Doing the plastic fantastic: ‘artificial’ adventure and older adult climbers

The aim of this paper is to determine the perceptions and experiences of climbing at artificial climbing walls (ACWs) as undertaken by a cohort of ‘young-old’ people (circa 65-75). The engagement of older people in outdoor activities and adventure is an evolving topic, however, as part of this development little has been written on the use of ACWs. Methodologically, the research employed in-depth semi-structured focus groups and interviews with a purposive convenience sample of six, subsequently expanded to ten through snowball technique. Male and female sexes were equally represented. Manual thematic analysis identified two key motifs: ACWs and the notion of adventure; and, ACWs and the potential for learning. The findings point at: what constitutes ‘real’ adventure for this group of older adults; the shifting nature of ‘old age’; the significance of self-awareness; and the role of reflexivity and physical activity in the construction of a ‘successful’ old age.