Active Breaks & Days Out in South England

Take a chance and do something exciting the next time you plan a break! The South of England is absolutely riddled with thrilling, heart pumping experiences just waiting for you to give them a try. Take a look at these and see if we can inspire you…

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South East England

Cycling

The South East, and its fair weather, has a huge amount of cycling routes available for a mix of cycling abilities. If you’re feeling particularly fit, why not try the Downs and Weald route? It’s a challenging 164 mile trip from London all the way to the coast at Hastings or switch up the route and head to Brighton for a weekend.

Climbing

You don’t usually associate mountains with the South of England, but Bowles Rocks outside Tunbridge Wells has around 200 climbing routes suitable for a variety of climbing abilities.

Paintball

Undeniably thrilling, there’s loads of fun in the running, scrambling, crawling and shooting in a paintball game. You can actually play paintball in London if you want to stir in a visit to the capital with your trip. Mayhem Paintball near Essex even has a real life Call of Duty zone.  What more do you want!?

 

Ice climbing

More of a pit stop if you’re looking to grab a jacket or some Clif bars, but the Ellis Brigham shop in London has installed and artificial ice wall if you fancy testing your ice axe skills before lunch.

Paragliding

Most people see the iconic white cliffs of our South coast either from a boat or from stood on top of them. Take a paraglider trip and coast hundreds of feet in the air, bobbing about on air currents, getting a view of our coast few people ever get to take in!

Christ Church War Memorial Garden with Tom Tower in the background, Oxford, Oxfordshire, South East England, UK

South West England

Surfing

Cornwall hosts some of the best surfing locations in the UK, and has one of the best climates of the UK to enjoy it. The area boasts beginner to intermediate beaches, making it a great place to pick up the skill.

Coasteering

You might be wondering what coasteering is, so we’ll explain. Coasteering is essentially extreme coastline exploration. You climb, scramble, swim, jump and crawl your way around some challenging bits of the coast. You can go on your own or hire a guide, and it makes a great alternative to surfing while still using the coast.

Off-roading

If you start getting a bit sick of the salty air and sand, you can head inland and tear about the Salisbury Plains in a 4X4. Whatever your driving skill level, you can hare about in a nippy two-seater off-roader.

Diving

If you’ve already done your PADI certification courses, there’re a plethora of excellent diving experiences on the mainland and off the coast of the South West.

Have you organised yourself an active weekend away recently? Tell us about it, we’d love to hear what you got up to!

Author

  • Sam

    Sam is a seasoned solo traveler who’s explored four continents and visited 49 countries, making her a trusted authority in travel planning—especially for solo female adventurers. Through her website, Travelling King, Sam offers tailored itineraries and expert guides designed to make every trip seamless and unforgettable. Whether it’s luxury escapes, quick getaways, or in-depth destination guides, her expertise keeps her at the forefront of the solo travel community, inspiring women to explore the world confidently and independently.

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