Newcastle-upon-Tyne is on the north bank, as the name suggests, of the River Tyne, just before it meets the North Sea. It was once one of the most important shipbuilding ports in the world, and ships constructed in the boatyards here would go on to sail the seven seas as merchant vessels, lifeboats, exploratory craft and naval battleships. But inland, the city is surrounded by rough terrain - to the southwest are the North Pennines hills, and to the northwest the Kielder Forest and the Northumberland National Park. There are no boats of any class that are much help here. Instead, you need an all terrain vehicle to get around - these ATVs are more commonly known as quad bikes.

Designed as utility vehicles for forestry and agriculture purposes, quad bikes have become one of the most popular outdoor leisure vehicles on the market in recent years. What makes them so popular? Well, it's a combination of excitement and ease of use. With big wheels, suspension and powerful engines, they’re capable of traversing the roughest terrain slowly and steadily, or at breakneck speed - depending on the preference of the rider! But they’re also stable on uneven surfaces and at slow speeds and this, along with their simple controls, means that first timers - including those without driving licences - can have a lot of fun on these machines alongside more experienced off-roaders. Finally, their simplicity makes them cheap to maintain, which keeps the prices of activities accessible to people of all kinds who are looking for an outdoor activity with a difference. And you don’t have to go far from Newcastle-upon-Tyne to get your hands on one.

Where are the best places to go quad biking in Newcastle-upon-Tyne?

• Matfen: Going against the flow of the River Tyne from Newcastle, you’ll pass the Matfen Estate. This is the site of one of the most famous, or notorious, quad biking venues in the country - the jungle challenge. It’s a route through woodland with all kinds of surface conditions, natural and artificial obstacles and buckets of mud. Getting stuck at some point is almost obligatory, but it’s no cause for concern because getting yourself out is just part of the fun. And that’s not the only quad based activity on the estate - there’s also a training circuit and a quad bike football pitch, where you players compete in teams to push barrels into each other’s goals. As if that wasn’t enough, other off-road vehicles like hovercrafts and even tanks are on offer here, so there’s enough to keep you and your group occupied all day.

• Hexham: The foothills of the Pennines are a fantastic place for quad biking, and there’s a venue here with everything that you need to get your off-road fix. To start with, there are the quads themselves - high quality bikes that come in a range of sizes to allow petrol heads of all ages to have a go. Next, there’s the riding - both a motocross style dirt track, and an off-road trekking route. Finally, there’s the opportunity to have the whole experience captured on camera, so that you can become the protagonist of a thriller movie and show off to all your friends.

• Chester-le-Street: The street of this town’s name dates back to the Roman period, when it was one of the north-south roads that connected the south of the country to the border at Hadrian’s Wall. You won’t find smooth and straight surfaces as the Romans were famous for building at the quad biking facility outside town. Instead, you’ll be out in the wilds, using one of these manoeuvrable machines to navigate muddy tracks, tight turns and puddles. As you’ll learn, the journey is more important than the destination when you’re riding one of these vehicles!

Options for organising this experience

Are you trying to blow off some steam? Or do you want to discover the landscape around the city of Newcastle-upon-Tyne in an innovative way? Whichever you want, you’re in luck. In this part of the Northeast, there’s the opportunity to simply get on a quad bike and take it for a spin for an hour, to get a break from your routine and responsibilities. Or, if you prefer, it’s easy to go on a trekking adventure in this area, putting the machine through its paces and testing your own endurance during a session that lasts 1.5 to 2 hours. Other options include some innovative activities such as football on board one of these vehicles.

Riding these vehicles is great fun, but why leave it at that? If you’re in the area, you might as well make a day of it - by combining your quad bike ride with some more activities in the great outdoors. In this area, you can try ATV's alongside other off-road vehicles such as hovercrafts, Segways and tanks. Paintball is another activity that can be enjoyed on the same site, and so are the target sports of archery, clay pigeon shooting and axe throwing.

Who can ride them?

We’ve mentioned above that you don’t need a licence to ride, and you don’t need experience or a lot of training to master the controls. This means that groups which include first time riders are welcome at Newcastle’s venues. It’s a popular choice for stag and hen dos, as well as birthday parties for adults or children. Some sites can accommodate groups of up to 7 people , while groups of 8 or more are catered for at others.

It can be a great family activity too. While some are only suitable for adults over 16 years of age - these are 150cc and 250cc models - children can ride special junior models in the area. For the youngest family member, aged from 6 to 9 years old, there are 50cc mini quads, while those over 10 years old can ride 90cc models.

Finally, you don’t need to be a veteran of outdoor activities and motorsports to enjoy this activity, because you’ll be provided with all the equipment you need when you arrive at your chosen destination. Helmets and overalls are included in your booking at all sites, you just need to make sure you’re wearing some good, closed toe shoes, and that you’re dressed for the weather.

A little mud never hurt anyone, and a little adrenaline does a lot of good, so book your ride with us today.