(cont)

After the rather more stable Grandpop’s Crossing the course split into easier and more challenging routes, with our more difficult route also 10ft higher and accessed via a Parrot Ladder – akin to climbing a telegraph pole, but again, with the reassurance of safety lines.

Next was a Tarzan Swing, best described as a half a rope swing and half a zip line. 40ft in the air, the object of the exercise was to clip oneself onto the harness and swing over the ravine only to slam into a cargo net 50 metres or so away. I was advised to hit the cargo net once and bounce into it a second time before attempting to climb to the next landing platform before a Zig-Zag bridge and Amazon Crossing before enjoying a gentle zip line down to ground level.

The whole course is geared up for safety first, but fun following a close second. It’s hilarious, and the potential for banter is great. Best of all, anyone from 1.4m upwards can enjoy the attraction. During our visit youngsters were bounding around the site having the time of their lives whilst mums and dads followed behind. Whilst the site is extremely popular with corporate clients seeking executive team-building exercises, it attracts a huge range of customers with the most mature visitor being Janet Ellen at the tender age of 90!

For a family day out this season which involves something more than trekking around the forest looking for pine cones, it’s a must; good, safe fun for the whole family, and a brilliant way to enjoy some exercise!

We visited one of Go Ape!’s 16 courses, the nearest to Lincolnshire being Thetford Forest, around 30 minutes from Stamford and the Deepings, and Sherwood Pines, around 30 minutes from Lincoln. For more information call 01623 825928 or see www.goape.co.uk.

Safety First…
Whilst you’d expect those prone to vertigo to be a little queezy about visiting Go Ape!, the site actually attracts a great deal of people seeking to conquer their fear of heights.

Being attached by a minimum of two safety lines encourages those who are a little unsure to remove any doubt as to their safety and become used to experiencing height in a controlled manner.