This week we headed to Cannock Chase, an area of an Outstanding Natural Beauty and one our favourite family friendly days out in Staffordshire to try our hand at an outdoor treetop adventure challenge in the forest. Here is our Go Ape Cannock review.
*spoiler alert – we loved it!
We were provided with complimentary tickets to Go Ape Cannock in return for an honest review. All thoughts, opinions and one-handed images from the trees, are my own.
Cannock Chase, Staffordshire
There is so much to see and do on Cannock Chase with its varied landscape, ancient woodland, and river valleys. Don’t forget to keep your eyes peeled for herd of deer here too.
Cannock Chase is not only a wonderful location for family cycling and walking, but it is also home to Go Ape Cannock, an outdoor activity centre with the most incredible high ropes courses designed for both kids and adults.
Go Ape Cannock REVIEW
We have been promising the kids a day a visit to Go Ape forever. In all honesty it is every little adventurer’s dream, and is perfect for children of all ages (and brave adults of course).
Go Ape is for both adults and children and is a great outdoor activity that all the family can enjoy. I very often sit out of the activities to capture the memories and take photos, but this time I decided to get stuck in and join the kids, and I am so pleased I did.
We arrived at Cannock Chase at about 9.45am and there was plenty of parking. There is a number recognition system as you enter and a number of parking stations for you to pay when you leave the carpark.
We were booked on the Treetop Adventure Plus – designed for children over 6 years and 1.2m. When you think about TreeTop Adventure Plus, think about more speed, more freedom, more height and more thrills … and add in nerves of steel.
The staff were welcoming, knowledgable and friendly and nothing was too much trouble at all. Once we had checked in at the Go Ape reception hut, we received our wrist bands and headed over to the Treetop Challenge area for the safety briefing and to get kitted up with our harnesses.
We started with the Treetop adventure course which is the entry level high ropes course designed for children over 1m tall. This outdoor adventure course is a pure adrenaline filled fun that challenges you both mentally and physically and absolutely pushes you out of your comfort zone. Throughout the course you could see the children’s confidence grow as they navigated the challenges (and their fears) and smashed the treetop challenges right through to the zipwire.
The staff were dotted around to guide throughout the Tree Top Adventure course and to help you if you needed anything.
The first challenge complete. – now on to the Treetop adventure PLUS.
This course is designed for children over 6 years and 1.2m, and young explorers who do not have any fear, so perfect for our seven year old. I won’t lie, this definitely challenged me, I don’t really have a fear of heights but it was definitely a psychological battle to smash the course. I followed our seven year old, who literally ran round the course so there was no question at all that I had absolutely had to smash it too. I loved listening to the squeals, gasps, laughter and cheers as we all worked our way around to the 130m zip wire.
Go Ape Height restrictions
Please do check the height restrictions before you book. We were booked on to the Treetop Adventure Plus with a minimum height of 1.2m, and minimum age of 6. This activity takes around an hour and the longest zip wire is 130m.
- Treetop Adventure Plus – minimum height of 1.2m (3ft 11″)
- Treetop Adventure minimum height of 1m (3ft 3″)
- Treetop Adventure Challenge – Minimum height requirement: 1.4m (4ft 7″) Minimum age of 10.
- Challenge Plus – Minimum height requirement: 1.4m (4ft 7″) Minimum age of 10.
Go Ape Cannock. – what to wear
Don’t wear your best clobber!!!
Wear clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty and wear good fitting footwear that doesn’t come off easily and with a good grip. Between us we wore walking boots and trainers. Do not wear flip flops or crocs or sandals.
You wear a harness that is fitted so best not to wear cropped tops/jumpers as the harness may rub. Knowing what the weather is like in the UK always pack a raincoat too.
If you have long hair I recommend you tie it back securely or wear a bobble hat to prevent your hair getting in your eyes or getting caught in any of the equipment (ouch.)
One thing we didn’t bring was gloves for everyone, and it can be pretty cold up in the trees, especially during Autumn/Winter, so best to bring a pair with you. You can pre-order gloves from the cabin to purchase if you forget.
Go Ape Cannock Prices
- *TreeTop Challenge is £35 per person
- *Tree Top Adventure Plus is £25 per person,
- *Tree Top Adventure is from £20 per person
You can book your Go Ape activity online to avoid disappointment.
*Cannock chase carpark charges – I did find the parking expensive. It is free for members. Cars are £3.50 for 1 hour, £6.00 for 2 hours and we paid £9.00 for three hours (all day charge is £10.)
*Prices correct on 14/2/24
Go Ape Cannock review – Final thoughts
What a brilliant morning. It was lovely to find a family friendly activity that we could all do together as a family, despite the age differences. The staff were really knowledgable, calm and helpful – nothing was too much trouble and we all felt completely safe. I love to find family friendly activities that encourages time outdoors, fresh air, and time away from screens and this certainly did that.
Special thanks to the team on shift for our visit, Hannah, Millie, Ash, Ben, Cal and Chris. We had a super morning and would definitely recommend!
Head over to the website to book your Tree Top adventure at Go Ape Cannock.
We were provided with complimentary tickets to Go Ape Cannock in return for an honest review. All thoughts, opinions and images are my own.