Weekend adventurers: seven days out in the great outdoors

Living in the city - or the tamer parts of the British countryside - need not get in the way of an adventurous spirit. The suggestions below are a taste of the activities on offer across the UK:

Hang gliding taster session

An adrenaline-fuelled day trip that comes with valuable Monday morning bragging rights for the office. Green Dragons, based in Surrey, offers a one-day taster course in hang gliding (or paragliding, if you prefer). You’ll be schooled on the parts of a hang glider and what it can do before learning how to launch it and, crucially, steer it. In the afternoon you have the chance to fly solo. £239, greendragons.co.uk (or search for your local hang-gliding club)

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Wildwood Bushcraft Survival Weekend

Does your primary exposure to the great outdoors come via Bear Grylls or Ray Mears? If so, it may be time to try out your skills first hand at a wilderness survival and bushcraft school. With sites in Sussex and on the west coast of Scotland, Wildwood will teach you how to forage for food, make a fire, build a shelter building and trap your own food. It’s better than a weekend of channel surfing. Various dates, from £90, wildwoodbushcraft.com

12-hour trail running

Adventure racing takes outdoor pursuits ranging from trekking to skiing and pushes them to the next level, adding endurance and a competitive element - so it’s a breeding ground for serious adrenaline-junkies. Surrey-based Tri-Adventure offers a variety of races and activities, chief among them a non-stop 12-hour Night And Day Race. A combination of trail running, mountain biking and navigation challenges, it runs from 10am to 10 pm on 7 September. £110, triadventure.co.uk

White-water rafting

You don't have to long-haul it to the American backcountry to tackle some challenging rapids. Lee Valley White Water Centre, in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, offers three hours of wild and watery adventure. They’ll explain the best way to navigate the drops and eddies of the rapids, test your skills during an activity assessment, then push you and your shipmates over the edge. £50, gowhitewater.co.uk

Rock Climbing At Bowles Outdoor Centre

Many cities now have indoor climbing and bouldering centres, but if you want a taste of nature, head to Bowles Outdoor Centre on the border between Kent and Sussex. A stunning sandstone crag offers 230 rock climbs across a range of grades from 1a to 6c. There are courses available for those new to the sport, but experienced climbers can simply rock up and get involved. £5, bowles.ac

Abseiling The Arcelormittal Orbit

Londoners can get a taste of adventure without leaving their city, strapping themselves in to abseil 262ft down the UK’s highest sculpture (above). As you descending the side of the ArcelorMittal Orbit in the Olympic Park, Stratford, be sure to soak up the views of the city - looking down is a pretty bad idea. £85, wireandsky.com

Trekking Loch Ness

Further afield, but well within reach of the weekend adventurer, the Scottish highlands are one of Britain’s last true wildernesses: no matter how familiar the landscape may seem, it’s mesmerising in its magnificence. Loch Ness, an hour’s drive from Inverness and its well-connected airport, offers the ideal combination of adventure and accessibility. Stride out through the ancient pine forest, cross cascading streams, seek out hidden waterfalls and climb a munro - one of Scotland’s 282 mountains taller than 3,000ft. visitinvernesslochness.com