Go Ape

__NOTOC__Go Ape is an award-winning cite press release
title = Swing Through the Trees and Go Ape!
publisher = The Forestry Commission
date = 2007-05-23
url = http://www.forestry.gov.uk/newsrele.nsf/WebPressReleases/6C7F38C1805F4992802572E30047BD41
accessdate = 2007-11-20 ] outdoor pursuits company which runs seventeen high wire adventure courses in forests in England and Scotland consisting of rope ladders, zip-lines, rope bridges, trapezes and swings. The course in Queen Elizabeth Forest Park, near Aberfoyle in Stirling, has a 426-metre zip line, the longest in Britain.cite web
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title = Air Activities: Go Ape
work = Scotland Outdoors
publisher = BBC
date = 2007-09-10
url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/outdoors/features/go_ape/
format = HTML
doi =
accessdate = 2007-11-20 ]

History

The company was founded in 2001 by Rebecca and Tristram Mayhew, after they were inspired by a tree-top adventure course in France, and has a contract with the Forestry Commission for courses on multiple sites. The first course opened in 2002 in Thetford Forest, on the borders of Norfolk and Suffolk; it was the first self-belay tree top ropes course in Britain. The company's motto is "creating adventures, encouraging others to live life more adventurously."cite web
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title = Growing Futures: The England Forestry Strategy in Action
work =
publisher = The Forestry Commission
date = June 2006
url = http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/fce-growing-futures.pdf/$FILE/fce-growing-futures.pdf
format = PDF
doi =
accessdate = 2007-11-20 ] In November 2007, a proposal for a combined mountain biking facility and Go Ape course in Whinlatter Forest Park, near Keswick in the Lake District, was turned down when local people and two parish councils objected over concerns about an increase in traffic. An amended planning application was subsequently approved and a Go Ape course at Whinlatter opened in Spring 2008. [cite news
last = Brewster
first = Ross
coauthors =
title = Plans Refused
work = News & Star
pages =
language = English
publisher = Cumbrian Newspapers Ltd
date = 2007-11-08
url = http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/viewarticle.aspx?id=562130
accessdate = 2007-11-20 ] Similar concerns have also been raised about a proposed course at Wendover Woods in the Chiltern Hills, but plans were approved after several hundred residents of the borough wrote to planning officers to support the proposal. [cite news
last = Sampson
first = Karen
coauthors =
title = Letters to the Editor: Shocked at plans for Go Ape facility
work = The Bucks Herald
pages =
language = English
publisher = Johnson Press Digital Publishing
date = 2007-10-11
url = http://www.bucksherald.co.uk/letters/Shocked-at-plans-for-Go.3369047.jp
accessdate = 2007-11-20 ] In 2003, the company won a "Best Tourist Attraction" award and has also won a number of other awards. [cite web
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title = Awards we've been lucky enough to win
work =
publisher = Go Ape
date =
url = http://www.goape.co.uk/ContentArticle.aspx?Id=86&ate=104
format = HTML
doi =
accessdate = 2007-11-20 ] In 2007, it was shortlisted for the "Best Norfolk Attraction" award at the "Tourism In Norfolk Awards". [cite news
last = Neate
first = Rupert
coauthors =
title = And our tourism finalists are ...
work = Eastern Daily Press
pages =
language = English
publisher = Archant Regional Limited
date = 2007-10-26
url = http://business.edp24.co.uk/story.aspx?brand=BIZOnline&category=Business&tBrand=BIZOnline&tCategory=homepage&itemid=NOED26%20Oct%202007%2008%3A17%3A37%3A970
accessdate = 2007-11-20 ] In 2008 the company opened 5 new courses in Kent, Cumbria, Devon, Buckinghamshire and Staffordshire. [cite web
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title = 4 New Sites
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publisher = Go Ape
date =
url = http://goape.co.uk/ContentArticle.aspx?Id=89
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doi =
accessdate = 2008-02-20 ] .

There is currently a proposal to build a Go Ape course in the award winning [cite web
last = Millar
first = Laura
authorlink =
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title = European award for Glasgow Park
work =
publisher = STV
date = 2008-02-26
url = http://www.stv.tv/content/news/headlines/display.html?id=opencms:/news/European_award_for_Glasgow_park_20080226
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accessdate = 2008-09-25 ] Pollok Country Park, in Glasgow. This has proved controversial [cite web
last = McGinty
first = Stephen
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title = Blow for Pollok adventure park protesters
work =
publisher = The Scotsman
date = 2008-09-04
url = http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Blow-for-Pollok-adventure-park.4456575.jp
format = HTML
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accessdate = 2008-09-25 ] , and a campaign group 'Save Pollok Park', has been campaigning in opposition to the scheme on a number of grounds. Go Ape's founder, Tristram Mayhew, attended a public meeting in January 2008 [cite web
last = Morgan
first = James
authorlink =
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title = Tempers flare at meeting over Go Ape Plan
work =
publisher = The Glasgow Herald
date = 2008-01-23
url = http://www.theherald.co.uk/mostpopular.var.1986089.mostviewed.tempers_flare_at_meeting_over_go_ape_plan.php
format = HTML
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accessdate = 2008-09-25 ] to argue in support of the proposal. Glasgow council subsequently approved the plan, and Scottish Planning Ministers refused to 'call-in' the proposal [cite web
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title = Ministers opt out of Go Ape plan
work =
publisher = BBC
date = 2008-09-03
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7596248.stm
format = HTML
doi =
accessdate = 2008-09-25 ] . It is now the subject of legal challenges. [cite web
last = Paterson
first = Stewart
authorlink =
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title = Ministers will not intervene over plan for Go Ape park Course
work =
publisher = The Glasgow Herald
date = 2008-09-04
url = http://www.theherald.co.uk/search/display.var.2440183.0.ministers_will_not_intervene_over_plan_for_go_ape_park_course.php
format = HTML
doi =
accessdate = 2008-09-25 ]

Go Ape locations

*Thetford Forest, East Anglia
*Grizedale Forest, Cumbria
*Whinlatter, Cumbria
*Swinley Forest, Bracknell
*Moors Valley, Dorset
*Sherwood Pines, Nottinghamshire
*Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire
*Wendover Woods, Buckinghamshire
*Delamere Forest, Cheshire
*Buxton, Derbyshire
*Aberfoyle, Stirlingshire
*Dalby Forest, North Yorkshire
*Alice Holt, Surrey
*Bedgebury Forest, Kent
*Leeds Castle, Kent [cite web
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title = Leeds Castle gets ready to Go Ape
work =
publisher = Kent Messenger Group
date = 15/01/08
url = http://www.kentonline.co.uk/news/default.asp?article_id=37571
format = HTML
doi =
accessdate = 2008-04-01 ]
*Haldon Forest Park, Devon
*Birches Valley, Cannock Chase, Staffordshire

References

External links

* [http://www.goape.co.uk Go Ape Website]
* [http://www.savepollokpark.com Save Pollok Park campaign website]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/tees/content/articles/2007/06/06/go_ape_feature.shtml BBC Reporter's account of experience on the Dalby Forest course]