Go Ape, Leeds Castle
I’m just going to start by saying that if you haven’t been to Go Ape, you are missing out and I mean seriously missing out. I’ve been to Go Ape, Leeds Castle on a couple of occasions and loved it.
So what is Go Ape?
It’s described as a tree top adventure which roughly translates as an afternoon spent amongst the trees, tacking high ropes and zip wires. Oh the zip wires. They are my favourite part. I love moving through the trees on the ropes, taking in the view and the fresh air, but nothing quite compares to the zip wires. The longest zip wire at Go Ape Leeds Castle is 250 metres – enough time to sit into your harness and watch the world whiz past.
The Leeds Castle Go Ape was the venue for both of my adventures and the course is broken into 5 stages, each one ending with a zip wire. The highest point on the course is 12 metres in the air, so you should be able to get a nice view up there. It’s high, but not terrifyingly high. I loved being up in the trees and felt very safe harnessed onto the trees (the team at Go Ape show you how to use a double karabiner system to ensure that there’s no danger of you falling). They also do a great introduction on a very small adventure course before letting you loose on the main event. My squeals of delight could be heard all across the grounds of Leeds Castle and that was just on the introductionary equipment!
Go Ape isn’t just for kids, but they would love it too. We went as a group of adults for my birthday and it was brilliant. People aged 12 – 16 can enjoy the main adventure as long as they are accompanied by an adult. Those aged 6 – 12 can take part in the Tree Top Junior Adventure.
And it’s not just Leeds Castle that offers this fantastic experience, there are over 28 locations to Go Ape and some sites also have other experiences to enjoy such as Forest Segway Adventures. There’s also a Zip Trekking Adventure, which is the best bit (the zip wires) across Grizedale Forest. I wish I had known about that when we were in the Lake District earlier on in the year.
I would say you have to have a basic level of fitness to really enjoy Go Ape Leeds Castle. There is a bit of climbing rope ladders involved, but it’s a really exhilarating day out.
I can’t wait to go again and my next venue (if I don’t get to the Lake District again any time soon) will be Bedgebury Forest, one of my other favourite places in Kent.
So if you are looking for a fun day out with friends or somewhere to take the kids this summer holiday, I would highly recommend Go Ape. Prices are £33 for those over 16, £25 for those aged 11 – 15 and £18 for the Tree Top Junior course.
My only other piece of advice is to try and always end your zip wire facing forwards, I ended up skidding in on my bottom a couple of times and more than a few wood chips ended up down my trousers. I think I owe Leeds Castle a couple of handful of bark chips!
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[…] also lots of other activities there including Go Ape, archery and some great kids play areas. Coupled with a café and some other facilities, you really […]
Best day out for the children and parents as long as you don’t mind heights xxx
It really is a grata day out Samantha. Good for the kids to be out doing something active too.
would be cool
Go Ape is a great day out! I’m getting married at Leeds Castle in March and I definitely think I need to take my fiancé for a day at Go Ape before the wedding!
That’s a great idea. Although maybe not the morning of the wedding. Leeds Castle for your wedding. That’ll be spectacular.
I’m not normally a fan of great heights but this is so much fun and the children just absolutely love it!
It really is a perfect activity for pretty much any age. And good for fitness and fresh air too!
Go Ape is just fabulous fun! You’ve got some great photos there. Have entered your wonderful comp on facebook. x
Thanks Rebecca. It is, isn’t it?
We LOVE Go Ape and funnily enough I’ve booked the girls party there for this weekend. They can’t wait for it having already experienced it in the autumn. We’ve also got the Forest Shelter for the birthday tea afterwards 🙂
I would really like to have a go at the adult one too. I must find some courageous friends to join me now.
That’ll be amazing. The girls will love it. What a great idea for a birthday party. I bet they are so excited. Hope you all have a wonderful time.
there is a Go Ape in the Forest of dean near where we used to live that the boys have been to, but I went to Celtic Manor for their tree top experience, less kids around as it’s a higher, larger and longer course
I’d love to try some new locations. Sounds good. I’m sure we’ll take a UK break next year so I may have to make sure it’s near another Go Ape!
I feel terrible that we haven’t done Go Ape yet, as I know the kids would absolutely love it. Also Leeds Castle sounds like a particularly brilliant setting. #Timetraveller
One for the hit list this summer then perhaps then Sarah?
We’ve been looking at Go Ape at Thetford and trying to decide whether we’d get much out of it as a family – the kids we know are tall enough but will it be adventurous for us I guess it will be looking at your pictures.
Yes you absolutely should Cerys. It’s so much fun for the big kids as well as the little ones. We saw loads of families there and there were a few little ones that were a little afraid of the heights, so it really helped having their parents showing them the way.
We have a Go Ape near us and it look so much fun. My eldest has done it but I was pregnant at the time so just had to watch and I really wanted to join in. I have retweeted so fx I win 😉 Thanks so much for linking up to #PickNMix @ http://www.mummyandmonkeys.com hope to see you again next week x
Thanks for retweeting. Good luck! Yes it was so much fun. Thanks for hosting #PicknMix
Yes it is so much fun. Yes once the kids get a bit bigger it’s definitely worth a visit. I bet there are some locations near you too. Btw, I should say Leeds Castle is in Maidstone, Kent not Leeds up north. Just in case you were thinking that. Still a long way for you either way though.
Ahh sounds so much fun, I always wanted to go before we moved abroad! I always thought it would be more expensive then the prices you’ve said so I’ll have to be sure to take a trip at one of the locations next time we visit!! The kids will be too young but too bad haha! #picknmix
If the kids are too small, leave them at home and have a fun active date day! It’s great for adults too.
Wow – we would love to do this as a family #PicknMix
It really is a lot of fun. Great for kids to help build their confidence. It can be quite high so they’ll have to be brave.
Oh you are so brave or fearless. I went on the Junior course and was terrified before I even went up. I nearly had a heart attack and that was on the first bit. I was only up there as my children needed an adult due to their ages – but they were fine and I wasn’t! In the end I had to go back down the stairs as I couldn’t throw myself off the zip wire and they are not allowed to push you. The staff were brilliant though and the kids thoroughly enjoyed it. My almost 12 year old would love to do the adult course now, and now my oldest son is 18 he has someone to take him up. I will panic for him all the way around mind!
Oh no. Not a fan of heights then? I’m not normally a great fan but I felt do safe up there with the safety karabiners I knew I couldn’t fall. Shame you didn’t do the zip wire they are the best bit.