Sport

Activity Groups

Adventurous Activity Company 26 Leading Edge, Hotwell Rd, Bristol. Tel: 0117 925 3196. Web: www.adventurousactivitycompany.co.uk • Range of activities including mountain biking, climbing, abseiling, kayaking, orienteering and urban adventure challenge, all within minutes of Bristol’s centre.

BHP Inspiring Events Westerleigh, Bristol. Tel: freephone 0808 197 1254. Web: www.bhpinspiringevents.co.uk • Wealth of outdoor activities, including rage buggies, quad biking, grass karting, archery, clay pigeon shooting and 14m high-ropes course.

Black Mountain Activities 3 Cox, Brecon, Powys. Tel: 01497 847897. Web: www.blackmountainactivities.co.uk • Ace outdoor experiences including climbing, abseiling and white-water rafting .Midweek student discount

Mendip Outdoor Pursuits The Warehouse, Silver St, Congresbury. Tel: 01934 834877. Web: www.mendipoutdoorpursuits.co.uk • Caving, abseiling, kayaking, assault course, etc. Students charged child rate

Ballooning, Microlights, Helicopters, Kite Flying, Gliding & Paragliding

Atmosphere Kites 137 St George’s Rd , Bristol . Tel: 0117 908 7153. Web: www.atmospherekites.com • Kite central in all sizes, plus circus gear, juggling stuff, diablos, toy rockets, unicycles, electric bikes, boards and accessories. Kiting lessons, too.

Bailey Balloons 44 Ham Green, Bristol. Tel: 01275 375300. Web: www.baileyballoons.co.uk • Experienced (and lovely) people providing the perfect balloon flight, complete with chilled champers. Special offers on midweek morning flights

Bristol & Gloucester Gliding Club Nympsfield, Glos. Tel: 01453 860342. Web: www.bggc.co.uk • Height (flying is at up to 2,000ft) and speed (up to 175mph) in an exciting adventure sport. Flights start from £69. Special rates for students and cadets

Kite Store 39a Cotham Hill, Bristol. Tel: 0117 974 5010. Web: www.kitestore.co.uk, www.blownawaykiteschool.co.uk • For all your sporting/recreational kiting and mountain-boarding needs. Tuition in power kiting, buggies, mountain boarding and kite surfing at partner Blown Away School.

Old Sarum Flying Club Old Sarum Airfield, Salisbury. Tel: 01722 322525. Web: www.oldsarumflyingclub.co.uk • Imagine the thrill of a flying motorbike. Double it. Microlights are better than that - don’t graduate without giving one a go. This wicked club flies sunrise-sunset daily.

Rise Helicopters Gloucestershire Airport, Staverton, Cheltenham. Tel: 01452 857083. Web: www.risehelicopters.co.uk • Training (they’ll help you get your pilot’s licence), pleasure flying, chartering, wedding flights plus air-experience tasters - 30 mins for £140.

Boats & Watersports

Bristol Ariel Rowing Club Robertson Drive , Birchwood, St Anne’s, Bristol. Web: www.bristolarielrowingclub.co.uk • Bristol’s longest-established rowing club offers rowing, sculling and coxing in regular starter courses. Female-friendly, with a busy social life.

Bristol Octopush Club Meet Wed at Bishopsworth Baths, Whitchurch Lane, Bristol. Tel: 01454 416088. Web: www.bristoloctopush.co.uk • Octopush is a high-speed sport akin to playing ice hockey underwater. Rules are easy and the club’s very welcoming of new arrivals (of both sexes) from sixth-form age upwards. Turn up or phone in advance for a game.

Bristol Sailing School Cumberland Rd , Bristol . Tel: 0117 907 3019. Web: www.bristolsailingschool.co.uk • Sailing lessons from beginners to advanced. Powerboats too.

Wet & Windy 5 Ashton Drive , Bristol . Tel: (0117) 966 9582. Web: www.wet-windy.co.uk • Specialise in dinghies and sailing, with some canoeing stuff, too.

