Whether you’d rather climb sea cliffs in south Wales, catch waves in Cornwall, or ride fresh powder snow in Scotland, university life in Britain doesn’t have to be all about studying and partying.
University offers the opportunity to try a range of extreme or unusual sports. And the UK has some world-class university locations for adrenaline junkies and lovers of the great outdoors.
“There’s no better way to let off steam than exploring underground or climbing a cliff,” says Will Whalley, 22, who studies plant sciences at Sheffield University. “There’s something for everyone in the outdoors.”
By the water: surfing, windsurfing and kitesurfing
It’s certainly a conversation starter when I say I’m going hot-air ballooning at 4am to catch the sunrise
Piers Stennett-Howard
One way to de-stress after lectures is to head for the beach. Universities in Cornwall, such as Falmouth University and Exeter’s Cornwall campus, provide ample opportunity to do just that. Surfers there can head to Gyllyngvase beach, Porthtowan or Porthleven to catch the waves.
Meanwhile, if you’re studying at the University of Plymouth you can find surf spots along the South Devon coast as close as 15-20 minutes away by car. Swansea University’s surf club runs regular trips to the Gower along the Welsh coastline.
If your university isn’t close to the waves you can still get involved, as most surf societies provide transport and organise trips to surf spots. And if being at the beach in between lectures isn’t enough, Plymouth and Falmouth both offer degrees in surf science and technology – so you can live, breath and study surfing.
Other watersport societies popular at university include kitesurfing, where you ride across water using a board and a kite, wakeboarding and windsurfing. “I would have gone crazy without being able to escape to the lake to windsurf,” says Dan Connor, 24, who has just graduated from Nottingham with a master’s in design engineering.
“Everyone should get involved in extreme or outdoor sports so you can escape from the uni bubble and take a break from studying.”
On the rocks: rock climbing and bouldering
University is the perfect time to get involved in rock climbing or bouldering – a sport that involves climbing at lower levels without ropes and has increased in popularity over recent years.
University societies can provide expensive equipment, such as ropes and harnesses, as well as discounted membership and trips. They also give you the chance to meet other climbers of all abilities.
“Societies are great for meeting people, but they also really help with the logistics of starting to climb when you’re a student on a limited budget,” says André Petheram, 26, an avid climber who is about to start a master’s in nature, society and environmental governance at Oxford University.
He first started climbing as a student in Edinburgh. “I went on two affordable introductory courses – one teaching the basics of climbing outside and the other the essentials of winter navigation and safety.
“Most societies will organise weekend trips – if you don’t have access to a car this is often the only way to get to the crags. Equally, having access to a gear cupboard will save you from having to buy absolutely everything.”
Which universities are best for those who want to try the sport? Sheffield – dubbed the “home of climbers” – has a big climbing community and is a short train ride from world-class climbing at Stanage. Bristol also has an active community of climbers, and students there can climb at the Avon and Cheddar gorges.
Students in south Wales – at the University of South Wales, Cardiff or Swansea – can access sea cliffs in Pembrokeshire, and those in Bangor can climb at a number of good rocks in north Wales.
Lancaster and Carlisle are close to climbing in the Lake District and students in Manchester and Leeds have fairly easy access to the Peak District.
In the snow: skiing and snowboarding
Winter needn’t confine you to dreary days in the library and nights on the sofa. Most universities have a snowsports society, where you can ski or snowboard on dry slopes, go along to socials – and, of course, head abroad to chase the snow.
Most clubs will organise at least one annual ski trip to popular resorts in France, Austria or Switzerland, at a discounted price. But if you can’t afford the trip, the society still has lots to offer.
Amelia Holman, 21, studying psychology, is in Stirling University’s snowsports society. She says membership can be as cheap or as expensive as you make it, with some members coming only to watch championships and join socials. “We also do trips to indoor ski centres, where there is free skiing and lessons,” she says.
If you’re all about real snow, however, then Scottish universities will give you plenty of that without having to leave the UK. “We get snow on the mountains locally – at Glencoe ski resort – meaning we can do cheap trips to snow, and prepare people for skiing abroad,” says Holman.
Snowsports societies are popular, with those in Bristol, Nottingham and Cardiff all claiming to be the biggest society at their university. Socials can often be rowdy and well attended, so if you’re up for a party it could be well worth getting involved.
On wheels: mountain-biking and motorsport
Mountain biking and motorsport can be enjoyed at most universities – many have societies for bikers and cyclists. These give you the chance to meet people with similar interests and go on bike rides with them, as well as to attend socials.
“It’s the perfect opportunity to meet like-minded people and ride in great locations in a group,” says David Barr, 18, a mechanical engineering student at Heriot-Watt University. “I found that in first year it was easy to get into the habit of being lazy and not keeping active. The mountain bike club was a perfect solution to this.”
Barr says benefits of the club include its flexiblity and the fact that it isn’t dependent on your university’s location. “There’s no pressure to do well, and everyone is there to have a good time. It’s a brilliant way to keep fit and most importantly to have fun.”
In the air: sky-diving, slacklining and hot-air ballooning
If you’re not at a university by the sea, rocks or snow, that doesn’t mean you can’t still get your adrenaline pumping. One way to do this is by heading skywards. You could join the sky-diving society at Nottingham or Warwick, or Manchester’s extreme sport society (Mess), and take part in one of their regular bungee jumps.
Many universities also have slackline societies. Slacklining is a balance sport, where you walk across a line tied between two solid objects.
Alternatively you could get involved in hot-air ballooning. The Bristol University hot-air balloon society is the oldest university ballooning club. You can fly in their red balloon, as well as chase it around the countryside in a van. Then there’s the famous Bristol international balloon fiesta in August.
“It’s certainly a conversation starter when I say I’m going hot-air ballooning at 4am to catch the sunrise,” says Piers Stennett-Howard, a fifth-year dentistry student at the University of Bristol and a member of the ballooning society.
“It’s nice to drive around the countryside chasing after the balloon, trying to predict the landing site. Or to watch a night glow with several balloons lighting up the sky, to music. We often bump into people after flights or on trips, who tell us about their time with the balloon, or how they met their partner through the society.”
Under the ground: caving
Many universities have caving societies, where you can explore “subterranean playgrounds” in the UK or on trips abroad. Caving, or speleology as it is sometimes called, can give you the chance to abseil down underground waterfalls, squeeze through holes and abseil down rifts.
At Exeter University you can explore Devon’s caves , while in Aberystwyth you can roam underground in south Wales and the Brecon Beacons. Universities in the north, such as York or Sheffield, give you the chance to descend into caves in the Yorkshire Dales or the Peak District, which is home to Titan, the deepest cave in Britain.
Will Whalley, 22, says caving in Sheffield has transformed his university experience. “Caving is a great way to explore parts of the world you’d never normally see,” he says. “Because of caving, I am fitter and I have faced my fears.”
“I’ve experienced things I wouldn’t have normally. We have close ties with other uni caving clubs around the country too, so you’re always meeting new people.”
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Source:Universities for the thrill-seeking student