logo
logo
Person climbing a cargo net.

Treetop Challenge

at Chelmsford

Big Thrills Above Hylands Park

Cross, swing and zip through the treetops of Chelmsford on our classic high ropes course — the ultimate Essex forest adventure.

Treetop Challenge Locations 33 Locations
Treetop Challenge Price from £36.95
Treetop Challenge Age age 10
Book Now

Experience our boldest adventure in Chelmsford Hylands Park. This continuous belay course will have you navigating your way across wobbly bridges and soaring through the canopy on eight exhilarating zip lines, including five alpine zips. Make your way across three sections packed with 34 challenging obstacles that will test your agility and nerve, including suspended bridges, our legendary Tarzan Swings and the always-tricky ‘ropes passage’.

Why You’ll Love Treetop Challenge at Chelmsford
34 Challenging Obstacles
Daring Tarzan Swing
Super Ziplines

Treetop Challenge Overview

Safety System

Continuous Belay

Recommended Age

10+

Min Height

1.4m

Max Weight

130kg

Duration

2-3 hours

Highest Platform

10m

Longest Zip

80m

Supervision Ratios
Continuous Belay Sites

Adults must supervise children under the age of 16

Under 13 years old
Under 13 years old

One adult (18+) can supervise 4 children aged 12 and under and must participate in the activity.

13 - 15 years old
13 - 15 years old

One adult (18+) can supervise 8 children aged 13-15 years old from the course or on 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.

Chelmsford Reviews

First time at Chelmsford for Go Ape. Done it previously at Thetford and loved it. This time it was daughter going through loop ,3,4 and 5. She loved it. Good crowd of enthusiasts on the day and the team was very good on site. Thanks for a good experience. Will do it again for sure.
First time at Chelmsford for Go Ape. Done it previously at Thetford and loved it. This time it was daughter going through loop ,3,4 and 5. She loved it. Good crowd of enthusiasts on the day and the team was very good on site. Thanks for a good experience. Will do it again for sure.
We had the best experience at Go Ape during the summer holidays. The activities were perfect for my 7 year old nephew and challenging enough without being too scary. The staff were approachable, supportive and friendly. Their communication was spot on. Abbie on the zip line made our day, remembering my nephew’s name and interacting with us even when the platform was busy. He even asked about her when we left! A really great experience. Thank you!
We had the best experience at Go Ape during the summer holidays. The activities were perfect for my 7 year old nephew and challenging enough without being too scary. The staff were approachable, supportive and friendly. Their communication was spot on. Abbie on the zip line made our day, remembering my nephew’s name and interacting with us even when the platform was busy. He even asked about her when we left! A really great experience. Thank you!
My daughter absolutely loves Go Ape in Chelmsford! The place is in a lovely, quiet area with parking right next to it. The staff are very friendly and make children feel comfortable and confident. They’re also very dog-friendly — they always greet my dog and offer him water. We have an unlimited pass, and it’s definitely worth it. A great adventure for kids, with lots of exercise and being outdoors!
My daughter absolutely loves Go Ape in Chelmsford! The place is in a lovely, quiet area with parking right next to it. The staff are very friendly and make children feel comfortable and confident. They’re also very dog-friendly — they always greet my dog and offer him water. We have an unlimited pass, and it’s definitely worth it. A great adventure for kids, with lots of exercise and being outdoors!
Go Ape reviews received via Google, and post-adventure customer feedback.

Plan Your Visit

Corporate Events

Dogs Allowed

Play Area

School Trips

Food & Drink

Walking Routes

Picnic Area

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

Plan Your Visit
Make A Day Of It
Things To Do In Chelmsford
Hylands House with with an Open Estate Day taking place

Explore Hylands Park open days

Every second Sunday of the month enjoy a food market and stalls from local traders.

Children explore the fort themed play area on the Hylands Estate

Play in a castle

Explore their castle-themed adventure playground with battlements and a drawbridge.

A couple hold hands as they stroll in the countryside

See the gardens

Walk around beautiful gardens and stunning parkland.

Paint brushes in an artist's studio

Get inspired

Explore the artist studios in The Stables.

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 questions@goape.co.uk 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 questions@goape.co.uk 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, the park allows dogs and has signposted on/off lead areas.

We have a small amount of soft drinks, crisps and confectionary available at the cabin. Otherwise the cafe is about 1 minute away and has hot drinks and a wider range of products. The Courtyard Cafe at Hylands house has an extensive menu with food and drinks. There are other shops and galleries in the courtyard.

Yes, there are accessible baby changing and changing places facilities in the Writtle Car Park toilets, as well as the Courtyard cafe at Hylands House.

The main paths around the site are uneven. Wheelchairs and pushchairs can access the cabin and spectator areas, but some forest paths may be challenging. If you have any specific accessibility needs, please contact us before your visit so we can help.

Yes, there is parking right outside the cabin. It is chargable between 9am and 6pm. It is pay and display or with the MiPermit app. Please note the machine only accepts cards. In summer the parking can be very busy so please allow extra time to find a space. If there is an event at Hylands Park you might have to park in the overflow which means a longer walk to the cabin.

Customers can store belongings with us, but it is at their own risk and Go Ape takes no responsibility for items left in the cabin. It is first come first served and during peak periods, there may not be space for large items.

The nearest toilets are in the Writtle car park less than one minute walk from the cabin. There are more toilets located at the takeaway cafe a minute away, and even more toilets at Hylands house courtyard.

Go Ape Chelmsford is located in Hylands Park, just outside of Chelmsford. We are located in the Writtle Carpark of Hylands house, just off Greenbury Way A414.

You Might Also Like
Challenge Plus
Push your limits further than ever with Go Ape's newest and most demanding high ropes adventure. Available at Cockfosters, Sherwood Pines and Thetford.
Challenge Plus Locations3 Locations
Challenge Plus Pricefrom £41
Challenge Plus Ageage 10+
Forest Segway
A unique way to explore stunning forests as you take on winding trails with our off-road all-terrain Segways.
Forest Segway Locations8 Locations
Forest Segway Pricefrom £38
Forest Segway Ageage +
Axe Throwing
The most satisfying hour of your week as you sling axes hitting bullseyes and cheer on your mates.
Axe Throwing Locations7 Locations
Axe Throwing Pricefrom £18
Axe Throwing Ageage 16+

Sign up for news, chatter and discounts from our leafy world.

Your privacy is important to us. We take great care with how we collect, store and use your personal information and will not share or transfer your personal information without prior consent except as set out in our Privacy Notice.