Go Ape opens at Chessington with family-friendly tree top adventure

After reading the safety rules and signing the paperwork, Daddy T was a bit unsure if I’d really understood what I’d signed the family up for. We were standing by the welcome centre at Go Ape Chessington in the forest next to Chessington World of Adventures and we could see the huge zip-wire for the grown-up course, which opened yesterday, and parts of an obstacle course high above the ground.

We had been invited to try the Tree Top Junior Adventure, designed for children above 1 metre tall and specifically geared towards children aged 6 to 12, and Daddy T and Big Girl were our designated testers. Daddy T quickly got a bit concerned, however, suggesting Big Girl, who’s soon to turn four, was too little and would get scared on the experience.

But despite saying to Big Girl that perhaps she could wait and take pictures of Daddy T instead, she was determined to put on the climbing equipment and get up in the tree tops like monkeys do.

They were soon strapped into harnesses and given brief instructions before being sent off on a test course in the forest without going up in the heights. The little practise session was brilliant, as it gave us confidence Big Girl was good to go and would be excited about completing the course.

They were then attached by a safety cable to the proper course and climbed the stairs up to the first tree-top platform. The two of them were soon off on the first crossing, balancing across wobbly planks, and then continued showcasing their balancing skills when crossing staggered planks, a tree log and going through a rope walkway.

I couldn’t believe how brave Big Girl was. I was standing on the ground below with Baby Boy, filming, taking photos and cheering, thrilled to see how Big Girl tackled the challenges far above me.

At the end of the loop, there’s a fun zip wire, which Big Girl decided she wanted to do when she was older instead, but coming down the stairs, she still had a real sense of achievement and we decided the first loop was enough for her this time.

Daddy T couldn’t leave without going on the awesome zip-wire, which looked super cool, and they could also have continued the 1-hour experience by completing two more loops with some even more difficult crossings. Each loop leads back to the same place, and I think this clever design is ideal for children since it means it’s easy to choose what to do.

Hidden in the forest GoApe Chessington makes for a fun family day outdoors where children can surprise parents, showcasing bravery and balancing skills.

I originally thought GoApe was inside Chessington World of Adventures, but the attraction is separate from the park, and it is located by the Explorer Car Park. Tickets (£18 per person on the Tree Top Adventure Junior course) are booked separately and the 1-hour adventure can either be a standalone day out or be combined with a visit to the large theme park. There were a number of staff on the ground, and someone standing by the zip wire, helping people on.

Tags: Activities for children, Chessington World of Adventures, Climbing, Go Ape, London, Obstacle course, Outdoor activities, Summer