Autumn at Go Ape // TreeTops Adventure at Crathes Castle 2017

Autumn at Go Ape // I've always been a bit of a thrill seeker, and having been born and raised in Scotland, I'm also a big lover of the great outdoors! Last week, I was contacted by the team at Go Ape, who challenged me to experience their Tree Tops Adventure course at the idyllic Crathes Castle site in Aberdeenshire. I jumped (quite literally) at this opportunity - I've heard so many amazing stories about Go Ape from friends and family, and was dying to try it out for myself. I was told to gather my tribe and head into the wilderness, where adventure would await us... 

So, what is Go Ape I hear you ask? Well if you have never heard of it before, Go Ape is the UK's leading forest adventure company, with over 31 sites across the country. I am lucky enough to live near the Northern Scottish site, so fingers crossed there is a location near you. Days out at Go Ape adventure sites are about living life more adventurously, having fun, getting out of your comfort zone and unleashing your inner Tarzan...! You can expect a whole range of thrilling activities from Forest Segways, Zip Trekking Adventures and Tree Top Challenges. 

As instructed, I gathered my tribe (my boyfriend, my best friend and her fiance) and we spent a wonderful afternoon in the Scottish countryside. We enjoyed a couple of hours climbing about the trees, tackling high rope obstacles, leaping off ledges and gliding down zip wires, all whilst enjoying the breath-taking scenery. Located in the grounds of an enchanted 16th century castle, the Go Ape Crathes site is perfect for a grand day out with friends and family. 








From zip lining across the forest and leaping into nothing but thin air, Go Ape is guaranteed to help you overcome any fear of heights that you may have. Go Ape challenges you to take risks - I was really amazed at myself for the activities and things that I was able to do (at one point, you literally free fall through the forest until your very secure safety harness catches you), and that's exactly how Go Ape want you to feel - their mission is to inspire people, to give them confidence and encouragement, and to turn 'I can't' into 'I can'. 

I can't recommend a Go Ape activity course enough. We all had a fabulous time - I haven't laughed so much in a long time, and I gained such a strong sense of achievement after completing each part of the course. This is definitely not for the faint hearted or for anyone who has a genuinely strong fear of heights, as you do need to feel comfortable being suspended at a high level - even though I think I cope well with heights, I was still experiencing some 'wobbly' moments. And, although I was a little nervous at the start, once we got into the swing of things (no pun intended), I was dying to do it all over again afterwards.

As you can see, the location was stunning - we were surrounded by lush green fields that had highland cows and sheep roaming freely. The sound of birds in your ear was a nice (if not scary) reminder of just how high up you were, and the surrounding forest made you feel like you were in a scene from Game of Thrones or Outlander...  I'll definitely be returning to experience another wild adventure in the very near future - the autumnal weather was perfect and made it extremely atmospheric. Go Ape also offer gift vouchers, which I think could be an awesome gift for that special someone who already has everything - this exhilarating experience is very memorable and one that I won't be forgetting anytime soon. 

Have you experienced Go Ape before? Is there a site near you? Let me know in the comments below. 

More soon, 

Helen

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*(This post was sponsored by Go Ape, but all thoughts, opinions and words are my own. I only ever work with brands that I truly love and Go Ape fall into that category - thanks again!)*