A guide Brought to you by for international media Edition 2 – March 2013

Tower Bridge London visitbritain.com/media Contents Quick facts about British Sport ...... 2 Sport is GREAT why? ...... 3 Key Events 2014: Commonwealth Games ...... 6 Key Events 2014: Tour de France grand départ in Yorkshire ...... 8 Key Events 2014: Ryder Cup ...... 11 10 great golf courses ...... 12 Key Events 2013 & 2015: Rugby world cups ...... 14 Olympic Legacy...... 16 Football enjoying the beautiful game in Britain ...... 18 ...... 20 All eyes on centrecourt tennis in Britain ...... 21 itional game ...... 23 Motorsport ...... 25 see and be seen. Oh, and see some sport too ...... 26 Thrillseeking in Britain extreme sports to test your nerves ...... 29 Run around Britain: marathons and more ...... 31 Accessible sporting activities ...... 34 Weird, wacky and wonderful ...... 36

Second edition, March 2013. Editor: Rmishka Singh [email protected]. Contributors: Will Hide and Stephanie Siegle. Please direct all enquiries to [email protected]

Quick facts about British Sport Did you know?

 Scotland is the home of golf the Royal and Ancient Golf Club in St Andrews, an hour north of Edinburgh, was founded in May 1754. Read about the Ryder Cup and 10 great golf courses on p11.

 Rugby originated in 1823 when a pupil at Rugby school, William Webb Ellis, picked up the ball during a game of football and ran with it instead of kicking. Thanks to him it and the world! Find out about Rugby World Cups on p14.

 Although the term

1863 that the game was codified in London 150 years ago this year. See p18 to find out more about football in Britain.

 ! Read his tips on what to do in Britain on p20.

 The Ashes trophy, which is so hotly contested in the world of cricket, is just 155mm tall. Read more about cricket on p23.

 The Epsom Derby i with winnings of £1.25m but you can have a bet from as little as £2. The Queen and Prince Philip usually head over. Read about it on p26.

 Surfing was invented in Britain! The sandy beaches of Bridlington in North Yorkshire were where two Hawaiian princes studying in 1890 took to riding on the waves with homemade boards. Read about where to do it, and other extreme sports, on p29.

 Vail, Verb Britain Scotland has five ski resorts alone. See p29 for info.

 There are numerous accessible sporting activities in Britain, from circus-skills to flying an aeroplane. See p34 for details.

 August is the month for indulging your eccentric side in Britain. You can gravy-wrestle, snail-race, bog-snorkel and race a train if you fancy. See p36 for a calendar of odd sporting events.

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Sport is GREAT why? Sport is woven into the fabric of British life. Children kick a football around in the park on Saturday mornings. 60,000 fans scream support in a stadium while millions watch around the world. A genteel game of village cricket unfolds on a Sunday afternoon. The national anthem is sung in Welsh before a game of rugby in Cardiff. Glamorous ladies totter in high heels at Ascot as racehorses thunder by. Friends throw a few darts in the pub after work. A breeze stirs the flags as golfers tee off on the Old Course at St Andrews. Strawberries and cream slip down nicely amid the thwack grunt thwack of tennis at Wimbledon. To understand Britain and the British you need to understand its sports.

Britain invented or codified a number of sports including football, rugby, cricket and golf. Venues such as Wembley, Lords, Old Trafford, Brands Hatch and now the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park are synonymous around with the world with top Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park; home of the London 2012 Olympics and the future of east London, thanks to the transformation it is currently undergoing. Available at www.visitbritain.com/media Shanghai, Sydney or Seattle but imagine great sporting event in Britain for yourself.

What do you want your sporting experience in Britain to be? Settle back and watch, or choose to play? Go mainstream and enjoy a sport followed by millions or think along more specialist lines can enjoy worm charming, pea shooting, cheese rolling and bog snorkelling, many of which go well with a pint of beer from the local pub.

World Class events up and how you can create a story around the action.

Rugby League World Cup 2013

The Rugby League World Cup tournament takes place across 22 venues in England, Wales, Ireland and France, kicking off at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on 26 October and reaching its dramatic climax at Old Trafford, Manchester on 30 November. The sport is traditionally strongest in th that part of the world, which is home to vibrant cities and beautiful countryside.

See p 14 for more info and story ideas. www.rlwc2013.com

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Commonwealth Games 2014

The Commonwealth Games will be held in Glasgow from 23 July 3 August 2014, and will feature 17 sports from aquatics to wrestling.

amazing architecture as well as some of the most imaginative galleries and museums in Britain, buzzing nightlife, top class cuisine and local base from which to explore central and western Scotland, The Commonwealth Games are coming to Glasgow spectacular countryside and the opportunity to next year. Available at www.visitbritain.com/media breathe in clean air and of course the aroma of Scotch whisky.

To find out more about the Commonwealth Games see p 5. www.glasgow2014.com

Tour de France 2014

Next year the start of the Tour de France cycle race le Grand Départ will be from the northern city of Leeds on 5 July, moving on the next day to the historic walled city of York before heading south. (Both are a two-hour train ride from London). Why not

arrive? The Dales, the North York Moors and the Wolds are three stunning areas there are ups as well as downs to unwind in and chat to some colourful characters. While in the area you can also check out a more hip, urban scene in Sheffield, Leeds or Bradford with a guided cycle tour. Cyclists going past York Minster which Tour de France competitors will do next year during its See p 7 for more info on the Grand Départ and cycling Grand Départ. Available at routes in Britain. www.visitbritain.com/media Ryder Cup 2014

In September 2014, the 40th Ryder Cup the biggest golf tournament there is comes to

wi 40 years that the tournament has been held in Scotland, the home of golf. This event gives you the opportunity to discover a gorgeous part of the country, the heart of the whisky industry. Search out smaller courses situated near distilleries around the lovely town of Perth and the up-and-coming city of Dundee, future home of the first Victoria and Albert museum outside London.

For more information regarding the Ryder Cup and golf in Britain see page 11.

www.rydercup2014.com, www.gleneagles.com

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Rugby Union World Cup 2015

me, and in Wales will be used too. Before the action starts check out some of the cities hosting matches, such as Newcastle, Liverpool and Cardiff. See page 14 for more details on rugby in Britain and the World Cup. www.rugbyworldcup.com

Be part of the game

The Premier League is the most popular football league in the world and nothing beats football, Britain. Watch a match, take a tour of one of the famous stadia (post match!) at the new National Football Museum in Manchester. VisitBritain has some great interviews with high profile international players in the Premier League, as well as tickets to stadium tours on the VisitBritain shop. Learn all about footy at the National Football Museum in Manchester try a penalty shoot-out See p 17 for the lowdown on enjoying football in s shoes! Available Britain. on www.visitbritain.com/media

If you want to experience a quintessential part of summer life across England, then whisper it quietly but just enjoy the pageantry and the tradition. You could take a tour of Lords cricket ground in London or spend a Sunday at a village in the countryside.

See page 20 for more info about cricket.

Weird and wonderful

While established sports such as football and rugby attract thousands of people every From cheese rolling near Bristol to bog snorkelling i all manner of wacky story ideas that you can weave into an exploration of what makes Britain great.

See p 31 for a calendar of quirky sporting events.

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Key Events 2014: Commonwealth Games The Commonwealth Games take place in Glasgow from 23 July to 3 August 2014, uniting 71 territories and nations who will compete in 17 sports. excuse to discover one of the most vibrant cities in Britain. 1.5 billion people around the world are expected to tune in on TV but nothing will beat being there.

Unique is an over-used word in travel but the experience really will be a one off, in a a UNESCO Heritage city of music, well-known for its buzzing restaurant scene, and home to some of the A CGI image of what the Commonwealth Games 2014 Opening Ceremony might look like. Available at best museums, theatres, concert halls and www.visitbritain.com/media galleries in Britain as well as more parkland per head of population than any other city in Europe.

The Gallic translation of Glasgow (Ghlaschu) literally means Dear Green Place so it should come as no surprise the city is also on the doorstep of gorgeous countryside that is easily accessible by car, bus, train and plane, not forgetting its proximity to whisky distilleries and a golf course or two. Key dates

The Opening Ceremony of the Games will be held on 23 July at Celtic Park football stadium in front of a live audience of 60,000 people.

The Closing Ceremony on 3 Park, before a live audience of up to 44,000.