Caving & Climbing

Axbridge Caving Group Email: toursandresearch@yahoo.com • Long-established Mendips group caving year round with experienced guides, plus group tours of central Bristol’s Redcliffe ‘caves’.

Undercover Rock Bristol Climbing Centre, Mina Rd, St Werburghs, Bristol. Tel: 0117 941 3489. Web: www.undercover-rock.com • Range of indoor and outdoor climbing, mountaineering and development courses.

Diving

Extreme Marine 6 Harbury Rd , Henleaze, Bristol. Tel: 0117 962 3363. Web: www.extreme-marine.co.uk • Comprehensive dive centre stocking the south west’s largest range of snorkelling gear. Offers teaching, diving weekends and holidays, and equipment servicing. 10% NUS discount

Golf

Ashton Court Golf Course Ashton Court , Long Ashton, Bristol. Tel: 0117 973 8508 • Two pay-and-play 18-hole par 3 courses.

Bath Public Golf Facilities Entry Hill, Bath. Tel: 01225 834248. Approach, Bath. Tel: 01225 331162. Web: www.entryhillgolfshop.co.uk • Courses open daily except Christmas Day. Club hire. Booking advisable weekends and evenings. Students get a whopping 35% discount

Filton Golf Club Golf Course Lane , Filton, Bristol. Tel: 0117 969 6968. Web: www.darylkelleygolf.co.uk • Golf tuition available to all standards. UWE-affiliated

Victoria Park & Bath Academy Adventure Golf 2 Queens Parade, Bath. Tel: 01225 425066 • This 18-hole adventure golf course is very popular with International House students. Seven tennis courts, some indoor. Numerous tennis clubs or pay ‘n’ play. Open all year. Student discount.

Horse Riding

Clevedon Riding Centre Clevedon Lane , Clevedon, North Somerset. Tel: 01275 858699 • Long-established family business with over 20 horses, offering all levels of tuition in their outdoor floodlit school. Adult group £21, child group £16, half-hour private lesson £25. Groups of six get free hats.

Shipham Riding Centre Broadway, Shipham, North Somerset. Tel: 01934 843522 • Expert tuition in all-weather arena. Riding in the Mendips. Adult lessons and hacking from £17.

Motor Sports, Off-Roading, Karting & Ice Karting

4Play Off-Road Driving Mendip Cottage, Chew Lane, Chew Stoke, Bristol. Tel: 01275 332174. Web: www.4playofforaddriving.co.uk • Off-road driving, bushcraft centre, rifle range and trout lake. Own range of 4X4 vehicles, driver training and expedition preparation, recently enhanced by bushcraft skills courses. Come in a group and have some of your party driving, some shooting, fishing and fire lighting in a perfect male-bonding/stag party environment, then come back with dad for some quality father/son time. Tailor-make your day. Groups catered for. Student discount 5%.

Bristol Ice Rink Frogmore St , Bristol . Tel: 0117 929 2148. Web: www.jnll.co.uk • Groups of 10 upwards can enjoy ice-karting wickedness on Thur, Sat & Sun nights. Ice skating too, with a plus-35% saving to be had by NUS cardholders. Ice hockey action on Tue.

Castle Combe Racing Circuit Chippenham, Wilts. Tel: 01249 782929/782417. Web: www.castlecombecircuit.co.uk • Make like the numerous F1 legends who’ve driven here with an awesome formula three racing car drive or get gritty action at the rally school. Motorcycle and car track days too – bring your own and rev up!

Drive-Tech Outdoor Activity Centre Castle Combe Circuit, Chippenham, Wilts. Tel 01249 783010. Web: www.combe-events.co.uk. Email: info@drivetechltd.co.uk • Skid pan: learn how to control a car in wet and icy road conditions. 4x4 off-road: learn what a 4x4 Land Rover Discovery is capable of. Karting: adult and junior (juniors age 10 -15, min 4’8”). Most weekends, open all year, pre-booking essential. From £35. Team-building and corporate events. Student discount 10%.

The Raceway Avonmouth Way , Avonmouth, Bristol. Tel: 0800 376 6111. Web: www.theraceway.co.uk • Indoor karting with heated spectator area. Students get £5 discount weekends and weekdays after 6pm, £10 discount weekdays before 6pm.

