This blog post was updated on August 20, 2018.
Looking to add a bit of outdoor adventure to your upcoming trip to London?
Or maybe you live here in the “Big Smoke” and you’re in desperate need to escape the urban jungle if only for a few short hours?
A day trip to one of Go Ape’s treetop obstacle courses might be just the thing to help you release your inner Tarzan.
Swinging by the Go Ape tree-top obstacle course at Alice Holt Forest in Surrey offers the chance to get some fresh air, zip line your way across the top of a forest, and build a bit confidence (along with some courage!) while traversing high wires, rope bridges and more.
Perhaps the best bit (for the brave at least) is the opportunity to swing from a platform into a massive cargo net. It’s a chance for grown ups to feel like kids again and for the little ones to have fun while accomplishing some amazing feats.
A short train ride from Central London’s Waterloo Station to the village of Farnham (a friendly little place that’s worth a visit in and of itself) and then a short cab ride to Alice Holt Forest, it takes about an hour to get there from Waterloo. So, it’s easy enough to “go ape” for just a few hours without feeling worn down before you even arrive. However, if someone wanted to spend more time, there’s plenty to do at Alice Holt including cycling, picnicking, BBQing and going for a stroll in the more remote parts of the forest.
Rest assured that everything at Go Ape is super safe. There’s 30 minute safety briefing before you even take to the first of many elevated obstacles. Kitted out with harnesses, pulleys and karabiners, visitors are safely secured in the whole time they’re on the course, and there are a number of instructors patrolling the area (and usually within sight of wherever you are). Nevertheless, exhilaration and adrenaline-pumping fun are inevitable.
An excursion to Go Ape is an all ages blast for the whole family and should be considered by families lucky enough to score cheap flights to London. The cool thing is that Go Ape’s Alice Holt location is just outside greater London, allowing visitors the opportunity to get out of town and enjoy some countryside challenges while still allowing time for a return to the bright lights and big city for an evening on the town. If Surrey doesn’t happen to be within your reach or itinerary, no worries. Go Ape has more than 25 courses in the UK with more than a few just a short drive or train ride away from London.
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