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Treetop Challenge

at Forest of Dean Mallards Pike

Big Thrills in Mallards Pike

Conquer the Forest of Dean’s most daring course — zip lines, aerial obstacles and heart-stopping crossings await.

Treetop Challenge Locations 33 Locations
Treetop Challenge Price from £36.95
Treetop Challenge Age age 10+
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Explore England’s largest oak woodland from the tree tops. This self belay course will have you navigating your way across wobbly bridges and soaring through the canopy on five exhilarating zip lines. Take on five sections with adrenaline-fueled challenges and high-flying thrills, including two of our legendary Tarzan Swings and over a quarter of a mile's worth of zip wires. For younger adventurers, check out Forest of Dean Beechenhurst just 10 minutes away.

Our Treetop Challenge Courses Feature:
Challenging Crossings
Epic Zip Wires
Daring Tarzan Swing

Treetop Challenge Overview

Safety System

Self Belay

Min Age

10

Recommended Age

10+

Min Height

1.4m

Max Weight

130kg

Duration

2-3 hours

Highest Platform

15m

Longest Zip

180m

Supervision Ratios
Self Belay Sites

Adults must supervise children between the ages of 10 to 15 years old.

10 - 15 years old
10 - 15 years old

One adult (18+) can supervise 2 children aged 10 to 15 and must participate in the activity.

Adults (18+) cannot simultaneously supervise children participating in Treetop Challenge and other high ropes activities such as Treetop Adventure and Treetop Adventure Plus.

Forest of Dean Mallards Pike Reviews

Hands down one of the scariest but most fun experiences I’ve ever had.
Hands down one of the scariest but most fun experiences I’ve ever had.
The course is set in a beautiful forest. It feels safe and well-maintained and the staff are welcoming, enthusiastic and focused on ensuring everyone's safety. The course has 5 zones that get progressively more challenging, each ending in a zip line. It is exhilarating and takes some strength and stamina.
The course is set in a beautiful forest. It feels safe and well-maintained and the staff are welcoming, enthusiastic and focused on ensuring everyone's safety. The course has 5 zones that get progressively more challenging, each ending in a zip line. It is exhilarating and takes some strength and stamina.
We loved the treetop challenge. The staff were great, the course fun and I felt excited and safe the whole day. Mallard’s Pike is a beautiful location, which I’ll definitely be coming back to.
We loved the treetop challenge. The staff were great, the course fun and I felt excited and safe the whole day. Mallard’s Pike is a beautiful location, which I’ll definitely be coming back to.
Go Ape reviews received via Google, and post-adventure customer feedback.

Plan Your Visit

Corporate Events

Dogs Allowed

Food & Drink

Walking Routes

Picnic Area

Forestry England Site

See the full guide for directions, facilities, and what to bring.

Plan Your Visit
Make A Day Of It
Things To Do In Forest of Dean Mallards Pike
A family walk through the forest together

Go Exploring

Head into the wider forest and discover the three giant maize mazes.

A family cycling in the forest

Bring your bikes

Bring or hire a bike to explore even more of this beautiful forest.

A groups of friends enjoy a picnic in the forest

Bring a picnic

Extend your forest visit with a picnic.

Frequently Asked Questions
See All FAQs

Yes, carers' tickets/discounts are available for Go Ape adventures.

If a supervising adult is not required to participate as per our activity restrictions, please call our customer service team on 01603 895500 to discuss your requirements and book your free carer ticket.

If a supervising adult is required to participate under our activity restrictions, please call us on 01603 895500, and we will apply an accessibility discount of 10% for you.

Yes, you can book at the Go Ape cabin on the day, but availability isn’t guaranteed. Sessions often fill up quickly, especially at weekends and during holidays, so we recommend booking online in advance to secure your spot.

For the safety of both mother and child, Go Ape strongly recommends that pregnant women do not take part in our adventures.

Our adventures are robust physical activities involving climbing, balancing, and zipping, which naturally carry a degree of risk. While we don't want to be discriminatory, we are not medical experts.

We strongly encourage you to seek advice from your doctor before deciding to participate.

If, after consulting your doctor, you choose to proceed, we will require you to formally declare your pregnancy to a staff member and sign a specific disclaimer acknowledging that:

"I have made Go Ape aware that I am pregnant and, as a result, Go Ape has recommended that I do not take part on the course. However, I have decided to take part on the course in the full knowledge that this may incur risks to my unborn child."

We want you to have a safe and wonderful experience, so please prioritise medical advice when making this decision!

Due to the nature of our treetop activities, we strongly recommend that pockets must be emptied to prevent the risk of dropping any personal belongings while on the course. Some courses are built over a mixture of vegetation, streams, and in some locations even lakes and ponds. There is therefore a risk of personal loss if items are dropped into areas that cannot safely be reached by foot.

If you need to reschedule your Go Ape adventure, you can do this using your online account up to 48 hours before your session. If you didn't create an account at check out, you can still manage your booking by creating an account now using the same email address that you used to make your booking.

  1. Log in to your Go Ape account
  2. Go to 'My Bookings' then 'Upcoming Bookings'
  3. Select the booking you want to change and 'Re-book'
  4. Follow the steps to select a new session

Please note that there is a £5 fee for rescheduling a booking within 7 days of your session. Bookings closer than 48 hours cannot be rescheduled.

If you are struggling to log into your account, please try reseting your password. If this doesn't work, contact our customer care team.

If your booking is not showing on your online account, please ensure you are trying to log in using the same email which is linked to the order.

If you need any help changing your booking, please email [email protected] or call 01603 895500.

Adults (18+) can simultaneously supervise children participating in Treetop Adventure and Treetop Adventure Plus from the ground.