Supakart Units 10-11 Leeway Ind Estate, Newport, Wales. Tel: 01633 280808. Web: www.supakart.co.uk • Ace two-level indoor circuit, new outdoor section.

Mountain Biking & Cycling

Blackboy Cycles 180 Whiteladies Rd , Bristol . Tel: 0117 973 1420. Web: www.blackboycycles.co.uk • Specialised brand plus plenty for budget-conscious students. Hire service, quick repairs. Students get 10% discount on spares and accessories

Bristol Mountain Bike Club Web: www.bristolmountainbikeclub.com • Specialise in general trail riding, but cater for all, from beginners to expert. Numerous away rides.

Emmaus ( Bristol) Barton Manor, Midland Rd, St Philips, Bristol. Tel: 0117 954 0886. Web: www.emmausbristol.org.uk • Ace charity, usually with serviced bikes for sale in the eminently reasonable £35-£75 price range. Drop in – you might find exercise equipment on sale too.

Mud Dock Cycleworks & Café 40 The Grove, Bristol. Tel: 0117 929 2151. Web: www.mud-dock.co.uk • Commençal, Trek, Klein, Lightspeed, Merlin, Santa Cruz and Scott stockists. Free servicing for life on new purchases over £500. Bike mechanics, workshop and secure city-centre bike shed.

Overbury’s Specialist Cycles 138 Ashley Rd, Montpelier, Bristol. Tel: 0117 955 7924 • Long-established, family-run cycle shop selling new cycles, spares and accessories. Lowest price guaranteed. Student discount. Repairs and servicing, wheel-building, clothing and shoes.

Pembury Cycles 10-12 Gloucester Rd , Bristol . Tel: 0117 942 8282. Web: www.pemburycycles.co.uk • Full mountain-bike range, BMX and hybrids, plus servicing, repairs, parts and accessories. Brands include GT, Felt, Dawes, Probike. Student discount.

Total Fitness 9 Saracen St , Bath . Tel: 01225 444164. Web: www.totalfitnessbath.co.uk • For the serious cyclist: triathlon, road and mountain bikes custom-built or off the peg. Students get 10% discount on clothing and accessories.

Webbs of Warmley 14 High St, Warmley, Bristol. Tel: 0117 967 3676. Web: www.bristolcycles.co.uk • Top mountain bike, BMX, road cycle and accessories suppliers, with brands like Diamond Back, Ridgeback and Mongoose. Very affordable daily hire service - close to the cycle path. Repairs.

Skateboarding & Surfing

Free Spirit The Corridor, Bath. Tel: 01225 425644. Web: www.freespirit.co.uk • All the gear for surfers, skaters, etc. NUS discount 10%.

Geronimo 171 North St, Ashton, Bristol. Tel: 0117 953 3400. Web: www.geronimosports.co.uk • Snowboarding, mountain boarding, rock climbing and surfing. NUS discount.

Skiing & Snowboarding

Avon Ski & Action Centre Lyncombe Lodge, Lyncombe Drive, Sandford, Churchill. Tel: 01934 852335. Web: www.avonski.co.uk • Archery, skiing, tobogganing, snowboarding, air-rifle and clay-pigeon shooting, quad biking, off-road 4x4, skateboarding, plus plenty more.

Gloucester Ski & Snowboard Centre Matson Lane , Robinswood Hill, Glos. Tel: 0870 240 0375. Web: www.gloucesterski.com • Tutorial and recreational snow sport on one of England’s largest outdoor slopes. Tubing offers rubber-ring fun - no skill needed. NUS cardholders charged child rate

Miscellaneous

Bath & District Football League Tel: 01225 833691 • Boasts 120 teams playing within a 12-mile radius of Bath. Secretary Bernard Clifford can find you a club.

