Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Our good luck with the weather continued. Today the sun beamed down delightfully, as Nick set off on the quick walk up to the Lodge in the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park, to participate in the Go Ape! tree top adventure. Karen and Matthew sensibly decided to stay with their feet firmly on the ground as 20 metres or more in the air, even if safely harnessed in with three straps, was a bit too scary for them!
After the safety briefing, off Nick went on the first zip line, way across the forest valley and we scrambled up the hill after him. Our necks grew sore looking up in the trees, offering encouragement when needed or giving him quiet to contemplate the next obstacle. Karen was charged with officially documenting this activity with the camera, and didn't want to disappoint, so took over 100 pictures for later viewing. Nick was also wearing his cousins Go-Pro, videoing the whole event. Not sure it will win any Academy Awards, but still….
So plank ladders and tarzan swings, leaps of faith where you jump and drop before swinging out into a net, and wooden strip tunnels strung between trees were the order of the day. Options were provided on some stages, but Nick chose the harder ones each time - very brave! No easy net walkways for him, but swinging horse-riding stirrups that your feet get stuck in meant a bit more hanging around and foot shaking to get loose and move forward. Not to mention the climbing up rope ladders and short zip lines back down to the ground again between each stage. It was comforting to note that he had listened at the safety briefing and was always clipped on by at least 2 straps at any one time.
The fun continued for a good two hours, then the final 400 metre long zip wire back to the start - one of Britain's longest - flying Nick 50 metres above the ground and over a 30 metre waterfall to, thankfully, land safely on the bark chip end-zone. Karen and Matt were left far behind, wishing that maybe they could do the same, as the 1.5 km trek down slopes and across the valley and up the other side to the Lodge took much longer, for sure. But Nick was still beaming when they eventually arrived, and declared it "The best fun ever! I want to do it all again right now."
An alternative, though, was to provide icecream as rewards instead. That's right - two days in a row it was warm enough for icecream! Unbelievable.
Then the short walk home, interrupting the peace and quiet for poor Rosie who was trying to study for exams, and to hang out loads of washing in the sunshine, filling both the clothes line and (much to Paul's dismay) covering the front deck in the smallest items for all passersby to see. We tried to comfort him with the news that none of it was his, but as he - rightfully - pointed out, those driving past didn't know who owned any of it, so it may as well have been. What can you do though, when that is the sunniest spot in the garden?
After tea that night poor Rosie would have struggled to concentrate again, as neighbours Andy and Patricia popped in for a visit, and the laughter and joking was long and loud. A totally great day!
- comments