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A wide angled photograph, where the left side is black leading into the light showing a girl wearing a harness and helmet, attached into a safety system, which she holds onto and is laughing as she swings on the Giant Swing at Calvert Exmoor.

Giant Swing

Take a leap of faith and swing into the excitement of the Giant Swing at Calvert Exmoor. Feel the rush as you soar through the air in an adrenaline-filled activity you won't forget...

Giant Swing

 

What is the Giant Swing?

It’s as simple as it sounds… the Giant Swing is just that: a giant swing! As opposed to a normal swing you find in a park, on this swing, you’re likely wearing equipment that ensures you’re kept safe at all times. Sometimes Giant Swing activities can be varied depending on where it takes place. It could involve swinging across canyons, over rivers or simply under a tall roof indoors.

Giant Swing at Calvert Exmoor

At Calvert Exmoor, our Giant Swing activity takes place in our sports hall. It’s often an add-on activity that guests can request to do after another rope-based activity (time dependent). You’ll be attached into our safety system through the use of a harness and you’ll be lifted gradually higher into the air. The best part? You have control over when you are released. If you want to take it easy, you could pull the cord/tell your instructor you’d like to swing from lower down. If you’re a bit of an adrenaline junky, you could go for the maximum height and feel the full pull!

Giant Swing in action

Your Giant Swing session

Click on each step for more information on what you can expect from a Giant Swing session with us…
A room with a red door and green floor. There are helmets on shelves and ropes hanging on hooks on the wall, a wheelchair in the centre at the back and in the foreground, there is a selection of harnesses on the floor laid out ready for guests to put them on.

1: Get ready

A room with a red door and green floor. There are helmets on shelves and ropes hanging on hooks on the wall, a wheelchair in the centre at the back and in the foreground, there is a selection of harnesses on the floor laid out ready for guests to put them on.

1: Get ready

  • You will meet your instructor at your allocated meeting point
  • Your meeting point will be given to you on arrival at the centre in advance of your activity sessions
  • Your instructor will take you to the equipment room to help you kit up with harnesses, helmets and any other specialised accessories needed for the session
A guest standing in front of the indoor climbing wall with a white helmet and harness, while a member of Calvert Exmoor staff is attaching ropes and carabiners to her harness ready for the Giant Swing activity.

2: Learn how

A guest standing in front of the indoor climbing wall with a white helmet and harness, while a member of Calvert Exmoor staff is attaching ropes and carabiners to her harness ready for the Giant Swing activity.

2: Learn how

  • Your instructor will give you all a safety briefing before the activity starts and tell you how the system works
  • Feel free to tell your instructor if you have any worries or concerns and they’ll be able to talk you through these
A guest in a white helmet is on the Giant Swing and smiling as she's lifted higher.

3: Have a go

A guest in a white helmet is on the Giant Swing and smiling as she's lifted higher.

3: Have a go

  • During the session, you’ll each have a turn on the swing – if you’re not on it, you can cheer on your group members!
  • Choose whether you, your group members or your instructor will have the rope that controls when you are released and can start to swing
  • As the instructor uses the ropes to lift you higher towards the ceiling, you or your chosen person can pull the release rope at any time to start swinging
A group of guests are in the equipment store room wearing helmets and harnesses and facing each other. In the background there are shelves with equipment on.

4: Finish up

A group of guests are in the equipment store room wearing helmets and harnesses and facing each other. In the background there are shelves with equipment on.

4: Finish up

  • At the end of your session, once you’re all safely on the floor, your instructor will remove any ropes attached to you and will take you to the equipment storage, where you’ll return your helmets and harnesses, before heading back to the centre.

Giant Swing equipment

Whether you want to get an idea of what our kit looks like, or see some of our specialised gear that helps make our sessions more accessible, have a look below…
A silver metal mobile hoist in front of the climbing wall with a black T section with hooks on.

Mobile hoists

A silver metal mobile hoist in front of the climbing wall with a black T section with hooks on.

Mobile hoists

  • These hoists can be used to transfer a wheelchair user from their own chair into the appropriate harnesses and safety systems
A selection of seven different harnesses laying out on the floor at the bottom of the indoor climbing wall.

Harnesses

A selection of seven different harnesses laying out on the floor at the bottom of the indoor climbing wall.