Bristol & West Athletics Club Whitchurch Sports Centre, Whitchurch. Tel: 01761 462179. Web: www.bristolandwestac.org • Year-long track and field, road running and cross country. Club nights Tue, Wed & Thur, phone to make arrangements. Discount to anyone in full-time education

 Bristol Boxing Gym 40 Thomas St , St Agnes, Bristol. Tel: 0117 949 6699/908 6655. Web: www.westcountryboxing.com • Be a contender at this nationally regarded boxing gym, popular with students attending for circuit training and, home to Bristol University Boxing Club. One-off trial session £4, various membership packages. Open Mon-Fri 11am-9pm. The £25 one-to-one hour with pro trainer is great

Bristol Lawn Tennis & Squash Club Redland Green, Bristol. Tel: 0117 973 1139 • See Health.

British Military Fitness Bristol Meet Durdham Downs, Clifton, Bristol. Tel: 0870 241 2517/029 2048 8100. Web: www.britmilfit.com • Get-fit sessions combining exertion and enjoyment in equally immense measures. All fitness levels welcome. Meet Sat 10am, Mon/Wed 6.30pm, Fri 6am.

Cheese Rolling Coopers Hill, Gloucestershire. Web: www.cheese-rolling.co.uk • Annual event (on late May bank holiday) whereby lunatics chase a cheese down a hill, watched by 5,000 people and TV crews from Canada, USA, etc. Won recently by Kiwis.

Cricket Academy Tel: 0117 910 8038/07771 560338. Web: www.gloscricket.co.uk • Batting, bowling and fielding tuition for both sexes provided by ex-Gloucestershire CCC pro Damian Forder throughout the year. Damian can also put you in touch with cricket clubs.

Downs Football League Clifton Downs, Bristol. Web: www.bbc.co.uk/bristol • Bristol’s more eminent version of Hackney Marshes.

Great Western Runners Meet Bristol Lawn Tennis & Squash Club, Redland Green, Bristol. Tel: 0117 943 3108. Web: www.greatwesternrunners.org.uk • A 200-odd member club meeting at 7pm on Wed through the year to jog – anywhere between four and 10 miles. All welcome.

Jim Perry Fencing Maitre Churchill Sports Centre, Churchill Green, North Somerset. Tel: 07970 426057. Web: www.jimsworld.org • Maitre Jim Perry offers fencing lessons for all levels, Wed 8-9.30pm. Surprisingly energetic, fencing is a funky way of getting fit - and quite the party ice breaker.

Laser Quest The Station, Silver St, Broadmead, Bristol. Tel: 0117 949 6688. Web: www.laserquest.co.uk • Wicked student fave offering team games or all-against-all laser action in a series of connected rooms. Weekdays, get a £12.95 Megapass. Students get off-peak discounts

Netball Genesis Netball Club (Redland, Bristol, 07810 186897, www.genesisnetball.co.uk) train Aug-May, with matches at weekends. Bradley Stoke Netball ( jennifer_boland@hotmail.com, www.bradleystokenetball.co.uk) train Wed eve, 7.30-9.30pm, Aug-May at the Jubilee Centre, Savages Wood Rd, Bradley Stoke.

Pétanque The Anchor, Oldbury-on-Severn. Tel: 01454 413331. Web: www.petanchors.co.uk • This pub has fourteen pistes and is one of the country’s top pétanque venues. Phone ahead to confirm piste availability. Small sub required.

Rackets Clifton College, Bristol. Tel: 0117 315 7279 • Clifton College is one of only 20 places in Britain where this, the fastest racquet sport (experts get the ball moving at 160mph) is played.

Real Tennis Bristol & Bath Tennis Club, Beggar Bush Playing Fields, Abbots Leigh, Bristol. Tel: 0117 973 3444. Web: www.bbtennis.org.uk • A sport dating from Tudor times in one of the region’s most stunning sporting arenas.

Phone for a free go. Junior annual membership (under 25s) £25

St Nick’s Gaelic Football Club Web: www.stnicksgaa.co.uk • Gaelic football combines football, rugby and basketball, and spawned Aussie Rules. Rookies welcome.

Student Guide - Bristol and Bath's best guide to all you need around town, plus tons of free vouchers. To order your copy ring 0117 942 8491. Only £2.95.