The Organising Committee of Glasgow 2014 has awarded the contract for delivering the Opening and Closing Ceremonies to Jack Morton Worldwide, whose track record includes the Opening and Closing ceremonies for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games in Manchester 2002 and Melbourne 2006, as well as the ceremonies at the FIFA 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

The agency also organised the live celebration sites at key locations across London for the Royal Wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in 2011, working with the Mayor of

Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremonies normally include:

 The arrival of the Head of the Commonwealth

 The Parade of Nations where Glasgow officially welcomes the Commonwealth Nations to the Games

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 The epic end of the Queen's Baton Relay, which will visit every Commonwealth Nation before travelling throughout Scotland in the lead up to the Games

 The arrival and welcome of thousands of athletes from across the Commonwealth.

will tour Commonwealth countries from 9 October 2013, ending up at the Opening Ceremony on 23 July. The baton, which will be created especially for Glasgow 2014, will begin its journey on 9 October at Buckingham Palace when Her Majesty The Queen will place Her message to the Commonwealth into the baton. From there, the baton will travel first to Glasgow and begin its epic journey that will take in all four corners of the world, from the plains of Africa to the gleaming skyscrapers of Singapore; from the -capped mountains. See www.glasgow2014.com/press-releases for more information.

Venues

Events will take place in four clusters , all of which will be easily accessible by public transport from central Glasgow: the East, West and South clusters in the city and a Satellite cluster encompassing out-of-town events like the triathlon (Strathclyde Country Park), diving (Royal Commonwealth Pool in Edinburgh) and shooting (near Carnoustie, on Scotlan ).

New venues include the Emirates Arena and adjoining Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, which will be used for badminton and cycling, and which opened in October 2012. Scotland has an outstanding record in international track cycling competition, winning six medals in the 2006 Commonwealth Games and three in the 2010 Games; so fittingly the Velodrome is -medal winning Olympian and Commonwealth Games champion. www.emiratesarena.co.uk

The SECC Precinct will be the largest area of Commonwealth Games activity and also home to the International Broadcast Centre and Main Press Centre. The precinct already includes the large-scale SECC Exhibition Halls and the famous Clyde Auditorium (known as -like structure), and will now also see the addition of The Hydro. Due to open in 2013 and capable of seating 12,500 spectators, the Hydro will host the Gymnastics events and Netball finals. Beyond the Games, it will play host to around 140 events every year and is expected to be one of the top five busiest indoor arenas in the world alongside the likes of Madison Square Gardens in New York and the O2 Arena in London. www.thehydro.com

Football stadia Celtic Park and Hampden Park will be used for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies respectively; Hampden Park will also host the athletics events. Hampden Park and is home to a fantastic football museum, where you can take a guided tour daily and try scoring a goal in the net!

See www.glasgow2014.com/games/venues for info on all of the Games venues.

Para Sports

The 11 days will also include the biggest ever number of Para-Sport medals in Commonwealth Games history with 22 medals being contested by athletes

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reputation as a modern, vibrant country. Available at www.visitbritain.com/media with a disability including a new triathlon mixed team relay and the first Para-Sport Cycling (track) events included in the Games.

Culture

There will be a major series of cultural events in the build up to the Games, details of which have yet to be finalised.

Explore day at the Burrell Collection where you can view works by Rodin, Degas and Cezanne, or Kelvingrove, whose 22 themed galleries include 8,000 objects, before moving on elsewhere in the city to see the legacies of architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh, especially at the Glasgow School of Art. Shop in the Merchant City for international and local en route to the Riverside Museum and Science Centre before heading to the West End to lively pubs.

For more information on the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games contact Stephanie Jamieson [email protected].

For information on Glasgow contact Amy Riddell [email protected]. www.glasgow2014.com www.seeglasgow.com www.glasgowlife.org.uk

Key Events 2014: Tour de France grand départ in Yorkshire Next year, two of the three European Grand Tour races will kick off in the UK. The 2014 Tour de France will start in the north of England in July 2014, bringing an elite crowd of top international cyclists to Britain Belfast. Meanwhile this August will see the inaugural RideLondon festival of cycling hit the capital. With experiences from around the country. Try it before the pros do

Tour de France 2014: Stage 1, Yorkshire, England

Length: 200 kilometres. Level: Hard most picturesque countryside and with the official route now mapped out, visitors can experience the thrill of this iconic race for themselves. Starting in Leeds, the cultural capital of West Yorkshire and an easy 3-hour drive from London, stage one runs for 200 kilometres through the Yorkshire Dales National Park before ending in the historic spa

Sport | 8 town of Harrogate. Super-fit cyclists should also consider continuing to stage two, which

www.letour.fr

d 2, Northern Ireland

Length: TBC. Level: Hard

Visitors keen to get ahead of the professionals will find another challenge awaiting them in one of s cycling races. The routes for the first two stages are yet to be revealed, but they will centre around Belfast and Armagh in the south of Northern Ireland. www.gazzetta.it/Speciali/Giroditalia/2013/en

Tour of Britain 2013: Stage 8, Surrey, England

Length: 148 kilometres. Level: Hard

Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, the modern Tour of Britain is the biggest annual event in the British cycling calendar. The 2013 route spans the country in eight challenging stages, each with a very different scenic character. The final stage begins at Reigate a charming market town just south of London and loops through the forest parks and hidden valleys of the Surrey hills before finishing in the county town of Guildford. A spiky gradient profile adds extra spice to this thrilling route. www.tourofbritain.com More great bike routes in Britain:

Cycle an old railway line:

The Camel Trail, Cornwall, England

Length: 29 kilometres. Level: Easy

Rural Britain is crisscrossed with disused railway lines that have been reopened as flat, well-marked recreational trails perfect for cyclists of all abilities. The most famous is the Camel Trail in Cornwall, which runs for 28 kilometres along the south west coast of England. It starts with an easy peddle across the old industrial clay flats near Wenfordbridge a hour and a half drive from the city of Exeter - and ends finally at Padstow, the picture-perfect Co Seafood Restaurant. www.cornwall.gov.uk

The Mawddach Trail, Snowdonia, North Wales

Length: 15 kilometres. Level: Easy

A shorter but equally spectacular railway trail follows the line of the old Mawddach Estuary railway in northwestern Wales. This 15 kilometre, family-friendly route links the market

Sport | 9 towns of Dolgellau and Barmouth, and showcases the mountainous scenery of Snowdonia National Park. www.mawddachtrail.co.uk

:

Fort William, Highlands, Scotland

Length: 7 - 16.5 kilometres. Level: Intermediate very hard

Britain has some of the most diverse and challenging upland terrain in Europe, and Fort

Home to the annual UCI Mountain Bike World Cup, it combines exhilarating rocky trails

www.ridefortwilliam.co.uk

Ullswater Loop, Cumbria, England

Length: 60 kilometres. Level: Hard

A rocky round ride that takes in roads, bridlepaths and superb technical tracks, this route charming little hamlet of Pooley Bridge on the eastern edge of the Lake District National Park and forges a circuit through the remote fells around Martindale. This area of the park is a sanctuary for red deer, so keep your eyes peeled! www.golakes.co.uk

Complete a classic long-distance trail:

The South Downs Way, South East England

Length: 160 kilometres. Difficulty: Intermediate

Britain has fifteen long-distance National Trails, each with its own individual character but the South Downs Way is perhaps the easiest for cyclists to access from London. It stretches for 160 kilometres between the historic city of Winchester in Hampshire and Eastbourne in East Sussex. Undulating green terrain and views over white cliffs towards -distance cycling trails. www.nationaltrail.co.uk/southdowns

Kingfisher Trail, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland

Length: 160 kilometres. Level: Intermediate

The first mapped long-distance cycling route in Northern Ireland, this route divides naturally into two long loops. The northern loop follows quiet country lanes and rural tracks through the most scenic areas of County Fermanagh in the peaceful southwest region. Stop off halfway round to explore the awe-

Sport | 10 forget to look out for red squirrels and pine martins as you pass the RSPB Reserve at Lower Lough Erne. www.cycleni.com, www.marblearchcavesgeopark.com, www.rspb.org.uk

:

Afan Forest Park, South Wales

Length: 14 46 kilometres. Level: Easy very hard

Wales is internationally famous for its bike parks, and the all-weather single track playground of Afan Forest is the rown. With five technical mountain bike trails graded from green to black and a 14-mile family- What Mountain Bike www.afanforestpark.co.uk

Glentress Forest, Scottish Borders

Length: 1.5 29 kilometres. Level: Easy very hard appeal to cyclists of all ages and impeccably maintained mountain biking tracks. Like a ski resort, the routes here are graded from green to black so it www.glentressforest.com

Key Events 2014: Ryder Cup Why just play golf when you could play at the home of golf? While people all over the world have probably been hitting a rock with a stick since the cavemen, Scotland is where the modern game evolved the Royal and Ancient Golf Club in St Andrews, an hour north of Edinburgh, wa is the governing body for golf throughout the world, with the exception of the USA and Mexico.

There are fantastic courses all over Britain including over 550 in Scotland alone where their skills. But in England, Wales and Northern Ireland too you are never far from a cours championship tournament or a hidden local gem.

