field. See who can score the most bullseyes in your session.

C is for... Climbing, canoeing, caving and coastal walks. Wow, there are so many activities to choose from! Why not decide on a couple of sessions and combine them in one day of full-on fun, or choose a different activity for each day of the week? Again, don't worry about the chill factor, even on the water, as we have all the right kit to keep you warm even on a cool Autumn day.

M is for... Mountain biking and mud. Highway2Adventure knows all the great off-road and mountain biking routes in the Cairngorms, Perthshire and Angus so while you enjoy the trails and views, we'll lead the way. Mountain biking is great for children over the age of 12 and adults, and we can tailor our sessions to suit your ability. You'll find you're as warm as toast, whatever the weather, within a couple of minutes of setting out on a bike.

* Coming soon: Keep an eye on this website for our 2012 Activity Adventure weeks for children.

Make the time for Scotland's great outdoors

It seems so hard to believe – especially when you live in Scotland – but research has revealed that half of Brits claim they are just too busy to enjoy the beauty of Britain. Apparently, it's their work and home lives that take up too much time, and this leaves them unable to get out into our great outdoors, and enjoy what the countryside has to offer.

The study by One Poll found that almost two-thirds of people say that they take the beauty of the countryside for granted, while just over half feel they are caught up in the same old routine and can't find the time to take notice of rural surroundings.

But does it really require a huge effort to get outdoors and into the countryside? We don't think so. There are a multitude of simple ways for you to enjoy a little nature. And all too often you don't have to travel that far to enjoy the outdoors.

Most people in Scotland live within a short drive or train journey of fabulous countryside. And even within the boundaries of towns and cities there are a host of places where you can see wildlife or enjoy a rural-style wander. One great new campaign is the Scottish Natural Heritage's campaign Simple Pleasures, Easily Found. This website and guide reveals many places within Scottish cities where you can walk or cycle in pockets of greenery, and discover a wealth of natural treasures, including lovely rivers, birds, wild animals and gorgeous plant life.

Another way to easily access the countryside is via the ever widening network of walking and cycling paths created by Sustrans. Many routes head from villages, towns and cities into the countryside or through urban areas on canal towpaths or river banks.

Why not agree a day once every month or so when you and the whole family go to the coast or walk a hill? If the date is marked in your diary then there is a much greater chance that you will all take the opportunity to get away from the house and enjoy the great outdoors.

As a treat, you could book an adventure activity once every few months. Or book a week's break in Scotland and join a range of adventure activity sessions, perhaps climbing, coasteering or canyoning. It needn't break the bank and in any case it's difficult to put a price on the benefits of quality family time.

Another way to encourage your family to make more of the outdoors is embark on a walk or cycle along a long-distance waymarked route. There are many routes criss-crossing Scotland and you could divide the entire distance into shorter, manageable half-day outings. Check out:

The Cateran Trail

Southern Upland Way

West Highland Way

Scotland is too beautiful to simply overlook it. And summertime is definitely the right time to make the most of what is on our doorstep.

Hot new trend for the "playcation"

First there was the staycation, now the hottest holiday trend for this summer is the “playcation”. According to research almost four in 10 British families are planning an activity-based break this year.

The study by Gocompare.com revealed that more than half of those asked are keen to try new sports and reported that their playcation would be their main holiday.

One reason for taking a more active holiday is to “spend time with family”. It seems that because busy home and work lives have a major impact on the amount of time spent being together as a family, many parents are now keen to get away for an all-inclusive children and adult activity holiday.

Another factor is that many parents now believe that children aren’t satisfied by a lie-by-the-pool vacation. Instead they are keen to try holidays with their kids that include hiking, cycling, canoeing and horse riding.

The more daring also said they will be doing assault courses, climbing and archery or shooting while on holiday.

Highway 2 Adventure is delighted that more families are planning an active holiday. Owner and instructor Mike McLaggan says: “It's great that so many families are planning adventure holidays as a way of getting together and trying something different. Being outdoors and having fun is such a great way to spend time together."

Why kids love outdoor climbing

Looking down from his position six metres above the ground, 10-year-old Thomas cracks a broad smile and briefly lets go of his grip with one hand to give a thumbs up sign. After several minutes of determined climbing, some highly audible huffing and puffing and a fair amount of scrabbling, the youngster’s determination to reach the top of a tricky crag face located amid picturesque Perthshire countryside has paid off.

His 11-year-old friend Ryan is almost as pleased with Tom’s efforts. “Awesome,” he says, gazing upwards. “He’s really good at climbing already, isn’t he? But surely it’s my turn now.”

And so the second that a rosy-cheeked Tom returns to firm ground following a smooth abseil off the summit, Ryan begins to busy himself with the task of tying a rope into his harness and belay system.

For Tom, Ryan and another friend Hollie, also 10, a chance to learn the basics of outdoors climbing for Tom’s birthday treat offers fun challenges and lots of rewards.

Coached by an informative and child-friendly instructor during a morning session the young climbing trio learn how to put on a harness and how to safely configure the rope, harness and belay system via an anchor at the top of the crag.

They have also been shown where to stand while other people are climbing and how to tackle a rock climbing route.

In just a couple of hours the youngsters have made around 10 ascents of increasingly challenging routes along a low but long “sport climbing” crag near Crieff.

Highway 2 Adventure instructor Michael, who can organise bespoke climbing trips and group climbing parties in Angus and Perthshire, says that children are quick learners and make natural climbers. “Most kids instinctively want to climb up and over things and they have this in-built enthusiasm so the activity of climbing is perfect for them,” he says.

“As soon as you show them a few tips about where to put their feet and hands and a bit about body positioning they’re off.”

Michael also explains that climbing does not have to be about reaching the top or being competitive. “The great thing about climbing is that it offers all kinds of goals for all kinds of

people,” he says.

“For some kids simply putting on the harness and getting a few feet off the ground feels like a really big achievement. Others aren’t happy unless that have topped out. But either way there is a lot to be gained for children both mentally and physically.”

In fact, many experts believe that climbing offers an ideal “alternative” fitness activity for youngsters. According to Kevin Howett, development officer at The Mountaineering Council of Scotland, climbing appeals to children who aren’t so keen on traditional sports, such as football or hockey.

Kevin says: “There are no set rules for climbing – other than the safety guidelines – and participants can move and progress at their own pace without needing to form part of a team. Many children love the freedom that climbing brings.”

To find out more about the fun and challenges of climbing outdoors please give Highway2Adventure a call or send an email.