Adults (18+) cannot simultaneously supervise children participating in Treetop Challenge and other high ropes activities such as Treetop Adventure and Treetop Adventure Plus.

Adults participating in an activity may only supervise children on the same activity.

Please make sure that there are enough adults (18+) in your group to supervise the children (under 16 years) you have booked for, meeting the supervision requirements for your activity. This includes adults participating in some instances, and they also require a ticket.

Go Ape activities are physically and emotionally challenging outdoor adventures that come with a risk of injury when participating.

If you or anyone you are supervising has a pre-existing injury or medical condition (including pregnancy) that could affect your ability to participate safely or may increase your risk of injury, we would recommend that you do not take part in the activity.

However, we do not want to be discriminatory and ultimately the choice is yours. We are not medical experts and therefore suggest that you seek advice from your doctor on the matter.

If you decide to proceed, you will need to declare that you have an existing injury. In addition to your risk acknowledgement form, you will be asked to complete an additional form on the day of your adventure stating that you have decided to take part in the activity in the full knowledge that this may incur additional risks to your existing injury.

Please make Go Ape staff aware on arrival and they will provide you with the additional form. If you would like to discuss anything with us before you decide, please reach out via email to [email protected] or give us a call on 01603 895500.

Bumbags and backpacks aren't permitted on the course as they may increase your risk of injury or get in the way of your harness. A lanyard and phone pouch can be purchased online at the time of booking or on the day from the Go Ape cabin (subject to availability). If you need to carry any medication with you, please let a member of staff know who will be able to provide you with a pouch which can be attached to your harness.

We recommend that non-essential items and bags are left somewhere safe such as in your car. Small items such as car keys can be left in the Go Ape cabin.

Absolutely! Spectators are more than welcome to come along and watch the action from the ground. Most of our courses are set in open woodland, with walking trails and viewing areas, so friends and family can follow along and cheer you on from below.

The only adventure with restrictions is Woburn Safari Park, which allows just one onlooker free of charge (additional spectators can be added to your booking at Woburn for an additional fee).

Go Ape designs its adventures to be as accessible as possible. Our high ropes courses require a degree of physical fitness but if you can climb up a rope ladder you will be fine. Our Forest Segways require you to stand for an hour on a moving platform and require similar energy as riding a bicycle. Nets courses have a lot of bounce and therefore require similar energy to a bouncy castle.

We strongly recommend booking your adventure online or by phone before travelling.

Go Ape sessions often sell out, especially during weekends and peak season. If you wait until you arrive, we cannot guarantee there will be any spaces left, and we genuinely hate sending people away disappointed! Book ahead to secure your spot.

A supervising adult will only need a ticket if they are participating in the activity.

Some of our activities do require adult supervision in the tree tops. Depending on the age of the children you are supervising, it is possible to supervise from the ground if you prefer. We recommend participating with your children so you can enjoy your adventure together, especially if it's their first time or they are feeling a little nervous.

Supervision requirements can be found on the location and activity pages of the website.

Yes, our harnesses do have specific safety limits based on waist and leg measurements. We want all of our customers to feel secure and comfortable. If you are concerned about harness fit, we warmly invite you to visit the site before your booking date. Our team will be happy to let you try one on privately and will handle your enquiry with complete sensitivity and discretion. Please just check your local site is open before travelling. More information on harness sizing can be found here.

You can book online. This is the fastest way to check availability and guarantee your spot!

If you prefer to talk it through, call us at 01603 895500.

Booking for a group? For schools, company outings and more, please check out our Groups pages. Our dedicated events team will help organise all the details.

We have produced this handy guide on staying safe at Go Ape in hot weather. Please have a read through to prepare for your adventure.

Go Ape is an excellent wet weather activity. Our courses are substantially sheltered from rain and wind by the trees themselves so as long as you are appropriately dressed for the weather you should still have great memories of your experience. The course remains open in all weathers, except thick ice, thunderstorms and gales. Rain makes the course muddier than usual which can add to the fun, but you might want dry clothes to change into for the journey home.

If we have to close for unsafe weather conditions, we will offer you a refund, credit note or reschedule your booking. If unsafe weather is forecasted we will aim to make the decision as early as possible, and will do our best to contact you to try and save you a wasted journey.

Yes well-behaved dogs are welcome on-site, we ask they are kept on leads. Please note that dogs are not able to join you on the course and need a spectator to look after them. Surrounding areas may have dog restrictions (such as the cafe and lake walk)

There is a cafe on site which sells a selection of hot and cold food or drink. Opening times vary depending on the time of year.

There are accessible toilets on site. These also have baby changing facilities. You can find more information on Forestry England's website.

There are accessible parking spaces available. Our site has mixed elevation, but the majority is flat and accessible, though please be cautious of the forest floor and exposed roots. If you have any specific accessibility requirements please contact us ahead of your visit so we can help. You can also find more information on Forestry England's website.

Yes, parking is available. Charges apply, so please check local signage or the Forestry England website before your visit. You can pay for your parking with debit/credit card, Google Pay/Apple Pay or use the RingGo app. We recommend arriving early during peak times.

We have lockers available, free of charge. Items left in lockers are left at your own risk and we would encourage bigger items to be left in vehicles where possible.

The nearest toilets are 50m away next to the carpark. There are no toilets out on the course, so we recommend using them before starting your activity.

Go Ape Mallards Pike is in the heart of the Forest of Dean, within a Forestry England site called Mallards Pike. From Speech House Hotel follow the brown Go Ape sign south past the car park and all the way to the end of the road. Turn left at the T junction and you'll find Mallards Pike on your left. What3Words location is ///reflect.eternally.shaped. Our cabin is a 50m walk from the car park.

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