Every weekend in Scotland throughout the winter season, hundreds of would-be mountaineers head to the hills in search of adventure to bag their latest summit. Often braving the ferocity of the elements, these intrepid enthusiasts pit their stamina and strength against Scotland's highest peaks, rustling along in crisp Gortex in an array of garish uncoordinated colours. Loved ones at home believe that we are away to bag yet another dull, wet summit in some distant corner of the country. However, in reality, this elite band of nutters are in pursuit of the ultimate thrill, a little known past time able to challenge the adrenalin-rush of even the most daring adventure sports - welcome to the world of bum-sliding.Largely the preserve of men, bum sliding offers up the opportunity or excuse (depending on your perspective) to behave like a 5 year old. Despite it's current ranking as a non-olympic 'sport' it's certainly worthy of such status as most runs usually involve a variety of well honed sliding techniques and skillful manoeuvering. Successfully executed, one can glissade gracefully down a very steep slope at what seems like a hundred miles an hour, carving a luge-like piste through steep mountain coires with ones nether region before sliding to a halt with a spot of carefully placed ice-axe braking. However, should the slider select too challenging a slope down which to launch themselves, the thrill becomes a spill and the risks vary from wrapping your boy-bits round a protruding rock to launching oneself into oblivion.
With the imminent responsibilities of parenting in the not too distant future, this is likely to be my last winter on the mountains for a year or two so it's been a bit of a bum-slide fest over the past few months. Try it....you know you want to!