In Britain you can learn to play with world- class instructors or enjoy a golf safari, moving between links or heathland courses Great golfing around Britain, including in Crail, Fife, for example, staying at resorts where you can Scotland. Available at www.visitbritainimages.com. Credit VisitBritain/Britain on View

Sport | 11 play 18 holes in the morning and be pampered in their spa in the afternoon before enjoying a fantastic meal in the evening. All in all Britain is golf heaven. See below for some of our suggestions of courses. Ryder Cup

In 2014, the Ryder Cup comes to Gleneag beautiful countryside with a renowned hotel and spa to match.

The tournament itself will take place from 26-28 September and will be a haven for golf fans wanting to watch their heroes why not think about coming along before to play on the same course that the golfing greats will be using? You could also explore ancient Perthshire as well as vibrant Glasgow and historic Edinburgh before heading up to the Highlands or hiking along the west coast. www.rydercup2014.com www.gleneagles.com http://golf.visitscotland.com

Media requiring more information about the Ryder Cup should contact David Connor [email protected].

10 great golf courses St Andrews in Fife, Scotland, Leuchars station then a ten-minute taxi drive. The famous par-72 Old Course is so popular tee- around town, the newest of which opened in 2008, as well as some other lovely ones nearby outside picturesque villages such as Anstruther, Elie and Crail. The town of St oldest university, where both the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge studied look out for students in their traditional red gowns. www.visitstandrews.com

The Celtic Manor Resort in Wales hosted the Ryder Cup in 2010. The resort is just outside Newport, which is a two-hour train ride from London Paddington station. There are three championship golf courses at the resort, all of which are 18 holes; the stunning Twenty Ten Course hosted the Ryder Cup. Furthermore, you are not far away from cosmopolitan Cardiff or the beauty of the Brecon Beacon hills and some of the finest gastropubs in Wales. Celtic Manor Resort hosted the Ryder Cup three years www.celtic-manor.com www.visitbritain.com/media

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Royal Lytham and St Annes on the Lancashire coast of England is just six miles south of Blackpool, around three hours by train from London, and hosted the Open Championship last year. It was founded in 1886 and is considered one of the premier links courses in the

www.royallytham.org

Royal Portrush drive from Belfast. club in Ireland to have hosted the Open Championship. It eruption, and about an hour by car to Derry-Londonderry, which is the UK City of Culture 2013. www.royalportrushgolfclub.com www.cityofculture2013.com

The links course at Carnoustie is just an hour and a half by train from Edinburgh on ntgomerie have admitted to finding it a challenge. In fact there are three courses at Carnoustie the Championship Course, the Burnside and the Buddon Links. Depending how well or badly you play, you can celebrate or commiserate with a visit to the Glencadam whisky distillery near Brechin, a half-hour drive away. www.carnoustiegolflinks.co.uk www.glencadamdistillery.co.uk

Sunningdale Golf Club in Berkshire, England, Heathrow airport, so that the course here is the closest American visitors will find to the iconic Augusta National Golf Club but in fact there are two championship ones here, the Old and New courses, so why not play both? www.sunningdale-golfclub.co.uk

On the coast of south Ayrshire just over an hour by road from Turnberry was founded in 1902 and has spectacular views towards the islands of Ailsa Craig and Arran. On a clear day, you can even see Ireland. The Turnberry Resort Hotel has a luxurious spa and fitness centre to soak weary limbs after a tough day on the links. www.turnberrygolfclub.net www.turnberryresort.co.uk

in Kent is on the coast north of Dover, about two hours by car from London. Founded in the 1880s, it will host the Ladies British Open Amateur Championship next year and in 2011 hosted the Open Championship for the fourteenth time. Its undulating fairways and fast greens can prove a test for even the most determined golfer. Kent is known as the garden of England and a day spent on the course could be followed by time spent discovering one of the prettiest corners of the country. course in Britain. Available at www.royalstgeorges.com www.visitbritain.com/media

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Founded in 1891, Ganton golf club in North Yorkshire, England, has hosted many amateur and professional tournaments. This course is ideally placed to discover the beautiful Yorkshire coast as well as the North York Moors and Wolds which has inspired artists such as David Hockney not to mention the 2000 year old city of York which is a 45 minute drive away. Ganton is around an hour by train from Leeds and three hours from London. www.gantongolfclub.com

Royal Birkdale, a 35-minute drive north of Liverpool on the north-west coast of England, will host the Senior Open Championship this year. This beautiful links course is a favourite of many. Not far from Liverpool is the whole of 20 golf courses, including three Royal courses; as we

Championship; and Royal Liverpool at Hoylake on the Wirral Peninsula, the second oldest seaside links course in England. It would be easy to combine a visit here with a stay in vibrant Liverpool or Manchester, and explore the gorgeous countryside of the Lake District or the Yorkshire Dales National Park by car.

Key Events 2013 & 2015: Rugby world cups often muddy and bloody so even if you rilling to watch soon enough! also easy to get an already-ardent fan or a complete novice.

How it began

the first game originated in 1823 when a pupil at Rugby school, Rugby union, rugby league, rugby sevens; Britain is rugby William Webb Ellis, picked up the ball mad. Available at www.visitbritain.com/media during a game of football and ran with

Spot the difference

There are two codes: rugby union, where each team has 15 players, and rugby league, where each has 13. The other main difference is that in League, play stops at the tackle, and all but two defenders retreat ten metres, and the tackled player then gets up and nudges the ball backwards with his foot. With Union you can tackle, the tackled player then releases the ball and both sides are free to contest in this can look like mayhem, but is actually quite organised! League is especially popular in Yorkshire and Lancashire, in the north of England. T you might guess, have seven players on each side and will be an Olympic sport in Rio in 2016. www.irbsevens.com

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Venues in Britain national ground the Millennium Stadium is in the heart of Cardiff. Murrayfield in Edinburgh is the home of Scottish rugby, while in Belfast in Northern Ireland you can catch a game at Ravenhill Park. displayed by the fans which will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

The Twickenham Rugby Museum and Stadium Tour teaches you about the history and traditions of the game and lets you experience stepping into the (large) shoes of some of the most famous players imagine running out onto the pitch in front of 82,000 screaming fans, and give the players tunnel a go yourself (but without the 82,000 fans!) Inside the museum you can see how the game has developed into the worldwide phenomenon it is today and watch match footage as far back as the 1930s. Did you know rugby balls are oblong because they were originally made from pig bladders, which became this shape when inflated!? Tickets are available on the VisitBritain shop. www.visitbritainshop.com, Twickenham Stadium is the home of www.rfu.com/twickenhamstadium/stadiumtours English rugby. Available at www.scottishrugby.org www.wru.co.uk www.irishrugby.ie www.visitbritain.com/media Key dates

The main international competition is the RBS Six Nations that includes England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France and Italy and takes place from February to March. In the autumn many southern hemisphere teams, including South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Fiji and Argentina come to play matches too. www.rbs6nations.com Rugby League World Cup 2013

This year the Rugby League World Cup will be hosted by England and Wales across 22 seeing some great sporting action with parts of the country that otherwise might not figure on a traditional to do Papua New Guinea take on France in Hull, a two and a half hour train ride north of London, for example you could then head south along the beautiful Lincolnshire coastline, or north to see the undulating Yorkshire Wolds and beautiful North York Moors. The first match kicks off at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on October 26, then the final whistle will blow after the match at Old Trafford in Manchester on November 30. www.rlwc2013.com

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Rugby Union World Cup 2015

Fans need only wait two years until the Rugby World Cup comes home to England and Wales, from 18 September to 31 October. Twickenham will host the final game, and several football stadiums will see action too including Old Trafford in Mancheste in Newcastle (a three hour train ride north of London), Anfield in Liverpool in the northwest of England, and the Emirates in north London, more readily recognised as the home of Arsenal FC.

www.rugbyworldcup.com

For more information on the Rugby Union World Cup, media can contact [email protected]

Olympic Legacy No one who watched the Olympic and Paralympic Games in London last year can doubt what a massive success they were. Now you can relive the magic and see the famous Stadium one year on from the unforgettable event.

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

Many people who visited London for the Games, or just watched it all on TV, fell in love with the east London park the Queen Elizabeth Park as it is now officially called and have been clamouring ever since to know when they can get back to enjoy it again. Well clamour no more.

The park is being transformed and a limited number of Park in Progress tours to see that transformation are currently available tallest sculpture, the ArcelorMittal Orbit, whose artistic, The future Queen Elizabeth twisting form became one of the symbols of the London Olympic Park; home of the London games. Park in Progress tickets are available to buy on the 2012 Olympics Available at www.visitbritain.com/media VisitBritain shop from end March 2013 www.visitbritainshop.com.

