Powerkiting is the latest daredevil beach craze and Scotland is ideal for it. Louise Gilbert gave it a twirl
The initial research for this story throws me into a world of unique vocabulary. Powerkiting equipment has, let’s just say, rather unusual names.
‘Frenzy’, ‘Littledevil’ and ‘Meteor’ are the names of just a few of the kite models available. Kiteboards are no exception, with such colourful titles as...
Outdoor Scotland
from Issue 12 published on 19/1/2004
Louise Gilbert has already viewed Scotland from a balloon. Now she's upping the ante and taking to the air in a glider.
The command to bail out of the glider is “Jump, jump, jump,” the instructor tells me. My parachute is strapped on and I’m listening intently. “You must be clear about this. I will not repeat it. I’ll jettison the canopy and I will be out before you can blink. Then you must follow me.”
OK, I’m clear...
Outdoor Scotland
from Issue 11 published on 17/11/2003
FOR AN AMAZING ADRENALINE BUZZ, CLIFF-JUMPING TAKES SOME BEATING – AS LOUISE GILBERT FOUND OUT
Standing on the edge of a 60-foot cliff, a group of daring Scots are preparing to face their fears. Dressed in full-length black wetsuits, they resemble something out of a James Bond movie.
In fact, today’s activity looks a lot like a stunt from an action movie. Canyoning and cliffjumping are extre...
Outdoor Scotland
from Issue 10 published on 5/9/2003
HOW BETTER TO ENJOY SCOTLAND’S LUSH LANDSCAPES THAN FROM A
HOT-AIR BALLOON? LOUISE GILBERT MEETS GRAEME HOUSTON OF SCOTAIR BALLOONS
Imagine being handed a hot-air balloon on your birthday and not having a licence to fly it. An unlikely scenario? Well that’s just what happened to Graeme Houston one auspicious day in 1988, a day that the winds changed the direction of his life forever.
Today, Graeme is owner and operator of Scota...
Outdoor Scotland
from Issue 9 published on 20/7/2003