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Be the king of present-giving this festive season with something they'll remember
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Adventure & Travel
Not everyone wants a fluffy golf club head cover or matching motoring glove and sock set for Christmas. One of Coach’s favourite people, the alta-male, has been known to value experiences above status symbols. If that sounds like someone you’re buying for, here’s your guide.
Go Ape Tree Top Adventure, Various Locations Across The UK
Go Ape offers the chance to move from tree to tree without touching the ground. There are now 30 Go Ape locations in the UK, most of which are set in spectacular parks and forests. The tree-top obstacle courses comprise zip wires, vertiginous ladders and wobbly rope bridges, but there’s no time limits so everyone can tackle the course at their own pace. From £33, goape.co.uk
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Thames RIB Experience, Victoria Embankment
If you’re buying for a Bond fan, then this spy-themed speedboat ride up the Thames should win you the present war. When the 007 theme tune isn’t blaring out of the boat’s speakers, your guide will regale you will fascinating anecdotes about Bond-creator Ian Fleming and the secretive world of international espionage. The ride lasts 60 minutes and will require you to gather a group large enough to fill the boat. Feel free to rock up in white tuxedos, provided you can afford the hefty dry-cleaning bill. £525 (for a group), thamesribexperience.com
Indoor Skydiving
Impatient thrill-seekers will appreciate indoor skydiving. It provides the same rush as jumping out of a plane, but there’s no need to worry about the weather or sit getting more and more nervous while the pilot climbs slowly to 12,000ft. Instead, participants pitch up, don a flight suit and jump into the skydiving tunnel. Essentially, it’s a very powerful upturned fan capable of suspending humans in mid-air. With one-to-one instruction, you’ll learn how to perform fancy free-fall acrobatics in the space of hours, rather than months. From £29, iflyworld.co.uk
Flying A Little Plane, Goodwood Aerodrome, Chichester
The problem with buying someone a flying lesson is that you end up twiddling your thumbs for an hour at a windswept airfield. Hence why Goodwood Aerodrome has come up with this brilliant two-person experience. You’ll both fly over the stunning Sussex countryside in a Cessna plane, before one of you gets to take the controls for a trial flight. Upon landing, you’ll be whisked off to a delicious lunch. Which, hopefully, at least one of you will be able to keep down. £199 for two, goodwood.com
Urban Photography Safari, London
Instagram fans keen to up their game will appreciate this 90-minute photography course. You’ll wander around London’s most iconic streets in the company of award-winning documentary photographer James Millar, who’ll help you to improve your snaps, teach you about arty compositions and explain how to convince interesting-looking people to pose for portraits in the street. You’ll even learn “art-speak” to impress your friends, as you ’gram the heck out of ethnic fruit stalls or urban graffiti. £22, indytute.com
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Indoor Ice Climbing, London or Manchester
If you don’t have time for an expedition to the Arctic, it’s worth noting that you can experience ice-climbing right here in the UK. Vertical Chill will supply crampons, patient tuition and a big refrigerated room containing an 8m-high “ice tower”. There’s no need to worry about frostbite or polar bears, and with a variety of routes up, this experience is suitable for accomplished climbers, improvers and people who once watched Cliffhanger on VHS. £49, buyagift.co.uk
Resident Studios, London
The senior recording engineer at Resident Studios has tickled the knobs for Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, Radiohead and Muse. So if you know someone who fancies themselves as a singer-songwriter, it’s a fair bet they’d be buzzing at the thought of this bespoke recording studio experience. With the help of the aforementioned engineer and his fully restored vintage SSL 6000 mixing desk, budding musicians can turn their amateur warbling into a polished commercial track complete with drums, guitar and piano. £1,250, trulyexperiences.com
Medieval Jousting, Warwickshire
Wondering what to buy a Game Of Thrones superfan? How about a day’s medieval jousting? Thanks to the Knights of Middle England, ye may now step back into ye olde times and have a crack at King Robert’s favourite gladiatorial pastime. Once you’ve chosen your coat of arms and donned plate armour, you’ll – sorry, ye’ll – learn the basics of jousting. Poking people with a big stick while thundering around on horseback isn’t easy, so you’ll need a reasonable level of fitness. Bring: a flagon of mead and sensible shoes. From £165, knightsofmiddleengland.com
Learn To Cartoon, The Groucho Club, London
Anyone interested in visual humour, graphic art and/or politics should find this cartoon-drawing masterclass completely enthralling. In the company of cartoonist Neil Kerber (Daily Mirror, Private Eye), this once-in-a-lifetime “art attack” will see you sketch a few chortle-inducing doodles with the help of the three-time national cartoon award-winner. There’s no need for any great artistic ability – it’s more an exercise in creativity. And afterwards, you can step over the road to Dean Street Townhouse, another media haunt, for a stellar plate of eggs Benedict. £125, trulyexperiences.com
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Bear Grylls Survival Academy
Anyone with a fondness for the great outdoors will lap up a day at the Bear Grylls Survival Academy. Under the tutelage of a hand-picked team of wilderness experts, participants can emulate the world’s favourite survivalist. The 24 Hour Adult Course features bushcraft lessons including laying animal traps, building emergency shelters, navigating at night, fending off wild animal attacks and crossing treacherous rivers. Participants must be physically fit and not averse to eating things off the floor. £349, beargryllssurvivalacademy.com