When the work on the venue is finished there will be five iconic sporting venues within two zones, the North and South. The North Park and Copper Box will open first, in summer 2013. The Copper Box will be able to host basketball, wheelchair basketball, handball, volleyball, netball, judo, fencing, table tennis, badminton, gymnastics and taekwondo. The

The South Park includes the Stadium, where major international championships and concerts will take place;

best sporting talent can swim and train; and the ArcelorMittal Orbit.

Sport | 16 New neighbourhoods, commercial space and sporting venues will form part of the new Queen Elizabeth Park when it fully opens next year. Available at www.visitbritain.com/media Around the park there will also be 8,000 new homes, five new neighbourhoods and 91,000 square metres of new commercial space.

Confirmed events: The Wireless music festival will take place at the Park this summer on 12-13 July with acts including Jay Z, Justin Timberlake, Emeli Sandé and Calvin Harris. Looking ahead the 2017 World Athletics Championships will also be staged there.

How to get there

The easiest way to reach the park is via Stratford, station, with nine rail lines and 195 trains each hour. It takes just seven minutes to travel from here to Kings Cross St Pancras on the high speed train. International trains to Lille, Brussels and Paris are planned to stop at Stratford International in future. www.noordinarypark.co.uk www.wirelessfestival.co.uk

Another Olympic venue: Lee Valley White Water Centre

In north-east London another Olympic venue is already a hugely popular success the Lee Valley White Water Centre. You can raft the rapids on the 300m-long course, even as a total novice, and experience the same adrenaline rush that Olympic participants did, or you also can canoe or kayak.

are facilities to help disabled guests get in and out of the rafts.

You can get to Lee Valley by taking a Great Anglia train from Liverpool Street station and getting off at Waltham Cross, which takes about 25 minutes, or take the Victoria Line underground from central London to Try your hand at white-water rafting at the Tottenham Hale and change there for a Great Anglia Lee Valley White Water Centre in London. train to Waltham Cross. Available at www.visitbritain.com/media www.visitleevalley.org.uk

Weymouth Sailing Academy

Or how about hopping in a boat in Weymouth, on the south coast of England and a three- hour train ride from London Waterloo station, where the Olympic sailing events took s premier sailing venue, which has train t has excellent facilities for disabled guests including ramps, braille signs and lifts. www.visitweymouth.co.uk www.wpnsa.org.uk

Media enquiries relating to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park should be directed to [email protected]

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Football enjoying the beautiful game in Britain Britain is the home of football, and though the sport is now a worldwide passion, the history of the game began here. Bill Shankly perhaps the most respected and successful manager of Liverpool Football Club once said some people believe football is a matter of life and death. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that. hat many British people agree, not to mention taxi drivers in Lagos wearing a Chelsea shirt or fans of Newcastle United gathered round a TV set in Kuala Lumpur in the early hours of the morning. Home of Chelsea Football Club, Stamford Bridge. The history and significance of football in Britain Available at www.visitbritain.com/media cannot be understated. The word football is first mentioned around 1400 and there is evidence of teams knocking a ball around in an organised form since the 16th century, but he game was codified in London 150 years ago this year. A few years earlier in 1857 Sheffield Football Club was

Nottingham, an hour and a half north of London by train) carries the title of oldest fully professional associated football club and was founded in 1862. tour, right through to trying out a penalty shootout at the National Football Museum, e their passion in Britain.

See www.visitbritain.com/football for information on enjoying the game in Britain. VisitBritain has also Marti Japanese Shinji Kagawa, signed to Man U, as well as many more. You can view their interviews, with details of what they love about Britain on www.visitbritain.tv/partner- channels/premier-league.html.

Shoot!

Nothing beats actually going along to a Premier League match, which take place from August to May. Thomas Cook Sport sells tickets for international visitors to nine Premier League clubs including Manchester United, Chelsea (in London), Everton (in Liverpool), and West Bromwich Albion (in Birmingham) among others; the company has sub-contractors in international markets.

It can sometimes be easier to get tickets to matches from clubs further down the league, or even other leagues like the Npower Championship League or the Scottish Premier League. Being mostly in city centres, stadiums are easy to get to by train and if you stay in a city like Sheffield, Glasgow, Newcastle, Manchester or Liverpool you could create a story around the rivalry and intrigue that swirls around clubs situated just a few miles apart. www.thomascooksport.com www.premierleague.com www.football-league.co.uk www.scotprem.com

Sport | 18

Score!

n always go on a stadium tour at a club such as Tottenham Hotspurs or Arsenal in London, available to buy through the Visit Britain online shop (www.visitbritainshop.com).

At Arsenal, for example, you can explore behind the scenes with an audio-guide (available in various languages from Mandarin to Dutch), see where your favourite star hangs up his kit in the changing room, peer out from the tunnel onto the pitch and imagine the roar of the crowd, and tour the museum. Even better is the legends tour where your guide could be Charlie George (a member of the 1971 FA-cup winning team) or 1987 League Cup- winning captain Kenny Sansom.

Many fans tour Wembley Stadium too, which has hosted everything from UEFA Champions League matches to music concerts broadcast around the world. You can climb

- important press conference.

Plenty of other clubs offer stadium tours including Manchester United, Bolton Wanderers, Middlesbrough, Celtic in Glasgow and the Liberty Stadium in Swansea home to Swansea City FC who have just entered the Premier League. While at Celtic, check out the Scottish Football Museum at Hampden, whose 14 galleries promote the unique heritage that fuels the passion of fans north of the border.

Explore!

National Football Museum, which has proved very popular since it opened in 2012 - even with non-football fans. Best of all, entry to all but a few of its interactive features is free. Once through the turnstiles its exhibits highlight the history of the beautiful game and show why in Britain football goes deep into our national psyche, while the Hall of Fame celebrates the greatest clubs, teams and players. You can shoot a penalty then share your scores with friends online, find out how the media reports on what happens on and off the pitch, as well as an exploration of how football and fashion mixes. Everything to bring out your inner Beckham! www.visitbritainshop.com www.nationalfootballmuseum.com www.scottishfootballmuseum.org.uk www.wembleystadium.com

Sport | 19

David Beckham revealed his top suggestions, launched by Samsung Electronics last year in partnership with VisitBritain. with family friendly activities as well as sporty suggestions. Here are his exclusive tips (published on VisitBritain media centre 18 June 2012):

1. Take a tour of Buckingham Palace

Beckham says: I've always been brought up to love the Royal Family and this year is a been the scene of so many great moments in British history none of us will ever forget the amazing Royal the summer so you can have a look around the State Apartments.

2. Experience some real East London food at

Beckham says: tip for a real East London food experience got to try Pie & Mash (Tony Lane's Pie & Mash shop in Waltham Abbey is a favourite).

3. Go on a stadium tour of Old Trafford and the new Wembley.

Beckham says: I've been fortunate to play in The Premier League, one of the greatest e atmosphere of being there for a game. places like Old Trafford, Anfield and Stamford Bridge, and of course, Wembley www.visitbritainshop.com (for stadium tours), www.wembleystadium.com

4. Grab some fresh air at one of the Royal Parks

Beckham says: with the kids Hyde and Regents Park are like an oasis in the Central London. Or get away from it all in Richmond Park where you can see wild deer, horse ride and amazing views across London.

5. Play a round of golf at St Andrews.

Beckham says: It seems like many sports in the world have their origins in Britain and of the most beautiful and challenging courses in the world. If you love the game, make your way to the Old Course at St Andrews Links. www.standrews.co.uk

Camden, Portobello or Spitalfields.

Beckham says: Britain leads the world in fashion and has some of the best shopping

the capital then you will

Sport | 20 be spoilt for choice around town and some fantastic markets like Camden, Portobello and Spitalfields.

7. Take the kids to a theme park or on the Harry Potter tour

Beckham says: g a father of four. You're never far away from one in Britain: Alton Towers is close to Stoke and just outside can see the making of Harry Potter movies. www.thorpepark.com, www.altontowers.com, www.visitbritainshop.com (for the WB Studio Tour The Making of Harry Potter).

8. D War Horse or Jersey Boys;

Beckham says: s Theatre land, I love going out with the family to a show. The West End is famous for musicals and shows and they are great for a night out or a family matinee. Young and old will love the Lion back in London like like War Horse, or Jersey Boys.

9. Eat at or NOPI in London;

Beckham says: You can get great food from all over the world in Britain and some of the l night out at the Ivy, Ceconnis or Nobu, somewhere new like the Bread St Kitchen or Nopi in London. www.cecconis.co.uk, www.nopi-restaurant.com

10. Go for a walk in the countryside and stop off at a pub along the way.

Beckham says: Britain is famous for its countryside, and where better to end a bracing walk than sat by a log fire in one of our beautiful country pubs. The best places will always welcome kids and serve great local food.

See www.visitbritain.com/en/Things-to-do/Food/Top-10-historic-pubs.htm for advice on enjoying pub culture in Britain.

