Best tunnel within easy reach of London, UK

[NickyCal 17]

I will be spending a couple of weeks later this month with the in-laws (outside of Kingston), sans gear and in need of some good excuses to get out of the house (ha!). I am also in serious need of some tunnel training, so figured that I could combine the two. I do have access to a car, but absolutely hate driving over there. I would prefer someplace that I can reach reasonably easily via rail and/or bus. My 10 year old would be coming along for his first tunnel experience as well. What do you guys recommend for a good tunnel nearish to London that will be able to offer some coaching, as well as some fun flight for the offspring?

[sirenoremac 0]

Airkix has tunnels in Milton-Keynes and Basingstoke. The Basingstoke is (I believe) one of the new skyventure designs while the Milton-Keynes one is an earlier generation of their recirculating design. Both should be good experiences, though I've not been to Basingstoke (It looks like a better tunnel than Milton-Keynes, which is already a totally decent tunnel). www.airkix.com

There is also the tunnel in Bedford. https://www.bodyflight.co.uk/
I can't speak to it as I've never been, but it is a big tunnel (16 ft!). It is a different design, I believe it was originally a military training tunnel though I'm not sure. I've heard good things from those who have been there too.

Any of those should be very good experiences, and are all about equidistant from London, depending on exactly where you are starting from. From Kingston, Basingstoke is probably the closest.

[adagen 0]

Can recommend Bodyflight Bedford. Good tunnel, excellent instructors, most of whom also jump. Worth ringing them up and talking to them about what sort of training you want to do - some very good coaches there.

Travel time not much different from going to the much smaller Airkix tunnel at Milton Keynes. Bodyflight is out of town, but I seem to remember that they may have a deal with a local taxi firm for journeys to and from Bedford station.

Advantage of Bodyflight is that you can make a day of it there. As well as the tunnel, they have a flowrider, climbing wall, race car simulator, vertigo jump, gym, pool, diner.

https://www.bodyflight.co.uk/

Link to work out train journeys http://www.qjump.co.uk/simplesearch.aspx

Anne

[cpoxon 0]

sirenoremac

From Kingston, Basingstoke is probably the closest.

As the crow flies it is, but looking at train times they are about the same, although Basingstoke station is much closer to the tunnel than Bedford is.

A few other points, Milton Keynes is a 12 ft and 1000 hp whereas Basingstoke is 14 ft and 1600 hp (and as such Milton Keynes is priced slightly lower), and as said Bedford is 16 ft. Milton Keynes has the SNO!Zone real indoor snow slope right next door if you want other stuff to do. Basingstoke has a Skiplex and Brushboarding in the same building which are artificial skiing and surfing (but not so much as the SNO!Zone and the Flowrider). All of the instructors at all of the tunnels are great and can offer coaching and fun.

If you are around at the end of the month there is a monthly gathering of skydivers in a pub that you might like to join for some skydiving banter, drinking and to meet the locals (not really suitable for 10 year olds though)

Skydiving Fatalities - Cease not to learn 'til thou cease to live