READY to plan an action-packed vacation where you're a participant rather than a spectator? Possibilities in that direction increase with every passing season. Whether it's mountaineering, golfing, kayaking, fishing, cycling, camping, river rafting, sailing . . . and on and on . . . the list of ever-growing offerings is long and impressive.

Let's start with fishing, a subject in which my family has always been involved. I'll never forget the year my father gave my mother a very special fishing rod and reel for Mother's Day. Or the child-sized rod and reels my brother Jim and I were given so we could participate in the sport as a family. Mine is eroding in deep water off the old Sister Bay Pier in Door County, Wisconsin, victim of a losing struggle to reel in a jumbo fish, when mother reached over to help.

Our earliest northern Wisconsin vacation trips usually combined camping, cottages, boating, fishing, swimming, picking wild blueberries, sightseeing and watching out for roaming bears. We never needed more than a hint of an excuse to take off . . . up to Door County in summer for the cherry harvest and autumn to buy a few bushels of locally grown apples . . . to Wisconsin's northwoods to watch leaves change . . . or Upper Michigan hauling back antique horse-drawn equipment for Dad's personal collection.

No one, even the most amateur angler, heads north without a tackle box full of lures. Fishing thereabouts is big business with a long list of legendary guides, boat rental companies, bait shops, taxidermists, lake front resorts and cottages.

Eventually, as adults, Jim and I became involved enough in the subject of fishing to write a long list of weekly and monthly fishing columns for outdoor publications. Although assignments have taken us to such diverse locations as shark fishing off Cornwall, deep sea fishing along Texas' South Padre Island, Florida and the Caribbean, our speciality tended to focus on Jim's favourite species, muskies, and mine, walleye, in the north country . . . plus some great adventures trolling up on Lake Superior in search of trophy-size lake trout and coho salmon, something my father had got us started on as youngsters.

Each spring, Jim and I and six other journalists regularly attended opening day with Wisconsin Governor Warren Knowles, an avid angler, for a long fun weekend of fishing and talking Wisconsin. We're still invited to Wisconsin's opening day, but now its got much larger, less personal with more than 50 fishermen.

Because of its proximity, we probably tend to take northern Wisconsin's thousands of forest land lakes too much for granted. One of these months we'll focus on their unique travel-worthy character because it deserves an article all its own.

But for now, let's consider going farther afield for a cross-section of a wide variety of other possibilities. Join a tweeded gillie for some salmon fly fishing on one of Scotland's grand estates or consider a really remote fly-in adventure to a wilderness Yukon camp where northern pike, Dolly Varden, Arctic grayling and lake trout make news.

How about Alaska's Aleutian Island chain for silvers, pink and sockeye salmon? Or Florida's world-class tarpon flats? Whether you're interested in Bahamas bonefish, Panama marlin or Costa Rica's yellowtail and sailfish, there's a special package available. They're fly fishing in Idaho and Montana's high country, even Iceland for Atlantic salmon.

Your travel agent will know about some of them including Sportfishing Worldwide, a division of SGH Golf, which has been sending golfers around the world since 1982.

NAME a headline course, it offers all-inclusive packages there . . . Scotland's Turnberry, Gleneagles, St. Andrews, Royal Troon, Nairn, Royal Dornoch. Ireland's Lahinch, Ballybunion, Adaire, Portmarnock, Portgugal's Algarve, Spain's Valderrama and "The Golf Valley" of favourite courses. They can even get you to the Masters, British Open and onto the course at Pebble Beach. To give readers a sample idea of costs, six nights at a first-class Scottish hotel, full Scottish breakfast daily, green fees and starting times for five rounds of golf at Old Prestwick, Western Gailes, Old and New St. Andrews and Carnoustie costs $1,695 per person.

A mid-size car is provided, including collision damage waiver and VAT, $595 is deducted from non-golfers and other courses like Royal Troon and Turnberry can be substituted. Air is extra. Similar prices are available for other countries.

Free 28- and 40-page brochures are available on these trips. For fishing, telephone (513) 984-8611, (800) 638-7405, fax 1-513-891-0013, www.sfww.com. Golf info at http: www.sghgolf.com, (800) 284-8884, fax (513) 984-9648.

With its very favourable dollar exchange rate, Canada has some special offerings. Laurie River Lodge in northern Manitoba is noted for fly-in fishing: www.laurieriverlodge.com, (800) 426-2533.

