Ratho Aerial Assault Course

To mark my 30th birthday, I thought I would have a new kind of challenge...one which would help me overcome my fear of heights. There are two schools of thought in facing your fears. One...to start gently, introducing yourself to whatever your fear may be a bit at a time, until you are no longer frightened. Or two....jumping in at the deep end and obliterating it completely. I went for the latter of the two, deciding to attempt (along with some poor unsuspecting friends) the aerial assault course at Ratho Climbing Centre just outside Edinburgh. Here it is when the BBC sports correspondent gave it a go: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7743250.stm

So, along with me I had Susan and Nick (accomplished rock climbers), Emma (a recent recruit to rock climbing), Gillian, Dean and Kerry (very brave runners!), Alison (my hiking buddy who I one day hope to climb/abseil the Inn Pinn with), and Heather (Alison's poor unsuspecting friend who thought she was coming along for a climbing taster session!).

I found stepping off the 100ft drop and swinging across to the other side to start the assault course suprisingly ok! I think that was largely due to 5 others going before me and witnessing them getting to the other side alive! This gave me confidence. Then the aerial assault course began!! At first it was really scary, but once I realised that even if I let go, I was still going to be hanging securely (albeit 100ft off the floor) in my harness, then I started to find the whole experience less frightening and more enjoyable. We all made it round, and by the end I was feeling really comfortable with the height.

I'm looking forward to trying rock climbing next....watch this space!