Mud and guts and plenty of challenges
“YOUR mission, should you choose to accept it – and you probably don’t want to – is to climb to the top of a 130ft tree without blubbing like a girl. Take in the panoramic views above the tree tops, then calmly walk to the edge and throw yourself off.”
The chance to copy Tom Cruise’s stunt when he dropped into blockbuster film Mission Impossible with the ‘Powerfan’ freefall adventure should have had me chomping at the bit.
But gazing at a platform that hung perilously close to the heavens, I was in danger of self destructing.
As you might have guessed heights aren’t my strength – hell, I get queasy gazing from the windows of our sixth floor Fort Dunlop office – so the world’s highest Powerfan looked like mission impossible for me.
If not for the blonde New Zealand rock climbing surfer chick ahead of me, I’d have retired to the cafe for a nice cappuccino and biscotti.
But, full of male bravado, I began the white-knuckle climb upwards. Half-way up and gripped with fear, I hugged the tree like Angelina Jolie had agreed to ditch Brad whats-his-name for me.
Above the treetops, the views of Wales were fantastic. Well, that’s what they told me, but my eyes were so tightly shut dynamite wouldn’t have blown them open.
Standing there, my legs wobbling like a flamingo on rollerskates, I heard four words I had begged the Lord I would not hear: “Mark, it’s your turn.”
Clipped to the safety wire that would slow my freefall, I inched my way to the edge. Arms outstretched I fell forward into the void and plunged to the ground like a skydiver.
For three seconds it hurtled up to meet me at breakneck speed – all I could think about was ending my short life with a splat – only for the intricate power fan mechanism to slow my decent in the last few metres.
That was Task Two of our Adventure North Wales.
With the recession biting into summer holiday budgets, many are looking to our own shores for a short break and research shows we are getting taste for a bit of adventure.
With its stunning natural beauty and a landscape that takes in rugged mountains, green forests, beautiful coastlines of golden sands and raging rivers, North Wales is gaining a reputation as the adventure playground of the UK.
Which, at two-and-a-half hours drive from the Midlands, makes the area perfect getaway.
Activity specialists Adventure North Wales offers tailor-made packages including accommodation and sporting events.
Designed to remove the frustration of trying to sort out the different components yourself, the company provides a one-stop-shop for adventure. As
