Go Ape Battersea Park review – London’s treetop day out
From an early age, even my school reports called me reliable and conscientious. But under this meek, mild-mannered exterior (ahem) lies the heart of an adrenaline junkie. I used to skydive (SO much fun), I’ve zipwired across an Italian mountain valley, I’ve even ridden donkeys which is probably the scariest of all.
So when I was invited along to the launch of the Go Ape course in Battersea, I was first in line.
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With 29 courses across the country, this central London addition has had a few tweaks to set it apart from the other locations mostly out in the countryside. So how does the Battersea Go Ape course shape up? Here’s my Go Ape Battersea Park review.
Battersea Park Go Ape: What’s different?
While most sprawl through woodland, letting you explore and clamber through the forest, this tree top adventure has less space to stretch out. Which means the designers had to get clever.
Instead they’ve designed three circuits which take you higher and higher into the trees, each getting more daring and difficult as you go up – without needing three times as much park.
Because of that, it’s a lot higher than many of the other Go Ape treetop adventures, while some of the obstacle crossings are twice as long as usual. Which can mean they’re twice as wobbly. Just like my knees…
The bonus if you’re not sure how you’ll manage is that after the first ‘blue’ circuit, you can call it a day rather than walking back round to the first tower and heading up to the next ‘red’ level or the toughest ‘black’ designation after that, without being stuck in the middle of a forest.
It can get slightly unnerving to look down (or up) and see someone else crossing another level admittedly. But honestly, you’re more focused on your own feet and hands than anyone else. I did quite enjoy being stared at by a few incredulous dog walkers below as well.
An added bonus is not being far from Battersea’s pubs afterwards. (Not before. Definitely not before).
Go Ape London: Need to know facts
So… to start, the statistics. There are 43 crossings between 17 tree platforms, with a zipwire at the end of each course. The longest zipwire is 50m and the longest obstacle crossing is 32m long, while the highest point is double the height of most courses at 12m above the ground.
How long does Go Ape take? It does depend on how fast you’re going – I didn’t rush but I didn’t dawdle, and spent around two hours at the Go Ape in Battersea. The average for all Go Ape locations is two to three hours. There are also night time sessions, which last one hour.
There’s also a junior treetop adventure course for kids over 1m (adults need to accompany under sixes, six and above need supervising from the ground), which is a similar height to the first level of the adult course although less tricky to cross – you’ll probably need around one hour for that.
There are Go Ape age restrictions for the adult high ropes: only those aged 10+ and over 1.4m can do the main course.
Then, the safety. There’s a briefing and a ground level practice with part of your harness clipped on by staff before you’re allowed up. This is constantly attached, plus there’s a second carabiner attachment which is clipped on while you’re crossing the obstacles themselves.
If you need any more convincing about just how safe this has to be, the course is built above a playground and Battersea Park mini golf course. Quite apart from not wanting anyone to get hurt, no-one is taking any chances of you falling onto schoolkids and toddlers…
All pockets have to be emptied (when one person’s glove fell into the mini golf water hazard below, we were reminded just why) but there are special lanyard attachments for cameras and cases for phones to borrow if you want to take photos.
Between the plastic of the Go Ape phone lanyard, my gloves and the swaying motion, that has to excuse any slight blurs in mine!
- Gaskell, Katja (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 108 Pages – 02/03/2025 (Publication Date) – Independently published (Publisher)
What’s it like on the Battersea Park High Ropes?
Most importantly, what’s a day out at Go Ape Battersea Park really like? I barely stopped grinning the whole way around, despite a couple of wobbly moments. Mostly you follow the set route but there are a couple of spots where you can choose the difficult or extreme option.
Balanced precariously on a swinging suspended log, only just able to reach the rope holds above me, when they say ‘extreme’, they mean what they say.
There are rope bridges, innocent looking ‘flying carpets’ – wooden rectangles which sway so much I found these hardest – and bridges of planks and wooden shapes which I discovered were easier to cross if you did it at speed.
Just grit your teeth, take a deep breath and go for it!
And while gloves were pretty necessary on a chilly winter day, they also came in very useful for those moments where I was clinging on really quite tightly to wires and ropes. A few bonus December gusts just added to the excitement.
The highlight? Landing on my feet after the final zipwire, following a series of distinctly less elegant manoeuvres hitting the ground bum first.
So would I recommend it? Definitely… And best of all, after two hours enjoying a few treetop thrills, I could hop back on the bus home in time for nursery pick-up, meek and mild-mannered exterior back in place.
