High Ropes Courses

Girlguiding UK is currently (April 2009) formulating a policy on high ropes courses. This is likely to involve course operators completing a questionnaire to confirm that they comply with national guidelines regarding these activities, principally:

HSE document: 'Supervision of Ropes Courses' (Entertainment Sheet 14)

HSE document: 'Maintenance of Ropes Courses' (Entertainment Sheet 15)

AAIAC document - Adventure Activities Advisory Committee - The UK Ropes Course Guide

These documents recommend and/or require certain standards from operators.

Other points to be preferred or required will be:

The confirmation that there is a MIA or MIC holder as Technical Advisor for matters of operation;

An annual complete inspection by an appropriate external inspector;

Public Liability policy for at least £5m;

Membership of ERCA (European Ropes Course Association).

More detail will be published soon, along with a list of operators. In the meantime please email steve@trekco.com for information