Swing from treetops and unleash your inner Tarzan

Published on Saturday 28 November 2009 10:02

ADVENTURERS who loved the childhood challenge of climbing trees will be able to swing from branch to branch once more with the construction of a massive new high wire course.

The Go Ape obstacle course will give visitors the chance to clamber across ladders, walkways, bridges and tunnels 12 metres from the ground as they make their way through the canopy of Beecraigs Country Park near Linlithgow, West Lothian.

After completing the course, which takes around three hours, they will return to the forest floor via ziplines, the longest of which is 226 metres long.

Safety harnesses mean there is no danger should users miss their footing, and instructors will be on hand to help those who find vertigo gets the better of them.

The course is now being built and is due to open in March, in time for the Easter holidays.

Business development executive John Sammon said: "It's designed so that anyone over the age of ten can experience an adventure high up in the tree canopy.

"When the customers arrive they're fitted with a harness and given a safety briefing, and once their training is complete they can move from tree to tree and tackle a variety of crossings."

The company already runs 22 other parks around the UK, and this is the second in Scotland.

Mr Sammon said: "This launch comes after the success of the first course in Aberfoyle which launched two years ago. We look forward to swinging through the treetops at Beecraigs Country Park."

There were huge protests when Go Ape tried to lease land for a course at Pollok Park in Glasgow from the city council last year. Campaigners argued that the park belonged to the residents of Glasgow and should not be leased to a private company. The plan was eventually dropped, but Go Ape said it was for financial reasons.

Linlithgow Councillor Martyn Day said: "I see it as a positive addition to the local area, both for our own residents, but also for bringing in additional visitors and families into West Lothian.

"We're well poised to benefit from the day tourist market - if we get people in for that, we can get people in the shops and other local businesses."

"I think it would be fair to say we under-utilise our country parks at the moment – if space was at a premium it wouldn't have been desirable,.

"We've got bags of space and it's great news for the wider community."