Walking on the wild side
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After five years of continuous growth one of Scarborough’s top attractions is hoping for a bumper summer season in 2012.
Tree top adventure assault course Go Ape in Dalby Forest saw visitors numbers grow to 24,000 last year.
Now in its sixth year the bosses at the company are hoping to see another rise for the 2012.
The target is within reach after the attraction brought in similar numbers to last year during the February half term break.
Course manager Nick Mallet said: “We are on target to match last year after our first part of the year.
“We are on par with February half term last year and hopefully it will be the same for the rest of the year.
“Last year was our fifth year and visitor numbers have gone up year on year since we opened.
“We seem to be relatively recession proof for some reason. People are still going out with families. Plus we are lucky in that the area we are in is very tourist based.”
Go Ape in Dalby Forest is one of 27 courses across the country under the Go Ape brand.
The attraction boasts six challenging tree top sections, taking climbers over obstacles of varying difficulty.
The longest crossing measures 15 metres, with climbers reaching 35 metres from the ground at the highest point.
And if the tree top climbing wasn’t enough the get your heart racing there’s a series of high speed zip wires, the longest of which is 250 metres.
Within its location over looking the Vale of Pickering, the business had made a name for itself.
Go Ape was listed as one of Britain’s fastest growing private companies for two consecutive years in The Sunday Times Virgin Fast Track 100 league table.
Further growth is expected at the North Yorkshire site this year with the introduction of a new attraction this year.
Go Ape will be bringing Segways to Dalby Forest from Easter. A special course for the two-wheeled, self balancing machines is currently under construction.
Mr Mallet said: “We are aiming to get more people in the forest, and are hoping the segways will bring an extra 7,000 to 10,000 visitors.
“Over the years we have found a lot of people come to Go Ape in large family groups, however within that group there will be some people that being up in the tree tops just isn’t their thing at all.
“We thought what can we do within our brand, that fits in with what we are about, is eco friendly, and will appeal to people who don’t want to be up high.
“The segways seemed to fit quite well.
“It is great to be able to add another attraction to get people out and about in the forest. We have got a cracking area to utilise thanks to the Forestry Commission.
“We are very much about getting people in to Dalby Forest full stop. There are so many people, even those living close by in Scarborough, that don’t realise what’s here.
“It is a cracking part of the world.”
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Friday 25 May 2012
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Comments
There are 3 comments to this article
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1007
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 09:18 AMAs #1 says this is brilliant for the kids.. Its right up there with Kinderland, Water Splash they are brilliant for kids... Oh wait a min!!!!!!
geoff49
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 05:46 PMAs #1 says, what's this got to do with Scarborough? Looking at the Go Ape advert, Pickering, Malton, even Thornton Le Dale are mentioned - but no Scarborough! So to call it one of the town's top attractions is pushing it a bit. Still, it hasn't much to beat has it?
FairDealForFiley
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 02:36 PMSince when has this been 'one of Scarborough's top attractions'? It is in Ryedale, SBC haven't the nous to support such a venture. It's brilliant for both kids and adults alike. SBC should take note.
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