A wide angled phograph with greenery to the left but a young boy on the right smiling directly at the camera, wearing a white helmet and holding onto the padding of the Zipwire rope system.

Zipwire

Zip through the skies at Calvert Exmoor! Feel the wind in your hair, the weightlessness of your body and let the giggles escape, as you take on our exhilarating Zipwire...

Zipwire

What is a Zipwire?

Also known as ziplines, zipwires are an exhilarating aerial ride where participants glide along a suspended cable, propelled by gravity! You may have seen various types of zipwires, including some where you simply hold onto a handle above your head (and yes, sometimes drop into water!), or others involving a full harness where you’d be lying or sitting down to enjoy the ride.

Zipwire at Calvert Exmoor

At Calvert Exmoor, our zipwire takes place next to the top of the outside climbing wall. It’s often an add-on activity that guests can do after another rope-based activity (time dependent). You’ll be attached into our safety system through the use of a harness and once all the suitable checks have been done by an instructor and you’re feeling ready, you’ll begin your breath-taking descent! We have specialist equipment that ensures everyone can take part in this activity.

Zipwire in action

Your Zipwire session

Click on each step for more information on what you can expect from a zipwire session with us…

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

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

3: Have a go

During the session, you’ll each have a turn on the zipwire – if you’re not on it, you can cheer on your group members!
Our instructors have the ability to change the speed of the zipwire, so make sure you let them know if you’d like to go slower or faster
Every time you reach the bottom, your legend of an instructor will run down, grab the rope beneath you and drag you all the way back up to the top before either going down again or safely removing you from the zipwire system

4: Finish up

At the end of your session, once you’re all finished, your instructor will remove any equipment still 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.

Zipwire 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…

Zipwire loading area

This is the Zipwire loading platform, where you’ll be attached into the safety system and may use the black steps to make this easier

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

Zipwire Kite Harness

This is a Kite Harness. It’s an adaptive harness that allows users to have full body support
It is particularly popular for our wheelchair user guests as its super comfortable and gives you support where you need it
We also have a head support which we can add into the system if you so require it

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

Helmets

In all of our rope-based activities, you must wear a helmet!
We have helmets of all sizes

Mobile hoists

These hoists can be used to transfer a wheelchair user from their own chair into the appropriate harnesses and safety systems

FAQs

Will I be able to take part in this activity?

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

What if I struggle with this activity?

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.

How do I know I'm safe?

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

Where does this take place?

Our Zipwire takes place by the top of our outdoor climbing wall. This is only a 2 minute walk away from the main centre.