Our top adventure challenges

If 2015 is your year to explore, have an adventure and broaden your horizons, read on for our top adventure challenges.

These days the world is our oyster; whether it’s travelling across different countries and continents or even just upping sticks and moving cities for the job of your dreams. But what about making that adventure into an exciting physical challenge?

Adventure challenges are becoming increasingly popular, from cycling across countries to trekking through distant mountains and rainforests.

Taking part in adventure challenges allows you to set yourself goals and the excitement you gain from it is enough to give you that motivation to succeed.

Of course there is a lot of preparation involved and many people use them as an excuse to increase their fitness levels. Spending days and days cycling, walking and using muscles you never knew you had is gruelling work but the end results are totally worth it.

Take it from an expert

Sophie Radcliffe is one adventurer who uses adventure challenges to help boost her fitness. ‘I had a desire to challenge myself and find something to work towards. I wanted to get fit and the motivation of setting myself a big challenge was enough to help me reach my goals,’ she says.

It’s not only about the physical side though. Sophie believes it’s the mental preparation that really counts. ‘Coming from a place of feeling strong and motivated to carry out a challenge is  important to supplement your physical training. Mental preparation is what keeps you going when the going gets tough.’

People take on challenges for many reasons but adventurer Faith Shorney thinks ‘what attracts anyone to this sort of thing is the excitement, freedom and the incredible people you meet; one of the biggest appeals is the opportunity to discover new places, in ways that people often never do’.

And what do these adventurers say to those in two minds about the idea? ‘Definitely, definitely, definitely do it! You’ll meet so many amazing people and do things you couldn’t think you could do. The more you put into it the more you get out of it,’ says Sophie.

‘Just go for it. Don’t worry about what might happen, plan the best you can, ask for lots of advice, do all the research you can and do whatever necessary training or preparation you need to. Quiet the voices of doubt and fear and stop making excuses for why you can’t do something. Just go ahead and jump in the deep end – I guarantee it will be worth it,’ adds Faith

So how do you get started?

Adventure challenges can take you far across the globe to beautiful and exciting places. There’s plenty to choose from with a whole range of activities to take part in from cycling to yoga, climbing to sailing. We’ve found some of the most amazing challenges taking place in 2015.