If a day of thrills and adventure is what excites your kids, then a trip to Gripped London offers just that and so much more.
From zip lines and high ropes to free jumping and a net play park for little ones, Gripped London is the ideal place to take young thrill seekers for an action-packed day of high adrenaline fun. Citizen Enfants swung by to check it out (pun intended).
What is Gripped London?
Set over 120 acres of countryside (10 minutes from Heathrow), Gripped London is an adrenaline filled, adventure heaven, where energetic kids can try out a range of exciting activities either independently or as part of a team. With helmet and safety harness, they’ll take on endless challenges: climbing through the treetops on one of the High Ropes courses; scrambling over nets; scaling swinging ladders; and using zip wires to reach the viewing platforms. The high-ropes course is a whopping 650 metres long, with the highest platform standing at 7.5 metres. Lots of crawling and balancing is required to reach the top, but it’s worth it for the view. The experience takes about an hour, and is best for those who are relatively fit and active. The minimum age for this activity is seven but those under the age of 15 require a ticket-holding adult (over 18) to participate alongside them (one adult can accompany up to four under 15s). Next, try out the Bag Jump where you free jump from platforms of different heights onto giant inflatable bags, taking trampoline fun to a whole new level. The platform heights include three-metre, four-metre, five-metre and six-metre – the braver you get, the higher you go.
The Speed Slides are an unmissable adventure, stepping into a hessian sack to whizz down two 50-metre and 24-metre mega slides. Feeling really adventurous? Opt for the near-vertical drop slide. Or, if you’d rather take it slightly easier, the swirly spiral slide is a little bit more tame.
If that sounds a bit too challenging, the treetop Net Park is a more stomachable feat. The minimum age requirement is four so it’s ideal for little ones who want to have an adventure too. With plenty of tumbling, bouncing and crawling, this area is super fun and even the youngest of thrill-seekers can explore and play among these raised jump nets, net tunnels and slides. There are several layers of elevated nets to explore with an overall bounce surface of 150-square-metres, the highest net being 6.4 metres. Those aged four to six must be accompanied by an adult but there is more than enough space for grown ups to scramble through without getting stuck!
Who is it for?
Kids who want a really fun adventure that’s also in a safe, secure environment. Older kids will get the most out of the really physical challenges like the zip wires and slides, but younger ones will enjoy testing their coordination skills on the smaller net park that’s specifically designed for them.
The Highlights
Everyone will find their own highlight at Gripped London, but a stand out activity has to be the Zip Line Trek, which is made up of one kilometre of long zips and aerial bridges. Each zip offers varying degrees of angle and speed, ensuring a truly thrilling ride. Gripped’s most popular attraction, the dual lines, allow you to speed through the air next to a partner or friend – a good option if you are feeling a bit nervous. Anyone over 1.4 metres tall can take part but those under 15 must be accompanied by an adult. It only lasts about 30 minutes, but it’s quite the adrenaline rush. The Power Fan Descender is the most extreme challenge at Gripped, described as ‘base-jumping without the parachute’. Here you can free-fall from the top of a 24-metre tower attached to a gravity-defying Power Fan Descender restraint system, which will use your own body weight to allow you to land softly on the ground. Sound scary? It is a bit! But like all things at Gripped, it’s actually very safe. The idea is to make it feel like you’re taking a risk, but in reality you’re totally secure with harnesses, helmets, safety briefings and plenty of trained staff on hand making constant checks.
Need to know
Since opening Gripped has become incredibly popular – be sure to book early if you are looking for a specific day. Gripped is designed to be fun for anyone over the age of four, but it’s worth noting that lots of adult participation is required if you visit with kids under 15. If you are happy to join in, this fun park offers a wonderful opportunity for all the family to have an adventure together. Spectator passes are free of charge when accompanying Gripped participants, but remember to book them as that’s compulsory. There are safety waivers to fill in and briefings to do before each activity, so factor that in when booking and arrive in plenty of time.
The minimum height restriction for most Gripped activities is 1.4 metres, with the exclusion of the Speed Slides and Power Fan which are 1.3. The Net Park has no minimum height. It’s worth checking out all the information on the website before you book so you know exactly what to expect.
All visitors must wear suitable, comfortable activewear and flat, closed-toe shoes with a good grip. No bags or loose jewellery can be worn during the activities but there are lockers to store them. Light Gloves with protective grip/padding are recommended for the high ropes course and the zip trek (both can be bought on site).
There’s a café on site but feel free to bring snacks or a picnic as there are plenty of tables and places to relax. If it’s raining on the day you visit some activities might be closed due to safety reasons and no refunds will be given for this.
Where is it?
Gripped London is located on the London/Surrey border, with plenty of parking onsite. It’s also an easy commute via tube, the closest underground station is Hounslow Central.
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