The sun was shining as I headed out for a day in the Forest of Dean with Chloe, my little brother Sam and Chloe’s friend Charlie. We packed up our picnic, filled up our water bottles and grabbed the Vimto Squeezy and drove the 30 minutes to the Forest of Dean. Now we are lucky to have such a beautiful Forest on our doorstep but don’t get out there enough, I have already decided that we need to get there more frequently over the summer holidays.
The four of us were full of smiles before we saw the activities we were expected to climb, Zip wire and throw ourselves at!
We took to the sky and I wondered if I would master this, the head was willing but the heart was pounding especially when I saw the ladder I needed to shimmer up. Now my physique is not really made for shimming, unlike my companions who are agile and fit!
As we took on the challenges my confidence improved and I handled the carbines like a pro! Each area is in zones with my favourite, the zip wire at the end. Five zip wires in total. After each stage you can grab some water, but seeing as I prefer squash it was a good opportunity to use the Vimto Squeezy. The handy little bottle can be used approx 20 times and was ideal in my pocket. I wish I had been brave enough to keep my phone in pocket and take some pictures when up in the trees, but I didn’t quite have the confidence so the only photos are taken before and after!
Now vimto squeezy is one of those products that has grown on me, not the taste as I have always enjoyed it but I wasn’t sure whether it was a product I actually needed. I questioned whether people would carry this about and water, why not just pack cartons of drink? However I have now been converted partly due to my Yr 10 Sociology class. I happened to see one of my students passing another the drinks capsule. In school the students can fill their water bottle from several water fountains and many don’t like just drinking water and now they add a dash of the Vimto Squeezy and as a result they are drinking more, which keeps them hydrated and we all know that hydrated students can work better. I am like a broken record at school if a students comments they have a headache, my first question is always how much have you drank today. And normally it is not enough. I am also planning on taking some on holiday to Florida as we will be able to fill up our drinks bottles with water there. My children are not allowed to drink any fizzy drinks unless it is with the evening meal and Erin obviously doesn’t have fizz full stop. This is a great alternative to water. Basically if there are place where you fill up your sports bottle with water – then Vimto squeezy is a good accompaniment.
Anyway back to the tree’s – it was all going so well for us and I thought I had it nailed until the last main challenge, the tarzan swing. Basically you throw yourself of a very high ledge and crash into a rope net. You then climb the net up onto the final ledge. I threw myself with my eyes closed and thought phew I have done it. However as I crashed into the net I ended up in a right muddle and needed rescuing by my little brother as I was about to free fall from the cargo net! I freaked out totally, obviously I was fully attached to the safety harness but I still freaked!!
I restored my pride on the final 183 foot zip wire which I loved. The Go Ape staff are brilliant and I had total confience in the course. They were always on hand, really cheery and encouraging. Definitely an activity I would do again. I would like to thank Vimto Squeezy for arranging a fab day out for us. Vimto Squeezy is available in all the supermarkets and costs £2.49 for the water enhancer and it will make approx 25 servings and comes in three flavours original, cherry and strawberry. You can find out more about Vimto Squeezy on the Facebook Page.
Disclosure: We were gifted the Go Ape experience courtesy of Vimto Squeezy.
41 Responses
That scares me just thinking about it Emma – you are much braver than me 😉
Now we may well be bloggy twins but I would NEVER do this! Oh god looks so scary you are so brave! They made us do this and gorge walking on my NQT residential! Oh how I sobbed. Such a wuss. Looks like you had a great fun xxx ps love vimto, we call it vimmy in the staffroom and is our treat xxx
You are brave I must say!
Vimto squeezy sounds great – perfect to take on holiday with you.
That’s one awesome adventure up in the trees!!
We nearly went recently, but my ten year old wasnt quite brave or tall enough- but its on the agenda for next summer! Love the idea of the little squash packets- my ten year old will not drink water, but that is such an easy way of making sure you can knock him up a quick drink on the run.
You are so brave. We have loads of similar places around here, and whilst my family have clambered a lot of them, I have just watched. I now have a lot of tree pictures! 😀
You’ve got more guts than me! My daughter though would love this!
You’re braver than i am! Well done lovely! – what’s next parachute jump, skeleton bobsleigh?
oh I wish! I’d love to parachute! I need my own bucket list!
I’ve never been able to do the high courses in spite of knowing I had a harness on. It’s a psychological barrier for me. But I know GG is desperate to do it. We’re waiting the 4 months until she’s 10 and old enough to to the extreme stuff, then we’re totally heading to Go Ape
She’s gutsy! There is no way Dyl would do it!
You were brave! I love the idea of giving it go with my kiddies. Just need to wait a couple of years for my youngest to be big enough!
Wow you were brave, don’t think I could have done that x
I managed the junior course, but not the high one! The boys love the vimto and we have just bought some oasis!
I really need to try this with the girls this summer, they’ll love it!
Mari do it, its awesome although I know my 10 yr old wouldn’t do it just yet.
I’ve always wanted to try Go Ape, and a bit of Vimto sounds like the perfect match. x
I can’t wait to go to Sherwood Pines again, have vowed to spend more time there this summer – love your pics!
I feel a bit of adrenaline rush when I see action shots like this! I wish we can visit this place too =) #countrykids
Looks and sounds like you had a fab time! I would love to go but im so clumbsy i dont think its a good idea lol!
Not my kind of fun at all but sounds great if you’re up for the challenge.
I really want to do this one day, but I’ve got to get fitter first. There’s no chance I’d make it across that net right now…
We have a Go-Ape a few minutes down the road from us but I am too much of a coward to try it!
My kids love similar at Center Parcs but I have dodgy back – I always think I might have a go….. maybe next time!
Sounds like you had a great day! And everything sounds really amazing! I would love to be able to climb those trees too!
You are a much braver woman than me! You wouldn’t catch me swinging in the trees 🙂
There’s something like this that runs around above Bristol Zoo Gardens but this looks way way way higher. It would be a NO way for me. Even the smaller one would. At the zoo you only have to be 5 which is only a year away for Aaron and I can imagine him doing it xx
Oh wow! Your brave! I could never do this! lol c
You are very brave indeed! I do not know if I have it in me to scale such heights.
This looks like lots of fun! I’m not sure whether I’d be brave enough though.
Oh my gosh, that looks like so much fun. I so want to give our local Go Ape course a go but need to shift some of the baby weight first! lol xxx
You were really brave, I am not very good with heights but really like the idea of giving Go Ape a go!
Oh my goodness, you’re braver than me! I’d never be able to do any of that high stuff!
On the subject of the vimto, I’ll have to check it out because my daughter has been complaining of headaches everyday and we’ve been wondering if she’s not drinking enough. It would be great for her to have in her bag because she doesn’t like plain water.
My family did this this weekend too and loved it so proud of them all!
We love Go Ape as a family although every time we have done it I have been pregnant so end up taking the pics…..my turn this year
I would have freaked out as well if I though I was going to fall, well done you though on finishing, I’d love to give it a go. x
This sounds like a great outing and the vimto squeezy is perfect to carry with you on outings.
Sounds like a great experience and so much fun.
you are so brave! I’ve heard that Go Ape is brill 🙂 x