Go Ape Battersea prices and visiting
The course costs from £39 for all ages. The Tree Top Adventure course costs from £23 (for adults and children of all ages). Parking isn’t easy although there is some on-street parking in Battersea if you’re lucky.
It’s much easier to get a bus, – the entrance at the corner of Albert Bridge Road and Prince of Wales Drive is closest. Take the 49, 319 or 345 bus from Clapham, with several lines running from the north bank of the river. The 319 bus also runs from Sloane Square.
It’s around a 15-minute walk from Battersea Park Station to Go Ape Battersea Park. The park is also home to the children’s zoo which is great with younger kids.
For another unusual outdoor activity in London with kids, check out Europe’s largest adventure golf course at Lost Jungle
*First published 2015, last updated 2024*
PIN FOR LATER: GO APE BATTERSEA PARK REVIEW
Disclosure: My day out at Go Ape Battersea Park was free of charge for the purposes of review. All opinions and decisions to try the ‘extreme’ option are my own. This post contains affiliate links – any purchases you make are unaffected but I may receive a small commission
Images copyright MummyTravels
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I went to a party in the summer at one of the go ape locations. The kids had a great time and it makes a change to see them running around outside enjoying the fresh air
That sounds like a fun party, definitely agree about getting outdoors.
This looks like such a fabulous place to go. I love monkeys and always have. I now want to put this place on my bucket list! 🙂
What I mean is I love the monkey photograph. I’ve collected monkeys all my life so that picture attracted my attention. I’d love to take my child here to do the zip wire activities…as I think she’d love it!
He was great, definitely eye-catching as you come in. I think your daughter would love the junior course too.
It was so much fun – pretty much like being a monkey yourself 🙂
Meek and mild mannered Cathy?? I don’t think so 🙂 I would LOVE to do this. I am an adrenaline junkie too and think that I would really enjoy. For the price you get a lot of assault course and the zip wire at the end sounds pretty cool. And a pint in the pub after sounds like a great finish to the day!
🙂 Shhh, it’s my alter ego. And I think you would have a great time – I probably went round quite fast as I was on my own, and there weren’t many people on launch day, but I know when I did another one with friends previously, it was a huge laugh in a group.
We have a Go Ape course here in Pittsburgh! After your review of the Battersea one I am even more convinced that I need to go check it out.
Oh I hadn’t realised they were outside the UK too – do go, it’s a lot of fun.
Sounds like you had a wonderful time. I have often looked at these courses but as I am slightly petrified of heights, I can’t even get out the loft I have decided that they probably wouldn’t be the right for me. But I do have admiration for all that enjoy them, and I have a feeling that Monkey is some what if a dare devil so I may have to grow some! 🙂 xx
Really fun – I always used to be scared of heights and still get white knuckles climbing a stepladder, but somehow I never seem to mind as much when I’m really high. Odd, I know!
I do not think I can do anything higher than my bed anyone. I can so scared of heights these days it’s crazy but then again it’s go ape and I want to try it again.
It would definitely be a way to encourage yourself – I was having so much fun, I did forget the heights (and obviously there’s a harness so you know you’re safe)
Oh wow, that is really high up!! I’m so glad to hear that safety is in the forefront. And, that there are pubs near by for after lol Well done for completing the courses & zip wire!! x
Thanks – and absolutely, I’d be less keen to clamber around if I wasn’t totally sure about the harness.
I’ve done Go Ape (and the similar Treerunners) a couple of times. I love the zip wires but get a bit nervous on some of the crossings, even though I know they’re as safe as can be. Glad you enjoyed the course, I imagine it will be a very popular one given its location!
I think so, it’s a great thought to have one so close to central London. The zip wires are my favourite too I think.
I have been to GO APE before and it is so much fun. Last time I went was when I was 13 and I enjoyed climbing all the obstacles.
It’s great isn’t it – I don’t know if I was as brave at 13, but love it now.
I’ve never been to a Go Ape but it looks like so much fun! I don’t know how brave I would be about doing any more than the blue circuit though, I am a bit of a wuss!x
It really is fun – and if you decide blue is plenty, it’s easy to stop part-way with this one
We have a Go Ape close to where I live and I always said I’d love to go. You’ve done a great job in this post photographing everything from the very top as it gives a clear idea of what to expect. 🙂
Thanks! Glad it gave more of an idea of what to expect – a harness, windy treetops and a cameraphone don’t make for the best photos!
Wow this looks amazing. I bet it’s exhilarating being up there, walking around the course.
It really is!
