If I told you that I knew of a way to burn 1,000 calories in less than two hours and that afterwards you will have had so much fun that you will want to do it all over again, you'd probably think I was joking?
My sister-in-law, May, visited Go Ape Tree Top Adventure at Delamere Forest and had such a great time, I asked her to write a guest post about her trip....
We began the day being fitted into our safety harnesses followed by a comprehensive safety briefing at which we were informed that 1 in 1,000 visitors require some form of first aid treatment. There's nothing like a bit of danger to focus the attention!
The Tree Top Adventure staff are excellent. They take their time to talk you through the safety procedures and really emphasise that, although you're there for fun, safety must always come first.
You're provided with a legal disclaimer to sign to state that you understand that there is danger involved - after all, you are hanging out of trees - and that you promise to follow the instructions of the instructors and pay attention to the safety signs found at each stage.
If you have any concerns the instructors are always nearby and you're provided with a safety whistle should you require their attention.
The location in Delamere Forest is beautiful. We were the first group of the day and there were very few people around. Mist was still on the ground and the sunlight was just breaking through the trees. The course takes you through the forest and to the edge of Blakemere Lake.
Arriving early did have one downside: it was pretty chilly and we had to buy woolly hats to stay warm: I'd recommend bringing a bobble hat and fingerless gloves if you're visiting during the colder months.
During the course you will climb rope ladders, swing like Tarzan, grapple along cargo nets and balance on wobbly bridges. All great exercise. Many of the stages have two routes, a difficult route and an easier option.
You do need a reasonably good level of fitness. If you can climb a flight of stairs twice in quick succession without being too out of breath you will be just fine, and if the going gets tough you can quite easily skip a stage.
There are five stages in total with the final stage being the toughest.
During Stage 5 you climb to almost twice the height of any of the other stages and the zip wire at the end is the fastest and longest.
I highly recommend that you wear old clothes and trainer shoes with a thick sole. The landing areas for the zip wires will catch you out (everybody in our group elegantly landed on their bums instead of their feet and as a result ended up covered head to toe in tree clippings and mud!) and the tight ropes could hurt your feet if you wear flat shoes or plimsoles.
Go Ape is magical. You begin the day climbing into the trees with the worries and trepidation of an adult, yet by the end you've been transported back to your childhood; exhausted, but giggling uncontrollably with the adrenaline rush.
Plan to spend anywhere between 2 to 4 hours there. You'll be having such good fun that the time will (literally!) fly by.
We booked at short notice and paid £33 per head, so it's not cheap, but it is excellent value for money.
I can't wait to go back!
0333 220 4361 (there is a £3 booking fee if you book via phone)
Forest Park, Northwich, Cheshire, CW8 2JD
And the proof of the pudding:
