Description:
There's more to Britain than tea, crumpets, and the changing of the guard. Rupert Isaacson canvassed Britain for the more adrenaline-inspiring, calorie-burning activities, then gathered them into a guide to make them accessible to everyone. With traditional British sports like falconry, sailing and archery, and more recent sports like microlighting and land yachting, sports that feature caves, cliffs, air, woods, and water, sports you do by cycle, motor, and foot, there's a lot to chose from. Just reading about the various options is worthwhile and interesting, but Isaacson's guide is far more comprehensive than that. For each sport, he describes the activity and its history, its challenges and rewards, and what kind of experience or fitness you need to get involved, then he tells you the best places in Britain that offer it. Take gorge walking, for example. Isaacson says that "at its most intense, gorge walking requires even more nerve than bungee jumping." Basically, you go where the water goes, be that across boulders, over waterfalls, or through pools, but just getting into the gorge to start with, and out at day's end, can be challenging enough. But if you're still keen for it, you can turn the page and check out some selected sites, in Hereford, Perthsire, Gwynedd, and Cumbria, that offer the sport. With telephone and fax numbers, descriptions of the locations, and info on season and tariffs, Isaacson provides the details you need to chose, prepare, and plunge in. --Stephanie Gold
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