Monkeying around... and up...and down (Part 1)

We had a trip to Go Ape in Rivington on Friday. Yes, that's the place you spend time hanging around in the trees getting your adrenaline pumping.

As we met up in the car park the torrential rain of the morning had just eased up. There was Cilla, Amy and myself from the Tourist Board and we met Simon from Mantado, Peter  from Stay Blackpool, Mike from NPD and 3 lovely 'teens'.

My terror level had been rising all day at the same rate as Amy's excitement. Being scared (petrified) of heights doesn't really fill you with confidence. Until the briefing session where I actually thought I could conquer my fears because the course sounded like it was going to be amazing.

It's a truly awesome setting at Rivington. In the West Pennine Moors with a lovely cafe nearby at the Great House Barn, great woodland walks and a reservoir with a beach - yes a beach!

So the briefing went well - we were all suitably impressed upon that STAY ATTACHED was the order of the day. No falling 40 feet from the treetops for us! After watching us all practice the clipping and unclipping various bits of metal from our flattering(!) harnesses our 'leader' took us to the first course. Being 3ft off the ground gave us all the confidence to think that it would all be fun and easy. We has already had a great giggle; everything we seemed to do sent laughter flying around (I think it was the fear level personally).

The 2nd course was around the corner. The 'reveal' showed an impossibly high platform, a tarzan net and a wooden bridge with less wood than fresh air. I went up 3rd. Tez had made it look so easy and was obviously having a top time. As soon as my feet left the floor I was unfortunately on the edge of being sick or passing out from fear. How I carried on I have no idea. But I did. And I flung myself into the Tarzan net like I was in some form of disaster movies. Shouts of 'that harness does nothing for your bum' from the ones yet to set off didn't even penetrate the harness of fear I was in. Yet I enjoyed it - wierd! Coming down the zip wire I was even heard to shout 'it's actually quite nice'.

there's loads more to tell - watch this space!

Sarah Lundy