All eyes on centrecourt tennis in Britain

Wimbledon

Say Britain in summer and for many people around the world the first image that pops into their head is Wimbledon, the oldest tennis tournament in the world and probably the most prestigious. The two-week extravaganza in southwest London is more than just a series of games between players at the strawberries and cream, champagne, a

summer. Available at www.visitbritain.com/mediaSport | 21

glass or two of Pimms (a refreshing gin-based drink laced with mint and fruit), passionate fans, and OK, perhaps the odd rain shower or two.

You can get ticke British and queue up some people even bring a tent to stay overnight in order to try to

Experience, which offers accommodation and match tickets for those who want to guarantee their attendance.

t takes place (this year 24 June 7 July), you could always visit the excellent Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum and Tour, tickets for which are available through the Visit Britain online shop. The guided tour lasts around an hour and a half and includes a look at Centre Court, the pressroom, a 3D hologram of John McEnroe (you can not be serious!) and various areas that are otherwise off-limits to the general public. www.wimbledon.com www.aeltc.com www.wimbledon-experience.com www.visitbritainshop.com

Other tennis tournaments

T though. In early June the tournament takes place for male players in west London. Tickets are also offered in a ballot (which closes in February each year) and a small number of Centre Court and ground admission tickets are available on match days. The club was founded in 1886. www.queensclub.co.uk

In Eastbourne in East Sussex (on the south coast, an hour and a half by train from London) the AEGON International tournament for female players is another warm up for Wimbledon and takes place in mid-June. Tickets are available through the Lawn Tennis Association website. www.lta.org.uk enjoy the indoor ATP World Tour Finals at the O2 Arena near Greenwich in Southeast London, which attracts many top players; Federer played Djokovic in A statue of the legendary Fred Perry stands in the grounds of Wimbledon. Available at Andy Murray played too. Buy tickets www.visitbritain.com/media through the ATP website. www.atpworldtour.com

Real tennis

For a look at the history of the game, you could enjoy going back in time by having a lesson of Real Tennis at the Royal Tennis Court in Hampton Court Palace the home of Henry VIII - in south London. The first tennis courts were built here around 1526 by

Sport | 22

Cardinal Wolsey. Although the game, which is played indoors, might look like a strange mix of tennis and squash, its techniques, strategies and rules are more complex and difficult than the modern game we know today. www.royaltenniscourt.com

A tennis retreat!

And in 2014 why not combine all this with a stay at Olympic Gold Tennis Medallist Andy Mu capital, Edinburgh? The hotel is scheduled to reopen next year ahead after a thorough refurbishment as a luxurious five-star venue, just in time for the Ryder Cup.

General media enquiries regarding the All England Lawn Tennis Club at Wimbledon should be directed to Johnny Perkins [email protected]

Cricket: d we reveal the mystery of

our national summer sport, and played since the 16th century is not as complicated as some people would have you believe.

The basics

There are two teams of eleven players. Teams bat in successive turns, each turn called an innings, and try to score points, called runs. The other team fields and tries to end the

nd all this can last from an afternoon to five days. Simple!

What is certain is the passion this seemingly genteel game arouses particularly so when England plays Australia every four years for the trophy known as the Ashes (a trophy that is just 155mm tall!)

Key events

The Cricket World Cup is played every four years, likewise the Ashes are contested every four years between England and Australia; the ICC Champions Trophy has been played every two years since 1998; this year will be the final edition of the Trophy and will be played in England and Cricket on the village green is a popular sport during Wales in 2013. the British summer. Available at www.visitbritain.com/media The ICC Champions Trophy

The ICC Champions Trophy matches will be played between 6-23 June, across England and Wales. The ICC stands for International Cricket Council, and the tournament will involve the eight highest ranked One Day International teams as of six months prior to the tournament (this year England, Australia, India, Pakistan, South Africa, West Indies, Sri

Sport | 23

Lanka, New Zealand). The venues used include Edgbaston in Birmingham, which will host the final, as well as The Oval in south London and the Cardiff Wales Stadium. See below for a brief intro to Birmingham and Cardiff (aside from cricket).

You can buy tickets to matches here www.eticketing.co.uk/icc-champions-trophy- 2013/default.aspx and travel packages here www.icctravel.net.

The Ashes 2013

In 2013 England and Australia will play the first match of the Ashes tournament at Trent Bridge in Nottingham, an hour and a half from London by train, and there will be other matches at Edgbaston in Birmingham, also just over an hour and a half by train from London, Cardiff in south Wales and the Oval in south London.

See www.ecb.co.uk for all dates and venues.

t cities

Nottingham is a buzzing city and well-placed for some great countryside retreats, in the home of Robin Hood at Sherwood Forest (see www.experiencenottinghamshire.com). Birmingham is a vibrant city, with contemporary arts and media hub the Custard Factory adding an edge of cool, some of the best curries in Britain and a lovely Jewellery Quarter (http://visitbirmingham.com). Cardiff meanwhile is the capital of Wales and home to an atmospheric castle, the excellent Wales Millennium Centre for music, and the gateway to the Brecon Beacons National Park for more exploration of country pursuits! (See www.visitcardiff.com). London may be known to most, but did you know that in south

Mind the Gap tours to spend the morning tasting your way around Brixton and Borough markets.

Tour Lords

If you want to get to the heart of the game take a tour of the historic Lords cricket ground in north London and have tea and cucumber sandwiches in the historic Long Room. www.lords.org/history/tours-of-lords

Watching cricket

Enjoy a fast-paced Twenty20 game (quicker than traditional matches) at a ground such as Headingley in Leeds, a two-hour train ride from the capital, or the Rose Bowl near Southampton on the south coast of England. See www.cricket20.com.

Or spend a Sunday at a village in the countryside, picking up the rules from the spectators. Here are five picturesque villages where you can hear the sound of ball on bat and try to fathom your googlies from you silly-mid- .

St Fagans is a lovely village a ten minute taxi ride from Cardiff in south Wales. After the match retire to the Plymouth Arms down the road for a pint of Brains Bitter.

Sport | 24

Bearsted in Kent is a quintessential English village and only an hour by train from picture of traditional country life, and head to the Oak on the Green after the match for a pint or two.

Norton St Philip southwest of England. The pitch is almost in the shadow of the village church and you can get a pint at the George Inn afterwards.

Melrose Cricket Club Edinburgh, is a lovely spot to watch a game of cricket, and a cosy pub/restaurant nearby would be the Buccleugh Arms Hotel.

Hambledon, a 20-minute drive from Portsmouth which itself is an hour and 40 minute train ride south of London, is a small village sometimes called the cradle of cricket .

For more information on cricket in England and Wales media should contact Andrew Walpole [email protected]. For more information on cricket in Scotland contact Ines Krieghofer [email protected]. www.ecb.co.uk www.cricketscotland.com

Motorsport Britain is mad for motorsport since the Formula One began in 1950, the UK has provided ten different champions who have won 14 titles between them, which is more than any other nation. Of the 12 teams currently competing in F1, 8 are based in England.

The Midland region of England is the home of Formula One in Britain, where many of and the site of historic tracks and heroic moments. The most famous tracks are Silverstone, Brands Hatch, Donington Park, Snetterton, Rockingham Speedway, Thruxton and Mallory Park. Silverstone was home to the first Formula One Championship Grand Prix in 1950, and now hosts the annual British Grand Prix (28-30 June this year), the biggest date in the motorsport calendar in Britain.

Experience the track yourself

Silverstone and Brands Hatch both offer great driving experiences.

At Silverstone you can choose from dozens, including the Hypersonic where you drive with a pro, reaching speeds of up to 150mph you get to compare the merits of a Ferrari against an Aston Martin. Silverstone is 90 By public transport, the nearest stations are Northampton, Banbury or Milton Keynes, both of which offer fast connections to destinations throughout the country. www.silverstone.co.uk

Brands Hatch offers a similarly comprehensive array of driving experiences, including Mudmaster, where you can test the limits of a 4x4, and SuperRides from £25, where a pro will whizz you around in a Palmer Jaguar JP-LM Le Mans-style sports car. Brands Hatch is in Kent, 20 miles outside central London. www.brandshatch.co.uk

Sport | 25

see and be seen. Oh, and see some sport too Back in the days when Downton Abbey was for real, the British aristocracy would pour forth from their stately homes in summer for a series of social events when seeing and being seen were just the right thing to do.

New dresses would be shown off and eligible daughters paraded in the hope that a young chap of good standing - and a large bank account or the right title, hopefully both - might take a shine to her.

This was called the Season and although it no longer exists in a formal fashion, it certainly does in a more democratic informal sense, centred around sports where the actual action chance for a fun day out with friends with the chance to glam up, plus you never know who from royalty to reality TV.

