River Bugging: the latest extreme sport now in Scotland
Only 50 ‘River Bugs’ exist in the world and Scotland-based adventure sport company Nae Limits has 10 of them! In partnership with Extreme Dreams (www.extremedreams.co.uk/), Nae Limits were the very first company to bring this latest white water activity over to Scotland from New Zealand (a mecca for extreme sports). This action sport has never been offered to the public outside of New Zealand and Australia but it’s now available just over an hour from Edinburgh and Glasgow in Dunkeld, near Perth.
River Bugs are a cross between a white water raft and an armchair and are so called as they make the rider look a bug or insect. Sound weird? Read on… River bugs are a single person craft, made up of inflatable chambers behind and beside the user (known as a "bugger"). These chambers ensure that you stay on top of the water, while extra thick padding turns colliding with rocks into a low-impact dodgems ride. After learning a few basic skills, you will be able to run the rapids, catch eddies, surf standing waves and even pirouette!
Nae Limits will provide you with a wetsuit, buoyancy aid, helmet, booties, fins and special webbed gloves. The gloves are designed to help with paddling and steering the bugs. You will be taught how to operate the craft, i.e., steering, safety, etc and then taken out to play on the river! If you only try one activity this year, make sure it is "River Bugging".
When can I do it?
April through to October.
Anything else I should know?
River Bugging lasts half a day.
What’s the minimum age?
16.