Words: Sophy Grimshaw
You’ve heard of surfing and may have already tried out snowboarding – now it’s time for sandboarding

Nevada, USA
In Fallon, Nevada, is Sand Mountain, a local legend. A million-year-old natural feature, the 400ft sand dune has become a leisure destination for off-road drivers and sandboarders. There’s even a charity dedicated to keeping the mountain tiptop, Friends of Sand Mountain (www.sandmountain-nv.org). If you’re driving from Las Vegas, Highway 95 cuts through the desert to take you all the way there. But it’s still a day’s road trip taking about six hours, hence Sand Mountain has its own caravan campsite and most visitors to the attraction stay for a couple of days.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Saudi sandboarders who are all too familiar with Dubai’s sand dunes are now turning their attention to the deserts around Riyadh. There are some large dunes in the area of desert closest to the airport, perfect for sliding down at high speed. These are proving a hit with sandboarders and have been attracting some attention from Sandboard Magazine (www.sandboard.com). The same stretch of desert here is still better known locally for a different kind of sporting activity, the annual Kings Cup Camel Race, where young boys become camel jockeys for the day.

Cairo, Egypt
If you’re flying into Cairo airport you can get a free shuttle bus to and from the Adham Compound Resort (Borg El-Arab Highway, +20 203 448 5883; www.adhamcompoundegypt.com). This hotel off the Cairo/Alexandria Desert Highway offers guests the chance to join four-day ‘sandboarding safaris’. The enthusiastic sports staff take you on a day’s coach ride (it’s air-conditioned) to the 120 metre high sand dunes in the desert at Siwa, where you learn how to sandboard during the day and camp in the desert at night.

On Home Turf Ireland
There’s a fledgling sandboarding scene in Ireland, thanks to curious members of the country’s surfing community. Irish sandboarders swap tips and advice on the message boards of the website www.boards.ie. The stretch of dunes on the coastline of County Meath at Bettystown and Laytown, just north of County Dublin, have long made it a popular golfing destination, and now this area has started to attract the attention of sandboarders scouting for locations.

*Sandboarding
sliding down sand at high speed on a purpose-made board, this is also known as sand surfing and dune boarding. Like snowboarding and surfing, it can be a competitive sport or just for fun. Technically, you can sandboard anywhere there is a high sand dune, but think carefully beforehand about any dune-protection or safety concerns. If you’re a beginner, it’s best to start off with professional supervision. To buy a sandboard, try your local surf or snowboard outlet, or look online at www.ebay.com or www.sandboarding.co.za