Have you ever wondered if you’d be able to survive in a combat situation? Perhaps you daydream about defending yourself in the event of a zombie apocalypse? Or maybe you’re a video game strategic genius and you want to prove yourself in real life action? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, or if you’re just looking for a fun experience in the great outdoors with your mates, then paintballing is the sport for you. And great outdoors you will find in Cheshire, a rural county just across the River Mersey from Liverpool and Manchester.

Some of the stars of these cities escape the hustle and bustle of the city, the paparazzi and maybe even the fans by living in Cheshire villages rather than city centres. We’re talking about the footballers: greats like Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo. These footballers are famous for hitting their mark and bringing victory to their premier league and national teams, so why don’t you try to emulate their accuracy, not with a football, but with a paintball? Or if stealth is your preferred form of attack, you can take inspiration from another hot shot - James Bond actor Daniel Craig, who was born in Chester. But you don’t need to be making the kind of money that these celebrities earn, paintballing is a pursuit that’s open to all.

Where are the best fields to go paintballing in Cheshire?

• Chester: outside the county town, right on the border with Wales, you’ll find one of the premier paintball arenas in the region. Located on a Cold War era air defence base, this open air venue is covered with imaginative obstacles and strategic cover. Trenches, bridges, crates, towers and bunkers litter this battlefield, which hosts game modes including Capture the Flag, Prison Rescue and Border Assault. There’s even an option for kids: Splatmaster, just as much fun as paintball but with lower velocity guns so you can focus on the fun.

• Neston: on the Wirral peninsula, Neston hosts a top tier experience. Complete daring missions through natural and built environments with the latest kit. This is the perfect way to let off some steam, or build bonds with your friends, family or coworkers. You can work together to defeat the opponents, or join opposite teams to enjoy some friendly competition!

• Holmes Chapel: within easy reach of Manchester and Crewe, you’ll find Holmes Chapel’s densely wooded paintball arena. Friendly, professional marshals will give you a brief on safety and tactics, before you head into the woods to hunt down the enemy. Will you find them hiding in the mist between the tree trunks, taking cover behind log piles, or taking cover in the wooden huts of the village area? Wherever they are, make sure you bring the paint.

• Macclesfield: if themed games are your passion, make a visit to the woods around Macclesfield. You’ll explore pyramids, storm the fortress and get lost in the maze, all whilst armed with a semi automatic paintball marker - and even smoke grenades! You can come as an individual and join in the action, or make it a day to remember with your squad, either way, the fun is guaranteed.

Requirements to do this activity

This sport involves firing projectiles from air powered guns, known as markers. At some point during your game, you’re probably going to get hit - and though the projectiles are made of a soft gelatin shell with a liquid centre, it hurts a little. For this reason, there are minimum ages for experiences, 11 or 12 years of age is the most common limit on participation, but you can find options for younger children. A variant of the game, known as Splatmaster, uses less powerful markers which take the pain out of the impact. Children as young as 8 years old can take part in this game, and they’ll love it so much that they might not even want to transfer to adult paintball when they’re old enough.

Games, whether deathmatches, mission scenarios or other challenges are almost always played in teams. You can book as an individual and make friends on the day, or get a group together and multiply the fun. Many people come to Cheshire to celebrate the end of their single life with a bang, and so stag and hen parties are catered for around the county. Birthday parties are also common here for children, teens and adults. But if you want your fun day out to have a productive purpose, we suggest that you bring your colleagues along and engage in some teamwork in a completely different setting to the office - it’s sure to bring you together and make your team more friendly and effective.

How long does a game last?

You can book a single game for one hour, which will include the safety briefing and equipment set up before taking to the arena and letting rip. Or a more popular option is to book a half day or full day session. Again, you’ll start with the safety and equipment first, but then you have the chance to take part in multiple games across a variety of different game zones. If you come for a full day’s paintballing experience, you’ll have the time to get used to the kit and the tactics, making you a force to be reckoned with by the time you get to the final event of the day.

One piece of advice - keep an eye on your balls. Most bookings include ammunition to get you started, and while 100 or 200 paintballs might sound like a lot, in the thick and fast action you’ll be surprised by how quickly you use them up. Don’t worry, you can buy more during the day, but you don’t want to be stuck in the woods with no way to defend yourself as the enemies approach!

What do you need to bring the day of the activity?

If you’re worried about getting hit, you’ll be happy to hear that the first thing that awaits you in Cheshire is the safety equipment. You’ll get camouflage overalls which make you less likely to be seen as well as provide a barrier between you and the paint if you’re hit. The marshalls will also give you a mask that covers your eyes and face to protect you from headshots, and maybe even gloves so that the exposed skin of your hands doesn’t become a target. With all of that, you just need to make sure that you’re wearing the right kind of clothes - comfortable, sporty, and warm enough for the time of year - and shoes, which have to be closed toe, and should be appropriate for outdoor action.

Whether you want to take it seriously or just have a bit of fun, this area offers you a range of experiences that will exceed your expectations!