Family days out: Monkey business

GROWING up near the Trossachs I got to know this area fairly well. Whenever visitors came to stay we'd bundle them into a car and whizz along to Aberfoyle, look at the tartan shops and then head off into the hills towards Callander.

"Look how beautiful Scotland is," my mother would say, "and so close to Glasgow" as if that meant anything.

Whilst there were walks and picnic areas it was definitely a low-energy-level-sapping day out, but these days adrenaline junkies are coming here in their droves to try out the Go Ape experience in the middle of the Queen Elizabeth Forest.

There are several Go Apes in the UK (a new one at Beecraigs opened this year), but Aberfoyle has the longest zip wire in the UK so if you like the feeling of having your heart in your mouth this is the one to visit.

Personally, I like my heart beating safely in my chest and as a sufferer of severe vertigo I enlisted my brother to take my son, Bill, and his dare devil friend William up to the zip wire. Standing at the David Marshall Lodge, where the course begins, I felt quite ill looking into the ravine over which they were about to hurl themselves. Meanwhile the boys listened carefully to the safety instructions with no qualms at all.

Fully kitted out with harnesses they shot off - whizzing through the trees on the zip wire that seemed to go on for ever (the first zip wire is more than 400 metres long and not for the fainthearted - or anyone under ten), and then slap bang into a camouflage net which softened their landing. As they disappeared into the forest I went off for a bit of retail therapy in Aberfoyle.

Two hours later I returned and they were still out on the course; there are so many activities to try, including climbing rope ladders (inset) and high-wire walking. According to Uncle Andrew it was actually quite exhausting. "You can't afford to not concentrate," he told me, commenting on the lack of usual nonsensical conversation between the boys. On the way home Bill said it had been quite scary, William's description was "awesome" and you don't get better than that. They both agreed they'd like to do it again.

It really is a good afternoon's worth of activity which left them fairly exhausted and me with yet another tartan travel rug.

A session for one adult and two children aged 10-15 starts at 70, www.goape.co.uk