I had no idea this was just down the road! Very good to know 🙂
It’s brand new – I was there on launch day – but definitely a nice addition to that corner of the park 🙂
Oh Cathy I love Go Ape it is fantastic, I nearly had a heart attack when I went and realised I had to unclip my self to move round the course, but I love it. Great the the pubs are nearby as I needed a drink after ha ha x
It’s a lot of fun isn’t it – and I know what you mean about the unclipping. I had to keep reminding myself that was just an extra safety thing at first (then by the end, I’d got really practicsed at slinging it on and off the wire)
Oh this looks really exciting – you managed to get some good shots, it’s actually higher than I imagined!
Thanks! 12m at its highest (there’s one in Scotland which is 48m I think…!) but definitely felt pretty high up on some of the wobbly bits. Really fun though.
I’ve did a Go Ape course as part of a hen do (there were definitely no drinks before then either) and I absolutely loved it! So I am very pleased to hear one has arrived (almost) on my doorstep! I’m with you on being a bit of an adrenaline junkie and love nothing more than a challenge. Pubs nearby for afterwards sounds perfect! #citytripping
That would be such a great thing to do on a hen do (although the last one I arranged, the hen was scared of heights…) but very fun to have one nearby.
Adventure park for the kids, our would love that. It was a pity we only got to spend 3 days in London earlier this year could have spent a week. It’s not friendly though when converting australian dollars.
#citytrippin
There’s so much to do in London, I’m still working on my list after more than a decade! And no, not the cheapest city sadly.
This seems like a lot of fun! I would love to try it. 🙂
#CityTripping
It really was Urska – do give it a go if you get chance!
I have never tried this type of thing. I always imagine I will be too scared and wimp out but I sometimes surprise myself when I actually do push myself so maybe I should give it a try.
I’ll join you in the pub though…
I think you should try – they’re all designed (I think) to start more gently and then to build up, so the adrenaline’s flowing and everyone’s having fun by the time you get higher up. There’s always a few people taking it a bit more slowly as well in my experience.
I would not be first in line, but Robert would be! He and Brian tried out Go Ape in Sherwood Forest and while one of them absolutely loved it, the other was not so sure…..I know my own limits. I stayed on the ground….But glad you had fun 🙂
It’s always good to have someone taking the photos! I think Robert is braver than I was at his age though.
Ahh, not sure if I would do something like this. I am a bit afraid of heights. I have zip lined and didn’t find it scary at all. Maybe this would be a great exercise to test my limits.
It would definitely be a good way to try, as it builds up slowly – and if you like the zipwire, you know you can get down again…
That’s such an unusual circuit, on top of a mini golf and up up up in layers. Despite pockets being emptied I still think I’d be concerned on the golf course that something would drop on my head! There are quite a few similar attractions near where I live and my boys love them. I’m not such an adrenalin junky myself so I like to be official photographer on these occasions.
That’s exactly what I thought – they are good at checking your pockets though. It’s great to have both the junior option and adult version for older kids too here, depending how daring they want to be.
Battersea Park is a great location for this – so handy for central London. I’m very impressed you did the extreme circuit. I’m not sure I’d be so brave – I still haven’t recovered from a ride at Diggerland a few years ago which brought on vertigo! #citytripping
It makes a really nice combination, doesn’t it. I was in two minds about the extreme corner, but took my usual ‘this might be my only chance to try’ attitude – plus I thought I should if I was doing a review! Such dedication 🙂
I think you were very brave Cathy to do this on your own! This article brings back a lot of memories for me, as one of my roles as ShoreEx mgr on the ships was to risk assess attractions similar to Go Ape. This looks like a very safe course with safety ropes, etc and it sounds like you were thoroughly briefed and checked over for loose objects etc prior to being allowed on the course. I will not go into detail however it is fair to say that unfortunately some of the rope courses I assessed in the Caribbean were not so health & safety aware!
Thanks! Of course, I hadn’t thought that someone would have to check out all the excursions before people are let loose – I can well imagine some in the Caribbean have a more relaxed attitude. I’ve done a couple so don’t tell me which! 🙂
Great review and makes me really want to go! Go Ape is on my wishlist and think my little adventurers would love it. Just waiting for Zayn to be old enough to go and the five adventurers will definitely testing it out!
It is so much fun – having seen some of their adventurous exploits, I think the junior courses would be right up their street too.
Actually looks like something adults could enjoy as well 🙂
Oh definitely – I loved it
Ooh I used to live up the road from the park it was my jogging circuit!! I’m not sure that I’d be much good, in theory I love the idea and I’m talking the talk. The reality is I’d probably cry when I got up there. #citytripping
The whole park?! 😉 It really was fun – I think a lot of people might surprise themselves.