Audi Sport Introductory Experience, Silverstone, Northamptonshire
With autonomous cars set to ruin the thrill of driving forever, there’s never been a better time to savour the aroma of burnt rubber. Audi’s half-day “Sport Introductory Experience” sees participants slip behind of the wheel of the iconic German marque’s souped-up models. With the help of an expert Audi driving consultant, you’ll learn to execute fast lane changes and hit the apex of a corner like a pro. Unlike those overpriced “supercar day” vouchers sold on supermarket carousels, you’ll actually pick up some useful techniques. £299, silverstone.co.uk
Bounce Below, Llechwedd Slate Caverns, Wales
If Indiana Jones had a penchant for bouncy castles rather than dusty old religious relics, we feel certain he would approve of Bounce Below. A subterranean adventure playground for adults, located in an old Victorian slate mine, it comprises slides, chutes and bouncy nets – all suspended in spectacular neon-lit caverns. Bouncing around like Lara Croft, 180ft in the air, in a cave that’s twice size of St Paul’s Cathedral? That has to be worth the price of entry. £25 per adult, zipworld.co.uk
Pennyhill Park Hotel Spa, Bagshot, Surrey
If you fancy a male-orientated spa break, look no further than Pennyhill Park, a luxury hotel that doubles as the training base for the England rugby team. As well as a futuristic gym, it boasts an epic 45,000 sq ft spa complete with an ice cave, aromatic schnapps steam room and a “ballroom pool” with underwater sound system. Make sure you treat yourself in the restaurant: the 10-course tasting menu costs £100pp. From £252.50pp per night; Coach readers can get 10% off when booking. Use COACH10, spabreaks.com
Escape Rooms, London
This excellent “live escape game” is a lot like taking part in ’90s TV show The Crystal Maze. Thankfully you won’t have to dress up in a jumpsuit (not that anyone will stop you if that’s your thing). The object is to solve the mystery and escape the locked room in under an hour. Assemble a team of three to six players and together you’ll crack the clues, reveal hidden compartments and unravel riddles. Each room is themed, ranging from an Egyptian tomb to a Mission: Impossible-style job complete with smoke and laser beams. From £21 per person, escaperooms.co.uk
Tank Paintball, Leicestershire
Those with itchy trigger fingers will enjoy roaring around this old Second World War bombing range in a 15-tonne tank. Armourgeddon’s £60 “Tank Driving Taster” will see you take an FV432 tank for a spin, initially with the hatch open, then under battle conditions through a periscope. For £99, you can take part in Tank Paintball Battles. You’ll learn to load the breach, stick your fingers in your ears and fire your tank’s hilariously-powerful paintball cannon. It’s just like the Brad Pitt film Fury, but without the gory casualties. From £60, Coach readers get £5 off with code COACHX16 (valid until December 31), armourgeddon.co.uk
Flyboarding
What happens when you cross a hoverboard with a jetpack? A flyboard, that’s what. Invented by former world Jet Ski champion Franky Zapata in 2011, flyboarding has swiftly become one of the most popular new extreme sports. Feet strapped onto the board, participants squeeze the trigger to unleash jets of water that propel them 15ft into the air. This introductory lesson takes about two hours, including a safety briefing and 30 minutes of “flying” time. A decent level of fitness is required and it’s probably best if you can swim – even if it’s just doggy paddle. £95, buyagift.com
McLaren MP4-12C Driving Thrill
So you want to impress a petrol-head? Driving Ferraris and Astons is considered a bit “meh” these days, so buy them some laps in a £170,000 McLaren MP4-12C. It’s one of the hottest, fastest supercars in the world, built in tiny numbers at the legendary British F1 team’s Woking factory. Drivers get to tear up the tarmac for six miles, exploring the limits of a 592bhp motor as their kidneys compress to the size of hazelnuts. Naturally, an instructor will show you the ropes first. £143, thebrilliantgiftshop.co.uk
Chop, Smash & Destroy, Holborn, London
Ping-Pong has come a long way since its birth in colonial India, when it was played with two hardback books and a golf ball. But if your whiff-whaff skills are lacking, why not brush up with an intensive lesson from one of the UK’s top professional coaches? At Bounce, a trendy ping pong bar, players will develop a smash serve, perfect a killer chop and destroy their opponents with ruthless tactical efficiency. The lesson ends with a mini tournament. And no doubt some sulking. £24, indytute.com
2017 Ironman, Taupo, New Zealand
Even those with calf muscles the size of a Hungarian shot-putter’s will find Ironman New Zealand a challenging event. Doubling as the country’s national championships, it’s one of the most beautiful triathlon courses in the world, mixing breathtaking Lord Of The Rings scenery with streets of cheering spectators. Expect a big international crowd, attracted by the epic sunrise swim in Lake Taupo; then, after 17 hours of hellish fun, participants can soak their muscles in one of the hot springs nearby. £535 (regular entry fee), eu.ironman.com
Velodrome Cycling With A GB Gold Medallist, Lee Valley Velopark, London
Doing a flying lap around the Lee Valley velodrome, where many of Team GB’s cyclists thundered to victory during London 2012, would be pretty exciting. But just imagine if after that one of our cycling medallists rocked up to say hello, answer your questions and hand out signed photos? That’s what this package involves, along with a “trackside buffet meal”. £395, virginexperiencedays.com
Tom Bailey
30 Nov 2016