IF STANDING ON THE EDGE of a sheer precipice and peering down into the void chills your blood, or makes you break out into a cold sweat, you are not alone. That razor-sharp edge and gaping space below may give us an adrenaline rush, just not an enjoyable one. The trembling knees, the dizziness, the skip-a-beat heart, the relentless gut-churning, the sweaty palms - it’s all very, very real, and it’s not going away until you make it back down alive, in one piece.
But it’s possible to get the ‘height buzz’ that others rave about without risking life and limb. You might never make it to the top of Everest, but with a rope and well-secured carabiner or an experienced guide, you could perhaps flirt with mountaineering on a via ferrata, or canyon down a waterfall. If that sounds too intrepid, there are other challenges to haul you that bit higher: from treetop walkways and suspension bridges spanning gorges to city skyscraper lookouts, cable-car rides in the Alps, great glass elevators and high-level hikes that stick well away from the edge. Scenic flights are another way to get the views without all the brow-wiping phews. Challenge yourself on your travels by beginning at the right level, build up confidence gradually, and you’ll soon look down, but never back.
VIA FERRATA, MÜRREN, SWITZERLAND