HALF term may be over but the school summer holidays will soon be here.

With the six week break comes the opportunity to take the children out to explore the Welsh countryside.

And while walking and cycling are fantastic ways to get outdoors, a South Wales activity centre is taking it to the next level with quad bikes and gorge walking.

The Taff Valley Quad Bike activity centre, in Rhydyfelin, near Pontypridd – around 30 minutes from Newport by car.

But despite being close to the M4, the centre’s farm has perfect terrain for activities and assures visitors they will feel a million miles from the city.

Although quad biking is their trademark, the centre also runs activities including clay pigeon shooting, laser shooting, archery and gorge walking as well as having its own assault course.

And unlike other centres, the best thing is both children and adults can take part.

Quad biking is the centre’s signature activity. Over 12s and adults use the semi-automatic 90cc and 250cc Honda quads and can trek through the countryside.

All quad biking sessions start with a safety briefing and initial training on the practice circuit and once the instructors are happy with your progress, you are taken on a trek around the centre’s 360 acre working hill farm across fields, woodlands and bumpy tracks.

If you have any nerves, the centre said there’s no pressure and visitors will only be taken on routes that suit their abilities. But they say no experience is necessary.

For those younger than 12, the centre also runs quad biking for children aged seven and over.

Children are taken on automatic Yamaha quad bikes around the 150 metre circuit.

They start on a safety line which is attached to the back of their bike so, if pulled by an instructor, the engine will cut out.

The bikes can be hired for 45 minutes or an hour and children can either have a bike each or share one. The centre said sharing quad bikes is a popular idea for children’s parties, with kids swapping over on a quad bike every 10 minutes.

As well as this, the centre also runs clay pigeon shooting and laser shooting.

Clay pigeon shooting sessions last around 60 to 90 minutes and participants start off with easier shots and work their way up to more trickier shots.

Laser shooting – which is an electronic way of the traditional clay pigeon shooting – can be done indoors or outdoors.

Up to five people can shoot at one time and all aim for the same target. Whenever a trigger is pulled, the digital scoreboard generates the shotgun 'bang' and when a player hits the target it reproduces the sound of a breaking clay, the player with the highest number of hits wins.

Archery is also a popular activity and is suitable for both junior and adults. It can be held indoors in the barn or outdoors with fabulous views of the valleys below.

For more information about the activity centre please visit the Taff Valley Quad Bike Centre on 02920 831658 or email http://www.adventurewales.co.uk.