Go Ape - Crathes Castle

Hey All

Last month C and I headed up to Aberdeen to see some of my friends from school who now live up there. When we got up there we decided we'd go to there local Go Ape. C and I have been before in Margam Park (post here) and loved it so we were happy to go again.

There are multiple Go Ape high rope courses dotted around the UK so I was intrigued to see how this one compared. It all started off the same, you're fitted with a harness and given a safety briefing and  chance to practice how to clip yourself into the different options. You also have 5 areas all ending in a zip line so I guess this is the same through them all. The first is done under the supervision of an instructor and gives you a feel for it then you're let off on your own.

Each section has different bits from step on wood and balancing (or holding onto the wire as you're to scared to balance), to tarzan swings (2 on the course), to tubes to crawl through. There is a lot of variety and at the start of each section there are clear instructions on how to clip yourself in!

I love doing things like this, getting outside, a slight adrenaline rush and a bit of exercise. This was something different to when we went to go ape, one of the zip lines had a skateboard at the start of it you could skate down on!

I was never very good at balance and usually held the wire you're clipped into! 

This is the net you swing into for one of the tarzan swings! I love these, C has the video evidence of an involuntary squeal leaving my mouth on this one! You do hit the net with a bit of force!

I was definitely more practically dressed this time, last time we did the course it was an unplanned day and I did it in a playsuit! oops!! 

This is one of the hardest bits for all of us, I even got a sweat on doing this one, I know delightful info you needed to know! This one also slightly terrified me as I kept thinking if I fell I don't have the upper body strength to pull myself back up! I did it though!

Now to find the next go ape to explore!

Have you been on a high ropes course or go ape before? The two I've been to have been situated in amazing parks which make for lovely walks too so you can really make a day of it.

Love M

xxx

Go Ape at Margam Park

Hey All

Hope you've had a great weekend and there isn't too much of those Monday blues! I've been busy doing lots of things lately and have a few great places I wanted to share. Go ape is something I've wanted to do for ages. I love doing fun things and anything that may give me an adrenaline rush I'm drawn to. One weekend me and C had a free weekend so decided we'd just go to Margam Park for a wonder. As we didn't have his car that weekend we used public transport from Cardiff. We got a train to Port Talbot then a bus from just across the road from the station which dropped us basically outside. Google maps is great for figuring out public transport routes!

We grabbed sandwichs from a local deli (if you're local to Cardiff definitely go to deli rouge sometime! The sandwichs are amazing as is the full monty breakfast roll, they also serve tea pigs and fentimens drinks!)and had planned to just stroll around the park. Margam Park has beautiful grounds and an amazing house, which we didn't get chance to look around so we'll have to go back. It's also got a great play area for kids!

After a quick stroll we decided to wonder up to Go Ape and see how much it was and if there was space! After being told we could go back in 1 hours and we had the last slot of the day we decided to just go for it. It was £35 each for Adults so not the cheapest but the course does take around 1 hr 45, so it isn't a quick activity. Go ape is a high ropes activity course where you are clipped in and swing from things or climb.

As it was unplanned I ended up doing the course in a playsuit. The women did duoble check as she was giving me my harness. I did have to pull down the shorts a few times to save my dignity! You do need to be in suitable clothing and footwear to go round it.

After a safety briefing and being shown how to clip yourself in and out we were taken to the first section where an instructor checks your can do the different types of things safely before you get sent off. There are four other sections you can then go round. Each end up with a zip wire too!

There were different types of attachments to get used to depending on what you were doing. Before each section there was a difficulty rating, rules and displays showing you how to safely clip yourself in.

This was the first zip wire out of five. It was a low one so you could practice how to land properly!

Tarzan swings were really fun. If you didn't want to do the big one there was an alternative route and on sections with areas described as extreme difficulty there was an alternative.

At the centre you can buy things like gloves and safey cords for phones. I bought one so we could take photos and I'm glad we did! 

I opted for the going through on my back for this one! It killed the news otherwise, it was so weird as this one was really high above ground to just look down!

This one was described as extreme and it was so hard!! It reminds me of hang tough from gladiators (I always wanted to go on that!!). As the rings moved so much it was a little scary. I kept worrying if I fell out of the hoop I wouldn't have the arm strength to pull myself back up!

We had such a fun day doing this course!! Once you complete it you get a certificate and money off your next one. With Go Apes dotted around the country I'd definitely go and do another course.

Have you been to a Go Ape or high ropes course? Would you?

Love M

xxx

Life Update

Hi all!

Apologies for the serious lack of posts from myself recently; not only have I been living it up at Glastonbury and hen partying it in Edinburgh I have also had a lot going on at home as my mum is ill and my job isn't working for me so I'm having to look for another .

It's extremely frustrating and heartbreaking to admit defeat and give up on everything you worked so hard for but I cannot continue to work for a company who promised me so much and yet have given me so little. It takes up a lot of my time, energy and finances to even get there and my lack of training combined with minimal financial gain, no chance of this changing in the near future and no real career development I'm absolutely gutted to think I might have to call it a day. 

I'm still trying to make my decision as after telling them I was going to leave a month ago they promised me that things would change if I gave them a few weeks to prove it but unfortunately not enough has changed.

I'm trying to stay positive and tell myself that it's giving me a new start and that everything happens for a reason but it's extremely hard to think like that sometimes. I feel like my job was all I really had going for me and without that I'm not really left with much.

That aside I've been so busy with social events that I've barely had time to breathe! My friend had her hen weekend in Edinburgh and it was amazing, I've always wanted to go there having never been to Scotland and it didn't disappoint. 

We managed to fit in a trip to the dungeons, karaoke, food, dancing and the zoo, though we missed a time slot for the pandas so we couldn't see them! I definitely want to revisit and wander the cobbled streets for hours and hours, its so beautiful.

This weekend I have had another hen party to attend for the same group of friends but for a different bride to be, this one involved GoApe, Ann Summers party and lots of games so was a lot of fun but unfortunately not many photos were taken! Next weekend is her wedding so she's keeping everything really close together which is a nice change from those that are planned so far in advance; though I can't say I wasn't worried when she was swinging in the trees! We had to dress up as animals so a few of us clubbed together to buy face paint to make us into zebras:

Me and M have also been out a few times recently. We went out a few weeks ago for food to catch up after Glastonbury and just have a quiet evening after the madness of the festival. We went to a place in Cardiff called Got Beef which was amazing, mostly selling different types of burgers but they also have beef brisket and loads of other things. My brother is a big fan and told me to go just so that I could have the Heisenburger: any Breaking Bad fan would be crazy NOT to order it, so of course i did!

I mean blue onions?! how amazing. Definitely a fun kind of place and I'll be going back again to try more!

We also went out for drinks for her birthday and managed an impressive 6 cocktails in 3 hours before getting the last bus home, we know how to live...!

Hopefully this week will be a little quieter and I will have some time to catch up with myself and write some posts. A lot are overdue but unfortunately there's only so much that one person can do at one time!
I could do with Hermione's time turner right now...

L xxx