The Epsom Derby

Popularly known simply as the Derby pronounced darby by the way this prestigious horse race for three-year-old colts and fillies is run over one mile, four furlongs and ten yards (2,423m) and first took place in 1780. Its home is Epsom, in south London, easily accessible from Victoria station.

(with winnings of £1.25m) and the event held on the first Saturday in June is usually attended by the Queen, Prince Philip and other members of the royal family. know a thoroughbred from a donkey. You can have a bet from as little as £2, and there are plenty of opportunities to buy food and drink as well as have a good view of the action. If your ticket allows Epsom Derby has been a fixture on the racing calendar th gentlemen will be expected to wear black since the late 18 century. Available at www.visitbritainimages.com. Credit VisitBritain/Britain or grey morning dress with a top hat or on View national costume, while ladies are expected to wear a fascinator or a hat. www.epsomderby.co.uk

Royal Ascot

Sporting purists would argue that the five days of racing that take place just to the west of London during Royal Ascot this year 18-22 June are some of the most dramatic and high quality during the whole year.

But then there are those and they are many - fashions in the grandstand and beside the parade ring, because the week has become

Sport | 26 known as much for being a giant fashion parade as for anything that actually takes place on the turf. up and wear an amazing hat the more amazing the better your chance of being on TV or making the front page of the newspapers the next day. This is especially true on Ladies Day.

Royal Ascot dates back to 1711, when it was founded by Queen Anne. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth attends with various members of the royal family, arriving each day in a horse- drawn procession from Windsor Royal Ascot is almost as much about the fashions as it is about the horse racing. Available at www.visitbritainimages.com. Credit Castle. VisitBritain/Grant Pritchard.

The Royal Enclosure is the most prestigious part of the course and entry is highly prized even to apply to enter you have to be nominated by someone who has attended the enclosure for at least the last four years. A dress code is strictly enforced: a day dress of a certain length with hat for ladies and black or grey morning dress with top hat for gentlemen.

-attended race meeting. Oh and if you are here for the horses, the Gold Cup is considered the top ranking prize to win. www.ascot.co.uk

Glorious Goodwood

Goodwood is another horse race meeting that takes place each August and as you stand looking at the gorgeous, rolling hills of the South Downs near Chichester in West Sussex you will agree it really is glorious indeed. More than 100,000 people flock through the gates during the five-day meeting to enjoy an atmosphere that is stylish but very unstuffy and relaxed. This year Ladies Day is on 1 August when tickets cost from just £14, so go most beautiful courses anywhere. calendar of events is the very stylish Goodwood Revival where classic cars meet classic coiffure and glamorous dresses. Rather than horses, the Revival is the popular historic motor race meeting and is the only event of its kind to be staged entirely in the nostalgic time capsule of the 1940s, 50s and 60s. Raid Portobello Market, hop on the train and step back in time. www.goodwood.co.uk www.southdowns.gov.uk

Sport | 27

Henley Royal Regatta

To the west of London, just over an hour by train from Paddington station, Henley on Thames transforms over five days of the first weekend each July from a pleasantly sleepy town to the absolute epicentre of world rowing. about but there again so is meeting up with friends and having a drink or two.

The regatta was first held in 1839 and has taken p lace every year since, with the exception of the two World Wars. Nowadays crews enter from all over the world and the races can be watched from the banks of the Crews from all over the world enter the Henley Royal Thames, with the Stewards Enclosure being the spot Regatta. Available at www.visitbritain.com/media from which to observe the goings on.

www.hrr.co.uk

Cowes Week

If you like messing about on the water in sailing boats, this is the week for you. And if you just like looking at it all, enjoying fireworks and hard-fought races with plenty of socialising with hardy outdoor, salty-seadog

festival takes place from August 3-10 in Cowes on the Isle of Wight, off the south coast of England.

www.cowesweek.co.uk A whole week is dedicated to sailing at the Polo annual Cowes Festival.Available at www.visitbritain.com/media Dashing young chaps charging around the polo field on their well-groomed ponies, equally well-groomed young ladies doing their best to catch their eye hoping, at the very least, of an invitation to an estancia outside Buenos Aires after Christmas Polo has evolved since the days of the Jilly Cooper - pitch socialising to accompany the sport.

Whether the players are British, Argentinian or from some other far- nothing nicer in summer than standing watching the action with a chilled glass of champagne in hand. Nowhere more so than the Guards Polo Club near Windsor, just outside west London. Matches begin in Try your hand at Polo at Cowarth Park nothing gets more British than that. Available on April and take place throughout the summer, with the www.visitbritain.com/media Cartier Qu n 16 June with the trophy presented to the winners by Her Majesty.

Sport | 28

Or why not join in? The Ascot Park London) anyone wanting a day out with a difference, from £95. Or else Cowo from the Guards Polo Club. www.guardspoloclub.com, www.coworthpark.com

Thrillseeking in Britain extreme sports to test your nerves Like to feel a tingle in your toes when it comes to sport? Then come to Britain. If u a thing or two, from skiing to surfing some of the

Coasteering

How to going for a hike around coastal paths, with the sea crashing on rocks below you, except that when the track runs out you jump into the ocean (dressed in a wetsuit, helmet and shoes) and swim or clamber round rocks to the land to start your hike again. Although you can do it in several spots in Britain, including the coast of Devon in southwest really taken off in west Wales where it was pioneered the dramatic Pembrokeshire coastline really lends itself to the sport. www.visitwales.co.uk www.britishcoasteeringfederation.co.uk Get an adrenaline rush with coasteering. Available at www.visitbritain.com/media Skiing

! Excuse me? Yes you can go skiing and snowboarding in Britain Scotland has five ski resorts, the best known of which perhaps are Cairngorm, south of Inverness, and the above-mention Glenshee, north of Dundee. The mountains of Scotland have a dramatic beauty in winter so you can combine a day on the whisky distillery or two.

See http://ski.visitscotland.com for details.

Surfing

Surfing is now well-established in Britain and even you be promised quite as many hours of sunshine as Bali or Bondi, you are guaranteed a surprisingly varied number of

Sport | 29

From the north of England to the west of Wales, Britain boasts some top surf spots. Available at www.visitbritain.com/media places to hang ten and catch some breaks. Cornwall, in southwest England, is the best known surf hangout centred on the town of Newquay, but you can enjoy the sport all over, from Saltburn in Cleveland in the northeast of England to Freshwater West in Pembrokeshire in Wales. And it might surprise some people to know that one of the top surf spots in Britain is at Thurso on the far north coast of Scotland, considered to have some of the best waves in all of Europe. Also check out Bridlington, a coastal town in Yorkshire (around two hours by train from Leeds) that claims to be where surfing first started in Britain. Its stunning sandy beaches were where two Hawaiian princes, studying in Britain in 1890, visited as a reward for good school work and took to the waves with homemade surfboards. www.surfinggb.com

Wild Swimming

This sport is becoming more and more popular in Britain. Why restrict yourself to the repetitive lanes of a swimming pool, when you have glorious rivers and lakes to dive into? With the right guide and knowledge you can swim in lots of different venues including the River Thames, the lakes of the Lake District, the Isles of Scilly, idyllic islands located just off the far southwest tip of England and off the west coast of Scotland, warmed by the benign effects of the Gulf Stream. www.wildswimming.co.uk www.swimtrek.com www.coningham-rolls.com

Sea Kayaking

The West Coast of Scotland, along with her islands, makes sea kayaking in this part of the country a breathtaking experience. Explore the Knoydart peninsula for example (accessed the island of North Uist, with its coves and sea lochs (fly one hour from Glasgow to Benbecula on neighbouring South Uist then cross the causeway in a taxi for 40 minutes to Lochmaddy). And from May onwards the days are especially long with the sun high in the sky. organise accommodation too. www.wildernessscotland.com http://active.visitscotland.com

Winter Mountain Adventures

Is your idea of cosy winter accommodation a hole th t on top of a Scottish mountain? In the Cairngorms National Park, south of Inverness, you can hike up a 1245m-high mountain and across glistening plateaux before learning how to dig your own snow hole then bundle up for the night with a guide serving you a 3-course meal in bed as a reward. www.scotmountainholidays.com

Kite surfing

You can kite surf in many places around the coast of Britain and with wind coming in off the Atla -day introductory

Sport | 30 extensive hiking paths and beaches, not to mention superb selection of hotels, cafes and -plus daily ferries. www.britishkitesurfingassociation.co.uk www.redfunnel.co.uk/ferries www.wightlink.co.uk

Run around Britain: marathons and more In April, 40,000 runners descend on the British capital for the annual London Marathon. There are plenty more running events throughout the year all over Britain: explore the network of running trails and take in some spectacular scenery along the way.

