team building – The Activity People Blog

Meet Geronigo.. everyone is invited to begin their adventure!

Have you heard our big news? We’re undergoing a bit of a upgrade here at Activity HQ and as part of that we’ll be changing our name from The Activity People to Geronigo, the new home of the world’s most exciting activities and experiences.

We’re still sticking to what we do best, which is providing moments that take your breath away and memories that last a lifetime, but you might notice some small changes on our social media pages.

The new and improved Geronigo Facebook and Twitter feeds will be home to even more great content, all the latest news from Geronigo HQ and a selection of must-win competitions that’ll feature some of our most exciting activities and experiences. Kind of like this.. 👇

As we’re always striving to be the best we’d love to hear your feedback too, and if there’s anything you’d like to see more of just let us know and we’ll take it on board.

These really are exciting times here at Geronigo and we’d love it if all our fans, followers and friends could join us on this exciting new adventure!

..and just in case you need you need any more persuading, here’s why we’re perfectly qualified to deliver the unforgettable experience you’ve been dreaming of!

We love what we do..

They say if you find a job you love you’ll never work a day in your life, and whoever they are we definitely agree. There’s nothing we love more than planning your incredible events and experiences and because we’re all adrenaline addicts too, we get just as excited about your dream days out as you do! In fact, we’re so passionate about providing the most exciting experiences imaginable that when we eventually escape the office we spend most of our spare time throwing ourselves out of planes, smashing clays and conquering assault courses. It’s a tough job, but somebody has to do it! Read more about our adventures here.

There’s an activity for everybody..

We don’t mean to come across as big headed or anything, but have you seen our range of activities and experiences? Go on, take a look, there’s something for even the biggest thrill seekers out there and we’re not afraid to show off about it. With over 70 heart-racing activities to choose from we’re proud to be the biggest and best in the game, and we’re not finished yet. Our adrenaline experts are always on the lookout for the hottest new activities and experiences, so you can guarantee if it gets your heart racing you’ll find it here first.

There are adventures on your doorstep..

If you thought our choice of experiences was impressive, get ready to be properly blown away because our enormous network of venues is even bigger! In total you’ll find more than 1600 venues to choose from across the UK & Ireland, meaning your next adventure is just around the corner. From coasteering in Cornwall to clay shooting on the Isle of Skye, we’ve got it all! Find your nearest activity venues here.

We’ve got all the experience..

Time flies when you’re having fun, and it’s safe to say we must have had an absolute blast because we’re fast approaching our 20^th anniversary. To put that into perspective, when we first burst onto the scene in April 1998 Tony Blair was in 10 Downing Street and Freddos were still just 10p! Since then a lot’s changed.. and not just the price of Freddos. Our passion for providing unforgettable experiences has remained throughout though and to date we’ve organised events for hundreds of thousands of adrenaline addicts, which makes us perfectly qualified to find yours!

Alex’s Hands On High Ropes Review

alex-e1465378067826-300x300 When we’re not hard at work booking incredible experiences for our customers, we love escaping the office to give them a go ourselves. So for our latest ‘First Person Review’ we sent Sales Agent Alex to take on a high ropes course.

At this point we should probably point out that Alex doesn’t like heights.. or spiders, or bees – but mainly heights. So if he can conquer a high ropes course, anybody can! Here’s how he got on..

“I think it’s fair to say I wasn’t looking forward to my high ropes experience at all, but being a team player I decided to give it a go anyway!

When I arrived at the site I was really nervous, which I think the instructors spotted straight away, so they really went out of their way to reassure me. I could see other people working their way round the course too, so that made me feel a lot better about my chances of survival.

After being fitted with a harness and helmet I was ready to take on the first obstacle, which just so happened to be a 40ft climbing wall – 40ft! With a bit of encouragement I somehow managed to put that to the back of my mind though, and slowly but surely I made my way to the top. 40ft seemed a long way up from the ground, and when I got to the top it was even higher than I’d imagined, but I was glad I’d made it.

1011453_6ffc2123 The second obstacle wasn’t quite as daunting as the climbing wall, but it required a lot more skill. It was a swing bridge that was suspended in mid-air, and as soon as I stepped onto it it started to move. There were gaps in-between each step too, which meant I couldn’t help but look down. Once I’d got the hang of swinging from one step to another though I actually started to enjoy myself, and I made it to the end fairly quickly.

With the bridge crossing conquered I was ready for the last obstacle, which was a zip wire ride back to the safety of solid ground. There was a choice of two zip lines to try: a long one and a short one, and I decided to go for the shortest because it looked like the most fun – and it also got me back to the ground the quickest! The zip line ride was actually really god fun, and if they ever got me up there again I’d definitely give the longer one a go.

After touching back down on the ground I was so relieved my experience was over, and even though I probably wouldn’t do it again I’d definitely recommend it to anybody (even if you’re scared of heights). The instructors at Bedale were really reassuring and they didn’t force anybody to attempt any obstacle they weren’t 100% happy with, which I think makes you want to push yourself even more.

Thank you to everybody at Bedale for an unforgettable day.”

To book your own high ropes experience visit our website today!

Everything You Need to Know about Archery

The countdown to the Rio Olympics is almost over, and with just under a week until the start of the greatest show on earth we thought we’d fill you in on one of our favourite Olympic events – target archery.

