"I tried a treetop adventure in the dark - and it was actually less scary than in daylight!"
Go Ape - in the dark!
A treetop adventure in the dark? Sure I said.... making sure I drag my teenage son with me for support.
We embarked on one of Go Ape’s brilliant Sundown Adventures which have returned this Autumn. They are on offer at more than 20 locations across the UK including at Itchen Valley Country Park in Hampshire where we spent a fabulous evening.
Now for the uninitiated, Go Ape offers a treetop adventures where participants can cross bridges, obstacles and have a go on a zip line high in the trees of the country park. (Don’t panic - you have a harness!)
I’ve done them before, and while I’m not a huge fan of heights I just get on with it using the ‘don’t look down’ mantra to help me forget. But a night-time adventure was a new one on me. And it was absolutely brilliant.
The area was lit up with colourful lights to create a cracking atmosphere and also meant that by the time it was fully dark I could not see the ground anyway. Height? What height!?
We had one hour and four courses to choose from which all get harder the further you progress - though if you didn’t want to all of them you don’t have to.
From crossing rope and zig zag bridges, and to suspended ‘climbing walls’ there was plenty for us to choose from - including a tower for us to (exhaustingly) climb to get to the top of the hardest course. You certainly need a basic level of fitness to tackle this challenge.
Some younger children (or nervous adults) might struggle with a couple of the sections, but the wonderful staff are there to help guide you through if you get stuck.
Of course my teen left for dust being faster and far more agile than me, but I felt like I held my own so as not to completely embarrass the boy. And we managed to complete all four courses within the hour - even if I failed to gracefully land from the zip wire each and every time, much to his amusement.
It was a fantastic way to spend an evening and needless to say we will be back again!
Key information
- Ages 6+
- Minimum height 1.2m
- Sessions - one hour
- Max weight - 130kg
- Location - Go Ape Southampton, Itchen Valley Country Park, SO30 3HQ
- There is parking, toilets and cafe facilities at the country park
- Booking - goape.co.uk/adventures/sundown-adventures/