1. Glenariff Forest Park Scenic Trail, County Antrim, Northern Ireland

Level: Easy

This easy 10-kilometre circular runs through the pristine Glenariff Forest. It passes waterfalls, river gorges and bluebell woods, and takes in far-reaching views over the sea to the Scottish island of Mull. Glenariff is a one-hour drive north of Belfast. www.discovernorthernireland.com

2. The Thames Path, London, England

Level: Easy

Cutting straight through the heart of London, the Thames Path is a 180-mile National Trail that follows the banks of the River Thames. Run the 12-kilometre section between Greenwich and the London Eye ral. www.nationaltrail.co.uk/thamespath

3. Rutland Water, Rutland, England

Level: Intermediate

A haven for wildlife and runners alike, Rutland Water is a spectacular reservoir surrounded nty, Rutland, a two- hour drive from Central London. Runners can follow the 22-kilometre path around the perimeter of the reservoir, and spot tufted ducks and Eurasian widgeons among other avian curiosities. www.rutlandwater.org.uk

4. Glentrool Trail, Galloway, Scotland

Level: Easy

Loch Trool lies at the heart of the Galloway Forest Park in the southwest of Scotland. This 8.5-kilometre run circles the loch in an undulating loop that takes in some of southern S -hour drive from Edinburgh.

Sport | 31 www.gallowayforestpark.com

5. Pembrokeshire Coast Path

Level: Intermediate

This cliff-top trail through the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park in Wales a two-hour drive from Cardiff - is 300 kilometres of pure sensory overload. The short section between Fishguard and Pwll Deri offers a thrilling challenge to runners. www.visitpembrokeshire.com/coastpath

6. Scafell Pike, Cumbria, England Beautiful scenery will accompany you on a walk through the Level: Hard Pembrokeshire Coast Path. Available at www.visitbritain.com/media. Credit VisitWales

surrounded by the awe-inspiring scenery of the Lake District National Park in the North West of England. The 7- running challenges go it alone, or join in on the Scafell Pike Fell Race in September. www.scafellpike.org.uk

7. Cuckoo Trail, East Sussex, England

Level: Intermediate

This 22-kilometre path follows the line of an old railway through a rural corner of South East England. It begins in Eastbourne, a quiet coastal town just an hour and a half from London by train, and runs past woodland and quiet villages to the small market town of Heathfield. www.eastsussex.gov.uk/leisureandtourism

8. Templer Way, Devon, England

Level: Intermediate

A rolling 28-kilometre route that runs through Dartmoor National Park, in the south western region of Devon. It takes in moorland, river valleys and quiet canals before ending in the pretty coastal town of Teignmouth. www.dartmoor.co.uk

9. Snowdon Horseshoe, Snowdonia, Wales

Level: Very hard

Fell runners up for a truly adventurous challenge should tackle the Snowdon Horseshoe, an 11-kilometre circuit that takes in

Sport | 32

Adventurous fell runners should try the Snowdon Horseshoe for a real challenge. Available at www.visitbritain.com/media the highest mountain in Wales. It starts at Pen-y-Pass, a four-hour drive north from Cardiff, and traverses a knife- -metre summit. www.eryri-npa.gov.uk

Level: Intermediate-hard begins at the windswept seaside village of Portballintrae - a 1.5-hour drive from Belfast

Causeway Coast Marathon, or to enjoy a more manageable 10-kilometre circular jog. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/giants-causeway , www.26extreme.com Take part in a famous British run

The London Marathon

This great British classic is one of the most famous marathons in the world. The 2013 event takes place on 21 April and the entry ballot is now closed, but if you live outside of the UK and want to take part then you can still enter through one of the approved tour operators listed on the website. www.virginlondonmarathon.com

The Great North Run

The biggest annual sporting event in Britain, this 20-kilometre run circles the city of Newcastle in North West England. It kicks The London Marathon is one of entrants to sign up online. Available at www.visitbritain.com/media www.greatrun.org

Great Scottish Run

- hour drive from Edinburgh. This year, 23,000 runners are expected to line up at the start line on 6 October. www.greatscottishrun.com

Snowdonia Marathon

magazine, this challenging marathon encircles Snowdon the highest peak in Wales and a four-hour drive from Cardiff. Registration is now open for the 2013 event on 26 October. www.snowdoniamarathon.co.uk

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Belfast City Marathon

Now celebrating its 32nd year, this internationally acclaimed run will take over the centre

runners, and the day also includes a range of easier events for families.

www.belfastcitymarathon.com

Accessible sporting activities Britain offers great accessible attractions and activities for visitors with disabilities. The 012 was an ambitious and inspiring show, which saw disabled and non-disabled performers scaling dizzying heights in an amazing display of circus skills.

Here are some suggestions for accessible sporting activities.

Why not see Britain from the air? The Paralympic Opening Ceremony opened with a flypast by Aerobility, a charity that trains disabled pilots. The organisation's inspiring

conceivable disability, however severe, from injured military personnel to children with learning disabilities, turning the dream of flying into an ex Flights take off from four locations, which include Prestwick, southwest of Glasgow, in Scotland and Caernarfon in the northwest of Wales. Beginners are welcome.

www.bdfa.net Aerobility trains disabled pilots; the charity opened the The participants in the Paralympics Paralympics Opening Ceremony with a flypast. Available at www.visitbritain.com/media were trained at Circus Space in Hackney, east London, a school that prepares bona fide acrobats in their degree courses, as well as offering Experience Days for anyone who wants to try their hand at juggling, tight- wire walking and the flying trapeze. The organisation endeavours to make all courses and classes as accessible as possible, and is widening its accessibility further. It is best to call ahead to discuss access needs and the suitability of certain activities.

www.circusspace.co.uk

- Guillick of Rutland Sailability, at Rutland Circus Space attempts to make its circus skills courses as Water, a two-hour drive north of London. accessible as possible. Available at www.visitbritain.com/media Sport | 34

The organisation offers experiences to people with disabilities at every standard of sailing. On Thursdays non-member participants with any level of experience are welcomed to test the waters, and specially-designed access dinghies that cannot capsize assure safety. Nationally, Sailability clubs have enabled over 20,000 disabled people to experience sailing. www.rutland-sailability.org

The first London 2012 Olympic venue to reopen after the Games was the Lee Valley White Water Centre in northeast London. The 300m Olympic Standard Competition course produces grade 4 rapids for a thrilling and wet day out white-water rafting. The venue is accessible to wheelchair users, who enter rafts via hydraulic hoists from a pontoon. www.visitleevalley.org.uk

Walking on Air is a Scottish charity based a 45-minute drive north of Edinburgh that gliders, using the facilities adrenalin rush during take- peaks and lochs from above. www.walkingonair.org.uk

-free cycle and footpaths, the route around

alleys, rugged moorland, coastal cliffs and sandy bays and which can be navigated in a wheelchair tandem bicycle. www.bidefordbicyclehire.co.uk

The Calvert Trust is a fantastic organisation that organises adventure holidays for people with disabilities, together with their families and friends, to achieve their potential through the challenge of outdoor adventure in the countryside, across several locations including the beautiful Lake District, in the northwest of England, and Exmoor in the southwest of England. www.calvert-trust.org.uk This training workshop trained the performers in the Paralympic Opening Ceremony. Available at www.visitbritain.com/media For more information on accessible adventures, see the Tourism For All website www.tourismforall.org.uk

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Weird, wacky and wonderful Britain is a nation of pea-shooters and cheese-rollers. Famous for their eccentricity, British people regularly find time to race snails, wrestle in gravy and snorkel in murky bogs... plan your trip around the quirkiest events taking place in 2013.

