Family Adventure Review: Zip World Manchester*

[Ad-gifted] If you love adventure and are thinking of spending a couple of hours tackling the treetop obstacles on a high ropes course or maybe soar along the skyline on the UK’s only aerostat of its kind then read on to find out what we thought of our family adventure at Zip World.

Last weekend we had the chance to visit our most local Zip World off the M60 in Manchester’s beautiful Heaton Park. Zip World in Heaton Park is nestled in the trees where you get to explore the park like a squirrel and listen to the birds sing as you traverse the treetop trek or hang out in their high nets.

We’ll fill you in on how you can book and be sure to see our reel on instagram to see what fun we had!

What we thought of Zip World Manchester

Arriving at the park, we did struggle to find the right car park as there are a couple of entrances to the park. Once you get in the park on the side of Zip World there is a car park right next to the activity (although we parked a little further away which ended up being no problem).

On arrival, the staff were relaxed and polite, checking through the waivers (which must be completed before you go), and checking the weights of the adults for safety reasons – don’t worry no one other than the staff sees your weight!

You’re then moved into the area where you collect the harness — in this spot you can also pop your belongings in a locker (which costs £2 and is paid for in the reception area). The next step was the safety briefings and harness fitting. Once all this is done you’re ready to take the leap into the trees where your adventure begins.

zip-lines

We had great fun zipping, climbing, balancing and laughing as we made our way through the treetops. Be sure to have a bit of patience too as you do have to do a bit of waiting to move from one platform to the next. The space between gives you a chance to rest and enjoy the amazing surroundings as you look above the leaves and see the views of the park below. We’re all quite adventurous and have done a bit of this kind of climbing before, but if you’re of a nervous disposition, you don’t have to worry as there are two Zipworld staff members underneath us at all times ready to help you if you had any issues crossing or reaching the activities or platforms. Your safety was notably paramount throughout and I could always see one staff member at all times so was never worried if I were to get stuck on one of the zip-lines/platforms.

The activity took around one hour and 30 minutes (from the safety to the tour of the treks) and cost £180 in total for all of us (£36 per person). This is a great gift to ask for from grandparents for the whole family to enjoy. It means rather than cluttering the house you can have an experience together making amazing memories and having lots of fun at the same time.

All in all, we had a great time and would recommend this as a great family activity, however, my two nit-picks of the day included the fact that all the Zip World sites are cashless – I find this un-inclusive and would love to see places allow all types of payments and not just one or another. The other thing to note is that Manchester Zip World does NOT have toilets on site, so, you need to make sure you’ve visited one before you trek as there also aren’t many toilets (in general) at Heaton Park – they did say there were plans to get some but no date confirmed.

Where can you book your Zip World Adventure?

You can book on their website here — make sure you have selected the location you are visiting, so you don’t book in the wrong place.

How much does it cost?

The Treetop Trek costs £36 per person and is suitable for children aged 7+, however, for younger kids they do have the TreeTop Nets where your little ones can bounce through the trees until they are tall enough to experience the zip lines or the Mini Trek. In this area you can also picnic

Additional Information

* This is a cashless site (card payments only)
* You need to arrive 30 minutes prior to your booking to have the safety talk.
* All waivers must be completed before the day of the activity
* The place is Dog Friendly (dogs must be on a lead, accompanied at all times and not on activities)
* Restaurant, cafe and bar facilities available nearby at Heaton Park which is around 10 min walk from Zip World.
* Manchester Zip World does NOT have toilets on site, so, you need to make sure you’ve visited one before you trek as there also aren’t many toilets (in general) at Heaton Park
* The area is picnic friendly, so feel free to bring a packed lunch/snacks
* Parking is available (Pay & Display)
* Minimum age 5+
* Do note you need 1 participating adult for every 2 children (5 – 6 years-old) or 1 participating adult for ever 3 children (7 – 11 years-old) or 1 spectating adult required (12 – 17 years-old)
*  Remember to check their website, but generally wear long trousers and long sleeve, bring waterproofs when it rains as they are still open
* Maximum weight 120 kg

About Zip World

Zip World has adventures spanning across England and Wales, with some of its first sites being equipped with huge land traversing zip lines, across quarries, in caves and much more.

The sites in North Wales are all within around 1 h of each other, with a site in South Wales too and then there are a further two site in England, one in Manchester and the other Windermere.

All the different sites offer zip lining of some sort but most have a few different things on offer so be sure to check out the website at Zip World to find out more.

Review by: Lex Ward

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