For many, it’s because their kids have taken them up – and they are inspired to get involved too. Mal Darwen, 49, moved to Cornwall after 30 years living in London. His 12 year-old daughter took her first surf lesson earlier this year – and was hooked within half an hour. “She’s wanted to go most days since,” he says.

Mal describes his interest in sport as “going into negative values”. However, since his daughter started surfing, he is booking surf lessons for himself. “Surfing is something we can do together as a family. As my daughter gets older, it’s increasingly clear that she’s going her own way. The more quality time we can spend together, the better.”

Other fathers I spoke to noted the same. By taking up the same sport as their kids, it is a fresh, enjoyable way to bond as a family. “I’m more of a dad since I started snowboarding,” says Nik Coultas, 40. “I’d probably still be working five days a week in London and just seeing the kids at the weekend if I hadn’t discovered snowboarding.”

Rob now has his BSAC Ocean Diver qualification and the family have visited Tenerife and Spain on scuba diving holidays. “We’re at the age when the kids aren’t around as much. Everyone is busy with work or college, but scuba diving pulls us all together as a family. It gives us another opportunity to do something together.”

Activity holidays are becoming increasingly popular with rad dads looking to spend time with their kids. Tour operator Thomson operates a company that focusses on active holidays for families called Robinson, which has resorts in Portugal, Spain, Italy and beyond. Rather than lounging by the pool, parents are more interested in cycling, surfing and scuba diving with their kids.

So why are this generation of fathers taking to the bike trails rather than bonding with their kids over watching TV? Many believe it is also partly due to an increased awareness of the importance of staying fit well into retirement age.

Cycling is one sport that’s seen a particularly large growth in recent years. The biggest growth in bike sales in Britain has been among men aged 35 to 44 wanting to get fit.

Jim Michell, 40, runs PR agency Barefoot Media in Cornwall. He took up mountain biking three years ago when his two girls were eight and six years-old. “I had my old mountain bike in the barn that I got as a teenager, dusted it off and gave the trails near my house a go. After wheezing up the first hill, I almost passed out, then took it a bit more steadily and kept going back for more.”

Now he goes biking at least once a week with close friends – mostly parents in their 40s. “I’ve never really understood the appeal of running or swimming lengths of the pool or going to the gym. It gets boring pretty quickly,” says Jim. “I have always been attracted to sports that have an adrenalin buzz, where you don’t really notice that you are doing exercise.”

“We’ve seen a huge upsurge in the 30 to 50 year old surfers, many of whom are fathers”

“Wider, higher volume hybrid surfboards rather than six foot toothpicks have completely revolutionised catching waves for the average guy. Boards and wetsuits available nowadays are so much more suited to this demographic than ever before that’s made surfing easier.”

In mountain biking, the transformation in kit has been amazing. “I got my first bike in the early ’90s and there was no suspension,” says Jim. “Full suspension bikes are amazing to ride.” So it’s not just a greater awareness of staying fit, but developments in kit that have brought about a resurgence in action sports.

Ultimately, these dads cherish their new-found sport because it’s a great way to bring the whole family together doing something positive outside – rather than playing video games and bickering over whose turn it is to do the dishwasher. That can only be a good thing, right?

You Might Also Like:

Wellbeing Is The New Hedonism | Why Those In The Know Are Swapping Boozy Breaks for Healthy Holidays

From The Beach to Boardroom | Why the Business World Is Falling in Love with Kitesurfing