Perhaps you're interested in a seven-day backpacking trip on Washington State's Mount Rainier, a climbing seminar on California's Mount Shasta or kayaking on British Columbia's Vancouver Island. Not challenging enough? There's a Kilimanjaro climb, Serengeti safari, even a Tuscany bike tour.

That's just a sample of 80 different adventures offered by R.E.I. Adventures. Established in 1938 by 23 Pacific Northwest mountaineers, it was originally formed as a consumer co-operative to ensure quality products for members. It has more than two million active members, but non-members are also welcome on its very diversified expeditions.

This can be very serious stuff . . . like trekking to the Everest base camp and ascending a lower adjoining peak with Sherpa guides. A bit too heady? There are also trips to Bhutan, Tibet and Antarctica. Perhaps something simpler like cycling the Canadian Rockies or exploring Macchu Pichu? Check them out online at reiadventures.com, (800) 622-2236, fax 253-395-8160.

Your travel agent will have files full of such adventures . . . whether it's bird watching in the Caribbean, snorkelling in Hawaii or wilderness bush trips. Companies such as Great Canadian Ecoventures in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories are attracting pressured executives anxious to get away from chaotic deadlines for the solitude of tundra and caribou. (867) 920-7110, www.thelon.com, fax 867-920-7180.

Remember this is just the tip of the iceberg to get your imagination revved up. There's a very well-travelled resident of my village who is a super-booster of 25-year-old Overseas Adventure Travel which caters to travellers over 50. Our paths regularly cross in places like the local post office and grocery store, usually ending up as hour travelogues. She's always either leaving on an adventure or returning . . . never some place ordinary, always exotic, way out of the ordinary.

Very affluent, she prefers that company because, "I like the way they do things. They cater to small groups of never more than ten to 16 travellers and visit unique places." She spoke highly of Macchu Pichu and the Galapagos. Seventeen days for $3,750 includes round-trip international airfare, nine nights in comfortable hotels, seven nights aboard a chartered air-conditioned motorboat, 42 meals, trip leader, naturalist guide, all land transportation, internal flights and park fees. www.oattravel.com

Many of the trips include rather extensive walking, fairly brisk pace and active sightseeing. A 21-day Ultimate Australia costs $3,890, is very inclusive and features moderate walking (three miles daily).

Natural Habitat Adventures is another major player. Its glossy 188-page catalogue, in co-operation with the World Wildlife Foundation, covers the world, emphasising preservation of wild places and wildlife. Again, it emphasises the value of small groups averaging eight to nine people. Assemble friends and relatives and this can be like a family outing . . . if your family is into such things.

THERE'S Alaska Grizzlies of Coastal Katmai, Galapagos and Amazon, Spitzbergen, Botswana, Harp Sea Watch, In Search of Northern Lights, Polar Bears of Churchill, Yellowstone Wolves and Newfoundland Wildlife, for starters. Click on www.natlhab.com and view a slide show of the trip that interests you. (303) 449-3711, fax (303) 449-3712.

National Habitat organisers feel "travellers don't have to rough it to experience nature, and seek out the finest, most interesting accommodations available in the area being visited."

That's not always true of some other adventure travel packages. When you see a price tag that's too much of a bargain, ask questions about where you'll be overnighting. Obviously there will be areas so remote that rustic is expected. But where possible, a property with character and personality certainly enhances memories of the trip.

What can you expect to pay on one of National Habitat's quality tours. Let's take "Kingdom of the Monarchs" as an example. Each year 300 million butterflies migrate from Canada to Michoacan, Mexico . . . an astonishing sight. We've witnessed it on a smaller scale at Rhodes, Greece's Valley of the Butterflies. It was amazing. A six-day visit to unique butterfly sanctuaries and distinctive villages near Mexico City costs $2,195 per person.

It includes all transportation within Mexico, accommodations, meals, sightseeing gratuities and airport taxes. Overnights are in places of character. International airfare is extra.

For something totally different, Cross Country International has added a walking vacation division to its popular Equestrian Vacation offerings in Ireland. You can learn more about its overseas itineraries for a variety of European locations at www.equestrianvacations.com and www.walkingvacations.com

We know of all these companies by reputation only. When you're travelling on a writing assignment, it's necessary to be flexible, not on an organised package that moves ahead when you need to linger. So all our trips are done independently. But companies mentioned here are considered among the best in their field and your travel agent will know about more.

If you have a special interest, there's sure to be a company offering a package using it as its centrepiece activity.

4 Next week: Where are people travelling?