Up Helly Aa, SHETLAND, SCOTLAND 29 January Up Helly Aa is a tradition that originated in the 1880s.

festival and involves a torchlit procession, the burning of a Viking longship and a ceilidh which lasts late into the night. The festival heralds the end of winter and the beginning of spring. The burning of the Viking galley Bog snorkelling of a Sunday afternoon? Why also commemorates the way a Viking warrior was not?!. Available on www.visitbritain.com/media cremated: by being pushed out into the sea in his trusty longship. In addition to this main Up Helly AA, there are also smaller ones throughout Scotland, details of which can be found on the website. www.uphellyaa.org

Olney Pancake Race, Buckinghamshire, ENGLAND Shrove Tuesday The unique Olney Pancake Race literally stops traffic as energetic local ladies in traditional housewife attire (including skirt, apron and scarf), run through the streets of Olney. The tradition supposedly began in the Fifteenth Century when a local housewife heard the ringing of the bell summoning the congregation to church while she was making her Shrove Tuesday pancakes in a rush, she raced to church carrying her frying pan. The course is 415 yards long and the pancakes must be tossed at the start and finish. The winner receives a kiss from the Verger at the end of the race, and a Shriving Service follows in the parish church. www.visitbuckinghamshire.org/events/olney-pancake-race-p692671

Bottle-kicking, Hallaton, Leicestershire, East Midlands, ENGLAND 1 April In true quirky fashion this involves no bottles and takes place in the village of Hallaton, two on Easter Monday (this year, 1 April). The event starts with a parade through the village, and neighbouring Medbourne. The two villages try and get the bottle actually a painted 5kg beer barrel across two streams one mile apart. It can go on all day. Eventually the teams retire to the pub, one victorious, one licking its wounds. www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk

Maldon Mud Race, ESSEX, ENGLAND 5 May Join 250 competitors in this mad scramble through the stinking, ink-black mud of the Blackwater Estuary in Essex. Entrants are advised to tape their shoes to their feet. Not for the faint-hearted, then, but lots of fun for anyone watching. www.visitmaldon.co.uk/events/mudrace.php

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Cheese rolling at Coopers Hill, SOMERSET, ENGLAND 27 May A passion for cheese is a must for this annual event, which involves daredevils hurling themselves down the steep, grassy slopes of Coopers H ill, near Gloucester, in pursuit of Double Gloucester cheeses. There are downhill races throughout the afternoon including ones for men and for women. The race starts with the master of ceremonies rolling a 7- 8 lb (4kg) Double Gloucester cheese down the hill. Dozens of competitors run, roll and somersault down Who can resist rolling cheese down a hill and then chasing it? the hill after it. www.visitbritain.com/media train from London to Gloucester, then 15 minutes in a taxi). www.cheese-rolling.co.uk

Man vs. Horse Race, Powys, WALES 8 June Starting from the square in Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys (the smallest town in Britain), the race is run over 22 miles of mixed and very hilly terrain. Up to 500 entrants compete each year. The Man v Horse Race was the brainchild of local man, Gordon Green, at the time when he was landlord of Neuadd Arms, after a discussion over a pint about the relative merits of man and horse. It took 25 years before a man finally beat a horse, when in 2004 Huw Lobb won in two hours and five minutes, finishing two minutes before the fastest horse. www.green-events.co.uk

World Egg Throwing Championships, Swaton, Lincolnshire, ENGLAND 30 June Contestants have to construct a gravity-powered egg- hurling device to launch an egg to a waiting team member. Distances to be achieved start at 30 meters but can be extended up to 150 in the knock out competition. Another activity that takes place on the day is the Russian Egg Roulette where two participants select from five hard boiled eggs and one raw egg - and they have to smash them on to their own foreheads. Egg-cellent activities take place at the World Egg Throwing Championships. www.swatonvintageday.com , www.eggthrowing.com Available at www.visitbritain.com/media World Pea Shooting Championships, CAMBRIDGESHIRE, ENGLAND 14 July Tension rises as the World Pea Shooting Festival in Witcham grows closer. In its 42nd year, the competition started as a means of fund raising for the village but has progressed to receive international recognition with contenders coming from as far afield as the USA. Skill will shoot one expert marksman (or woman) into the slot of World Champion, while the runners up can commiserate at the village fete that accompanies the festivities.

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World Snail Racing Championship, Norfolk, ENGLAND August, Dates TBC Ready, Steady, Slow! For more than 25 years, the World Snail Racing Championships have been held at Congham, near King's Lynn, in Norfolk. More than 300 snails slug it out for with a snail can enter and a number of heats are held before the grand final. The winner receives a silver tankard stuffed with lettuce. The world record is held by a snail called Archie who completed the 13-inch course (set up on top of a table) in two minutes. www.snailracing.net

International Worthing Birdman, WEST SUSSEX, ENGLAND August, dates TBC The Birdman is a flight competition for human-powered flying machines held each summer in the picturesque seaside resort of money for charities; others design complex machines to aim for the distance prizes. A substantial prize of £30,000 is offered for the furthest flight in excess of the challenge distance of 100 metres. The event attracts contestants from all over the world. The Birdman competition started in 1971 along the coast in Selsey and then spent 29 years in Bognor Regis before relocating to Worthing in 2008. www.worthingbirdman.co.uk

World Hen Racing Championships, Derbyshire, ENGLAND Competitors in the International Worthing Birdman competition, 3 August flinging themselves into the sea. The World Hen Racing Championships have brought an entire new Available on meaning to Chicken Run not to mention some egg-stra egg- www.visitbritain.com/media citement to the Peak District. Visitors to the Barley Mow pub in the village of Bonsall each August are able to catch sight of chickens racing along a 30-foot track, under strict world championship regulations. www.world-championship-hen-racing.com

Race the Train, Tywyn, MID WALES 17 August Race the Train event is a popular contest between man and machine. The race takes place alongside, as far as practicable, the route taken by the Talyllyn Railway on its journey to Abergynolwyn and back. In order to do this, all courses use a mixture of public roads, lanes, unmetalled roads, tracks, agricultural land, and rough grazing pastures. The terrain varies all the time and can be very wet and muddy in places, the routes also involve some steep hills. Often the train, or for many runners the track, is just over the fence and in many places if you coincide with the train any family or friends on the train will be able to shout encouragement. www.racethetrain.com

World Bog Snorkelling Championships, Powys, MID WALES 25 August Waen Rhydd peat bog on the outskirts of the smallest town in Britain, Llanwrtyd Wells, is home to this now-world-famous event. The aim of the championships is to swim two lengths (about 115 metres) of a peaty, murky trench, which has been dug out of the Waen Rhydd peat bog, in the quickest time possible. Competitors come from as far afield as

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Australia, America and Europe as well as from Britain for the pleasure of taking part. The snorkeller with the fast novel event was originally thought up by a local pub landlord Gordon Green in 1986 in a bid to boost tourism to the area. www.green-events.co.uk

World Gravy Wrestling Championships, Lancashire, ENGLAND 26 August The teams competing for the title slip and slide about in luke-warm gravy. Team members win points for pinning the opposition down in the gravy. This event was started in 2007 and brings out the crowds in force to laugh at the proceedings, while TV cameras and the press often record the event for audiences all over the world from Australia to America and Europe to the Far East. The winners will receive the glittering trophy and wallow in fame - if not fortune. www.worldgravywrestling.com

Egremont Crab Fair, Cumbria, ENGLAND 21 September Contestants put their heads through a horse collar and have a set time in which to contort their faces in the scariest, most grotesque, silliest expression possible. False teeth may be left in, taken out or turned upside down if desired. The person who gets the most applause for their ugly face wins! The Egremont Crab Fair dates back to 1267 to celebrate the time when the local Lord of the Manor wheeled a cart of crab apples through the village of Egremont as a goodwill gesture to the poor. Crab apples have a sharp taste and it is said the gurning competition originates from the faces the locals made when they bit into the sharp apples. www.egremontcrabfair.com

World Stone Skimming Championships, Argyll, SCOTLAND 29 September Each competitor is allowed 3 skims using specially selected Easdale slate skimming stones. For a skim to qualify the stone must bounce at least three times - it is then judged on the distance achieved before it sinks. The World Stone Skimming Championships were launched in 1983 as a fundraising event. Contestants hail from around the world and the championships now attract over 200 participants and many spectators. www.stoneskimming.com

World Conker Championships, Northamptonshire, ENGLAND 13 October The game of conkers has been a popular pastime of British schoolchildren for decades. The rules are simple. Each player is given a conker attached to a piece of string and takes turns World Conker Championships are held on the village green in Ashton, Peterborough and attract over 300 competitors attempting to become the King or Queen of conkers. www.worldconkerchampionships.com

Golden Spurtle, Inverness, SCOTLAND Date TBC (October in 2012) The annual World Porridge Making Championship is followed with interest by connoisseurs of Scotland's national dish across the world. Each competitor is required to produce at least 1 pint (200ml) of porridge which is to be divided into three portions for the judges to

Sport | 39 taste. The championship title is awarded to the competitor producing the best traditional porridge, made from oatmeal (pinhead, coarse, medium or fine). The event includes a pipe band, cookery demonstrations and product tastings. www.goldenspurtle.com

16 November The annual contest is held at The Bridge Inn pub in Santon Bridge, a hamlet of the Lake District. The competition is held in honor of 19th-century Bridge Inn landlord Will Ritson, who was famous for his incredible stories. Competitors are given five minutes to impress

World's Biggest Liar have included nuclear plant worker Glen Boyland, who won after telling an unlikely story about racing snails with Prince Charles. Politicians and lawyers are reputedly barred from entering, as they are considered to have an unfair advantage .

The Great Christmas Pudding Race London & Brighton, ENGLAND December, dates TBC teams from schools or companies aged from 14 to 70 - race around a 150-metre course balancing a Christmas pudding on a flimsy paper plate. They have to navigate two slippery inflatables, balloons filled with flour, jets of foam and limbo poles. To complicate things even further, they do it all in fancy dress. www.xmaspuddingrace.org.uk

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