Mountainboarding

Mountainboarding is a board sport where you ride down grassy hills and dirt tracks on a board with four big, air-filled tyres. It's a bit like snowboarding and a bit like skateboarding, but you don't need snow or a skate park. Your feet sit in straps on the board, and you steer by leaning on your toes or heels.

A mountainboard has a long, sturdy deck with a set of wheels at each end, fixed on trucks that tilt when you lean. The tyres are chunky and pumped up with air, like small bike tyres, so they roll over bumpy grass and gravel. Foot straps, called bindings, keep your feet on the board as you ride.

Some boards also have a hand brake on a cord, but most riders learn to slow down by turning across the slope.

Freeride is all about cruising down the hill, carving big, smooth turns. Boardercross is a race, with riders speeding side by side round a course of bumps and bends. Freestyle is where riders try jumps, ramps and tricks, and downhill is about going as fast as you safely can.

Most people start with freeride on a gentle slope, then build up to small jumps once they feel confident.

Yes, it's a brilliant adventure for children and grown-ups alike. Your Activity Leader starts with a safety briefing and helps everyone into their helmet and pads. Next you find your stance: regular means your left foot is at the front, and goofy means your right foot is. Then it's gentle slopes first, learning to lean on your heels and toes to turn and stop. Everyone wobbles at the start, and that's all part of the fun. Families often end up cheering each other down the hill.

Closed-toe shoes are a must, and trainers with a flat sole work best in the foot straps. Wear comfortable clothes you can bend and move in, ideally with long sleeves and trousers. Helmets and pads for your wrists, elbows and knees are provided. You'll need to be able to balance on both feet to ride.

You might also like Grass Sledging, Skateboarding and Dune Buggies.

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