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So without further ado here’s everything you need to know about the ancient art of archery!

1.) Archery first appeared at the Olympics in 1900, when live pigeons were used as the targets. Thankfully for the planet’s pigeon population this was the first and last time pigeons participated in target archery.

2.) The bow and arrow was originally used as a weapon, it was so effective that the earliest civilisations such as Egyptians, Persians, Greeks and Romans all used archers in their armies.

3.) The string on a traditional bow is usually made from materials such as linen, hemp, sinew, silk and rawhide.

4.) People who have the surname ‘Fletcher’ are the ancestors of arrowsmiths, or sellers of arrows. The name is derived from the word ‘fleche’, which is the French word for arrow.

5.) Splitting an arrow down the middle with another is known as a ‘Robin Hood shot’ due to the precision needed to execute this almost impossible feat.

6.) Archery is the national sport of the Kingdom of Bhutan, which is undoubtedly why all their Olympians (bar one) have competed in the sport.

7.) There are a variety of different bows used for archery including longbows, crossbows, pyramid bows, recurve bows and reflex and decurve bows.

8.) Archers in most competitions including the Olympics must engrave their initials on their arrows, which are usually made of Carbon.

9.) A traditional and ceremonial form of Japanese archery called “Kyudo” is considered to be an art form.

10.) When archers take aim at a target 90 meters away, the size of the target is equivalent to the head of a pin held at arm’s length.

To try your hand at this awesome Olympic sport visit our website.

Welcome Indoor Climbing Ware!

We’re excited to announce the latest addition to The Activity People network is Indoor Climbing Ware!

climbing-wall-1-370x320 Located within easy reach of London, this incredible indoor climbing venue caters for climbers of all abilities. So whether you’re a regular rock climber looking to fine tune your technique, or a rock climbing rookie experiencing climbing for the first time, there’s nowhere better to conquer some seriously challenging climbs.

The impressive 8.5 meter wall boasts a whole host of climbing routes, as well as modern harnesses and an auto-belay system that guarantees your safety at all times. With a huge variety of lifelike grips and moulds to cling on to too, you’ll genuinely believe you’re conquering a real life rock face.

So if you’re aged 4+ get ready to take your adrenalin levels to new heights!

To find out more about our Ware rock climbing venue visit our website.

Rock climbing Honister Slate Mine, Cumbria joins!

We hope you’ve got a head for heights because the latest addition to The Activity People network is Rock Climbing at Honister Slate Mine.

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Hidden in the heart of the Lake District and surrounded by spectacular countryside, this incredible climbing venue is the perfect place push your adrenalin levels to new heights.

As well as being home to a series of challenging climbs Britain’s only remaining slate mine is also home to a one of a kind Via Ferrata, which is a 150ft wire bridge that’s suspended over 500ft in the air! Reaching it requires you to scale the rock face and conquer a giant cargo net first, but with breathtaking views of Buttermere to greet you all the hard work is definitely worth it!

So if you’re aged 14+ and want to experience the incredible sensation reaching a 2,000 ft summit this is the perfect experience for you.

To find out more about rock climbing at this spectacular venue visit our website.

Are you ready to take on the assault course?

Are you ready to take on an adrenaline fuelled assault course?

If you’re ultra competitive or just like getting muddy, taking on an assault course is a great experience for friends or workmates. So here is a quick look at what you can expect from your day tackling some of the trickiest obstacle courses Britain has to offer. A typical course will contain all the old favourites as well as a few newer obstacles. Wherever you chose to take part you can certainly expect to face rope swings, tunnels and the much feared monkey bars.

Some obstacles will require you to work on your own such as the tyre run, where you will work your way over a series of tyres placed along the course. Other obstacles will require you to depend on the help of your team mates. The most difficult of all being the dreaded high wall, for which you will have to muster all of your strength to pull yourself over an impossibly steep wall.

It is worth pointing out that the course can be made as fun or as challenging as desired. For groups who are just out for a bit of fun, this is an ideal day out too. Most courses offer a free run system where you’re given a set amount of time, usually an hour, to tackle the obstacles at your own pace. This means you’re free to get as wet and muddy as you like by repeating any of the obstacles or dodging some of the more daunting ones.

Once the adrenaline is pumping you then have the chance to take on some of the obstacles against the clock in a time trail. You can also compete against other teams taking on the assault course, teams will normally have a minimum of five members and a maximum of ten. Once in your teams it’s a race to the finish, to post the fastest time, with prizes for the winners as well as a booby prize for those with the slowest time.

Assault courses are traditionally used in military training to increase fitness and to practice techniques that can be used for crossing rough terrain. The military also understand the benefits assault courses have for improving team work and increasing self confidence. While you may not be ready to trek through the Amazon rainforest by the end of the course, you will hopefully have a new found respect for your friends or work colleagues.

Your day will normally last anything between 1-2 hours depending on how many of the different challenges you take on, with a break halfway through to get some much needed rest. Marshall’s will be situated around the course to ensure your safety and help out with any of the more difficult obstacles. Getting a bit wet and muddy comes with the territory so you will need a towel and a clean set of clothes.

So are you ready to swing, crawl and climb your way around some of Britain’s maddest and muddiest assault courses in the ultimate test of teamwork and determination?