The Go Ape Tribe Celebrates Mothers Day

I think an adventure can be anything to anybody. Something new and exciting which challenges you.

Growing up my mum taught me that you don’t have to jump off or climb up something to be having an adventure. She always encouraged me to pursue the things that made me happy and showed that nothing was off limits.

This mindset and the support she has always given has helped me to challenge myself and will be something I share with my child as well.

Before I began working at Go Ape, I set off on my first adventure at Thetford Forest with a group of friends. I also am proud to have completed both my Bronze and Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award in the South Downs. DofE is such a valuable experience for young people! I was incredibly proud to complete my expeditions (with only a few wrong turns) with my friends back when I was 14/15 and I hope my child can take part in it in the future.

Being an expectant mum, I want to encourage them to be who they want to be and do what they want to do. They should climb a tree, get dirty and make mud pies. I want to do what my mum did and tell them that that they can do anything.

This is a very Go ape answer but, to me, and adventure is something which pushes you out of your comfort zone.

My mum is an incredibly brave and adventurous woman who left Gujarat, India and started a new life in a new country with an entirely different language.

Throughout my life she has supported me through every challenge at every opportunity from setting up my own baking business, Clapham Cakes, to traveling to new places like Yosemite with my friends.

When I was younger, my parents opened me and my siblings’ eyes through travel when visiting family back in India as well as enjoying UK seaside holidays. 

Working at Go Ape I have taken on a fair few treetop adventures and my next challenge is to take on the Plummet at our Alexandra Palace location – a 12m free fall to the forest floor!

To me, adventure means pushing yourself physically or mentally. You don’t necessarily have to be outdoors but there is often a fear of failure or fear of not knowing how to do something.  Sometimes the adventure is failing and learning from that experience.

My mum was my hero, my biggest role model and my number one guiding force. The person I am today is because of my mum. She was truly inspiring.

When I was two years old she took part in a 20 mile time trial with me on back of the bike seat -and she averaged 24mph! She also took me to the Tour de France when I was four years old and opened by eyes to a new country for the very first time.

My mum ingrained in me that we should always push ourselves to achieve our goals. If I said I wanted to do something she would ask how I was going to make this happen and was there with me every step of the way.

She inspired a love of cycling and adventure that remains to this day and I hope to pass onto my child.

It’s a funny story, I began working at Go Ape one day a week when my son was 9 months old and I was desperately seeking some younger company. My son is now 13 and I’m a full-time Site Manager at Go Ape Leeds Castle. Over the years, i’ve taken some time off to have my second child, who’s 9, but have always considered Go Ape to be my paid hobby.

I have two younger brothers, which means we spent quite a lot of time outside when I was growing up. My family have always skied and enjoyed active holidays (including jumping off waterfalls!) so I suppose that inspired me to be adventurous in a way.

With my own kids, I try and guide rather than push when it comes to an adventures – not to say I don’t get involved! I do things with them individually, like indoor skydiving with my son and skiing with my daughter over at the ski centre near us.

Working full-time these days it is a bit more difficult to get active but if ever there’s an opportunity to go somewhere I’ll take the kids along - and I’ll lead the way.