Harnesses

  • Harnesses come in all shapes and sizes – these ones are called “sit” harnesses and are commonly used for rope-based activities like climbing
  • This picture shows harnesses on the floor ready to put your feet into the smaller circles and then pull up and over your waist, like a pair of trousers
  • Our instructors will help you to choose the right harness for you and show you how to put it on correctly
A member of Calvert Exmoor staff is sitting in the accessible sling and being suspended above the ground by another member of staff who is using a belay system in the foreground. The blue abseiling chair is to the left of the picture.

Kite Harness – Flexible

A member of Calvert Exmoor staff is sitting in the accessible sling and being suspended above the ground by another member of staff who is using a belay system in the foreground. The blue abseiling chair is to the left of the picture.

Kite Harness – Flexible

  • This harness has velcro strips which allow instructors to attach some special padding that increases the rigidity of the harness
  • Without the padding, the Kite harness adds a different level of support: the harness is easily moulded to the shape of the user
  • Individuals who need extra spinal support benefit from this gear
The blue Abseiling wheelchair with a red seat shaped cushion inside in the middle of the floor to showcase the equipment.

Kite Harness – Rigid

The blue Abseiling wheelchair with a red seat shaped cushion inside in the middle of the floor to showcase the equipment.

Kite Harness – Rigid

  • This harness has velcro strips, which attach to the red-coloured seating inside the chair: this increases the rigidity of the seating
  • The red seating adds more structure to the seat, which can be a better option for some people than its flexible counterpart
  • Individuals who need extra spinal support benefit from this gear
Three shelves with three green helmets on the top shelf, three red helmets on the central shelf and four blue helmets on the bottom shelf.

Helmets

Three shelves with three green helmets on the top shelf, three red helmets on the central shelf and four blue helmets on the bottom shelf.

Helmets

  • In all of our rope-based activities, you must wear a helmet!
  • We have helmets of all sizes
A man wearing glasses is standing facing the camera and smiling, wearing a harness that goes around his chest, shoulders, waist and legs.

Chest Harness

A man wearing glasses is standing facing the camera and smiling, wearing a harness that goes around his chest, shoulders, waist and legs.

Chest Harness

  • Much like a “sit” harness is pulled on like a pair of trousers, the chest harness is put on like a jacket
  • This harness engages around the top half of the body and attaches onto the “sit” harness, which creates a full-body support system
  • This is typically used for those who are
    • larger-bodied
    • smaller-bodied
    • lack core strength
    • would simply like to feel more supported
A member of Calvert Exmoor staff smiles at the camera holding up a harness, which can be used for accessible climbing and abseiling, within a red wheelchair in front of the indoor climbing wall.

Pont Harness

A member of Calvert Exmoor staff smiles at the camera holding up a harness, which can be used for accessible climbing and abseiling, within a red wheelchair in front of the indoor climbing wall.

Pont Harness

  • The Pont harness is similar to the Kite harness, in that the seat section is rigid, but the back support is not
  • This harness benefits users who may need extra support but still have the core stability to sit upright by themselves
The camera is at knee-height and facing upwards, focused on a piece of climbing equipment and a person's hand and waist next to the equipment with the orange indoor climbing wall behind.

Rope Equipment

The camera is at knee-height and facing upwards, focused on a piece of climbing equipment and a person's hand and waist next to the equipment with the orange indoor climbing wall behind.

Rope Equipment

  • Don’t worry, it’ll be the instructor’s responsibility to use this equipment and, should you need to use it yourself, they’ll teach you exactly how to use it safely
  • This equipment could include ropes and various metalwork

FAQs

Yes! We leave no one out and no matter what, we do everything we can to make sure you can enjoy the experience of the Giant Swing in a way that suits you and keeps you safe.

At Calvert Exmoor, it’s what you CAN do that counts. Our instructors use the term ‘challenge by choice’, which ensures that while you’re taking part and given challenges along the way, you ultimately always have the agency and control over your own limitations. Our staff are there to keep you safe but also build your confidence, even if this means accomplishing a simpler version of the activity.

Every instructor has:

  • extensive in-house training including observation hours logged prior to running a session independently
  • Either
    • a Climbing Wall Instructor (CWI) qualification including an abseil module by British Mountaineering Council
    • OR
    • a Rock Climbing Instructor (RCI) qualification by British Mountaineering Council

Our Giant Swing takes place in our sports hall. This is only a 2 minute walk away from the main centre.

Our accreditations