More unusual sports that feature include: riding a bull for eight seconds, heli-skiing – where a helicopter takes the skiers to inaccessible slopes  and wing-walking.

Considered the master of all bucket lists, this outlines the top ‘things to do before I die’. Rebecca Rudkin, a spokesperson for Activity People, said: ‘It shows that people either want to visit a particular place such as the pyramids or the Grand Canyon or experience an adrenalin sport like sky diving. See the list here

‘Rather than being depressing, most people regard the lists as a bit of fun and a reminder that life is short and if we really want to do something, we need to get on and do it. We are, after all, a long time dead,’ added Rebecca. To make more of living, click here.

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The charity puts the increased participation in adventure activities of older age groups down to a number of factors, saying: ‘Reduced working hours, retirement and fewer financial and family responsibilities mean that the opportunity for experiencing new thrills has suddenly become more accessible.’

According to The Activity People – the UK’s largest network of adventure sports – enquires from the over-60 age group are up 19 per cent in 2010 on the previous year. ‘Water sports, hot air ballooning, zorbing, skydiving and quad biking are all activities that are popular with this age group,’ said a spokesperson for the company.

Alongside the rising numbers of over 60s taking part in extreme sports, there has been an increase in the number of injuries in this age group. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) reported that more than a third of the 212 people in British scuba diving incidents requiring medical treatment last year were over 50.

But Aged UK believes the benefits of a more active retirement far outweigh the potential injuries. ‘The more active we are, the more strength and balance we have, and the lower our risk of heart disease and raised cholesterol. Combine physical activity with the great outdoors – where most extreme sports take place – and you’ve got two fantastic ingredients for a happy, healthy lifestyle,’ states the charity.

The charity also highlights the social benefits of extreme sports: ‘Another great thing about getting involved in extreme sports – no matter what age you are – is the social aspect. Widening your friendship group by linking up with other like-minded thrill seekers can be hugely rewarding – especially as meeting new people can become challenging as we get older.’

Activity People’s advice to its older customers is: ‘A lot of activities like hot air ballooning are less strenuous than others. But if you do want to do a strenuous activity such as scuba diving we advise that you get a doctor’s note declaring yourself fit.’

Janet, who’s a retired teacher in her 70s, joined a group of friends to celebrate her birthday with a skydive. ‘It’s something I have always wanted to do and it was wonderful. We had a terrific time,’ she said.

But she discovered they weren’t the oldest skydivers. ‘Our instructor told us he had a woman in her 90s skydiving,’ she said.

According to the New Scientist, the things that make you happy can extend your life by up to ten years.  Clearly, skydiving does it for these women.  Check out a range of activities for all ages and fitness ranges by clicking here.

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1. Monster Truck Driving, Sussex.Tired of the traffic and ready to put your foot down in a big way? Monster trucks are a ‘bad ass’ weekend driving experience. From £226 for a two-and-half hour session, it isn’t cheap, but the memory is as big and bold as the US ‘Grizzly’ truck you could be steering. And it’s just about the only time you will be able to bully your way over two police saloon cars without an expensive trip to Her Majesty’s courts.

2. Water Spills, Scotland. No year is complete without an excursion into the wilds of Scotland. Spring snow melts make for a rush of water and adrenalin in rivers across the central belt and the Highlands, which make it great for white water rafting. Prices start from around the £50 mark. And, while you’re up there, adding some canyoning and bungee jumping can make for an exhilarating weekend. The only difficulty is making sure it’s thawing and not still snowing.

3. Walking on water. Yes, really. You too can achieve the miracle of walking on water, courtesy of a plastic zorb. From about £20, the experience is a great buy and as the flotilla of You Tube videos testify, it’s the highlight of many a weekend.

4. Canyoning, Lleyn Peninsula, Wales. Canyoning or coasteering as some people call it, is a cross between mountain climbing, walking, pot-holing and swimming. Half-a-day’s canyoning is around £32.00. For that you get to make your way down a gorge in a wet suit, tackling obstacles as you go. But be warned, depending on the level of water, it can be a challenging activity requiring a high level of fitness. Maybe one to leave until later in the year, when you’re a bit fitter.

5. Riding, Oxfordshire. For those lucky enough to be born in the country, horses are akin to bicycles – transport that keeps you fit – but for the majority of UK urbanites, they are just creatures we lose money on at the bookies. A weekend visit to a riding school such as the one near Banbury can change all that. For around £30, you get a chance to ride indoor or outdoor, with qualified instructors at a centre approved by the Association of British Riding Schools.

6. Quad biking, Yorkshire. This Doncaster site is one of the UK’s most prestigious quad centres. Visitors get the chance bump and slide on Apache RLX 150cc, RLX 100cc and 50cc quad bikes over a disused quarry site. Prices start at around £25.

7. High Ropes, Devon. Close to Dartmoor National Park, the Tavistock high ropes course is another excuse to head to the west country for a weekend. The canopy-based activities offer challenges for different ages and levels of fitness, and start at £26.

8. Scuba-diving, Buckinghamshire. Scuba diving is a sport that is becoming more accessible and popular, particularly with the over 40s. And dipping a toe into the sport isn’t expensive. Less than £30 will be needed for an introductory session.

9. Ballooning, Lake District. William Wordsworth – one of the Lake District’s most famous sons – could have said: ‘I wandered lonely as a balloon.’ Surely, there can’t be a better way to view some of the UK’s finest scenery than perched in a balloon a few thousand feet in the air. Just imagine the poetry he may have come up with as he floated on high o’er vales and hills. Prices are around the £200 mark.

10. Off-road karting, Surrey. Just a short drive from the M25 is an off-road karting circuit without any traffic cones in sight. For between £80 and £90, you can rip up the mud and blow away all the memories of weekdays stuck on the M25. Proper driving that you can only dream about in the south east of England.

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