Ultimate Frisbee (Photo by Toby Green)
If you are looking for a way to keep yourself active over the summer, then Edinburgh is a great place to take up a sport which is a little bit different.
For a full body workout, head to Ratho for a spot of climbing. The indoor wall is the biggest in Europe and offers classes for beginners. Once you have got to grips with the techniquesm, and the tight fitting rock shoes, you will be on your way to climbing success. There are also the Alien Rock climbing walls in the city which are great for a quick climb on an evening, an is easily accessible by bus.
Frisbee is something which has gone from being something people played in the park, to, well something people played in the park – but now they are playing in teams. Alex Robertson, President of the Edinburgh University Ultimate Frisbee Club is a firm advocate of the 21st-century take on throwing a plastic disc around in the park, saying: “Ultimate is an amazing sport because it incorporates the physical fitness of all team sports, fast thinking and good field awareness, and the skill and coordination”.
Unlike many sports, Ultimate Frisbee does not have a referee, something that Alex and his group enjoy. “No referee means that players are expected to be good spirited and to call fouls on themselves and their fouls on others. Fouls can be contested by the offending player which can change the way that action is taken. This is a very important part of Ultimate and unspirited players do not often get very far.”
Students from Edinburgh Uni can join the team, or you could round up a group of friends, teams can be mixed, get a copy of the rules and give it a go.
Worm Charming, in all its glory (photo from wormcharming.com)
Now the Meadows are often deserted when there has been a lot of rain but some people would say that this is the perfect time for Worm Charming. This unusual sport is all about trying to coax worms out of the ground and whoever gets the most in a 30 minute period, wins. All you need is a plot of land that is three meters square and a little bit of imagination to charm the worms out of the ground, you can’t simply dig them out.
The rules also state that worms can only be released back into the wild once any birds have gone to roost in the evening, for their own safety. Why be a ‘charmer’ then? Well firstly it gets you outside and near to nature. Secondly all the movement that you will make in trying to get the worms to appear will probably give you a bit of a work out.
Words by Frances Allan and Gillian Swinton
