Starting at the Lodge a trained instructor will tell the group what they need. This includes comfortable clothing as they will be wearing a harness, secure shoes that aren’t going to fall off, sunscreen on hot sunny days, a water bottle as there will be quite a bit of physical activity as well as hair tied back in a low bun for anyone who has hair past shoulder length.

The instructor will take the group down to the start of the Flying Fox where they will explain the health and safety of the session. The first thing will be getting the participants into harnesses. They range from small to large and are quite easy to put on and take off. Once everyone has had their harness checked by the Instructor it is on to the rest of the equipment. There is a red and blue sling and on that is a carabiner that connects to the harness, a carabiner that is clipped into a pulley that goes onto the cable and also a safety backup clip. The pulley is shaped a bit like a heart, and we like to look after it by making sure that it does not fall on the ground by placing it over our shoulder. There are also helmets with extendable chin straps and backs that are to be worn when it is your turn to go down. One of the most important things to remember is that when it is your turn to go down you have to wait on the first platform and can’t go any further until the instructor has personally called you up.

The instructor will then lead you down the path, around the lake to the end of the Flying Fox. Once there the instructor will explain how to land while also being safe and making sure you do not go back out over the lake. They will then show you how to unclip your equipment off the cable and to safely hold your sling. The instructor will then send the group back to the start of the Flying Fox so that they can get their slings and helmets and get ready while the instructor explains to the assisting adult what the procedure is for if anyone ends up back out over the lake.

The instructor will then return to the start where they will make their way to the top platform and clip themselves into a safety line ready to call the first participant up. Once up, the instructor will clip you into your own safety line and get you to stand on a step, they will then clip your pulley and safety back up clip onto the cable. They will then call the next person up and follow the same procedure. Once they have done a check with the assisting adult at the end, they will unclip both participants from the safety line and let you go. You can have some fun by trying to do different things. You can go backwards, play rock, paper, scissors with your friend on the other line, or try out various other things like dancing, superman, running man etc. The one thing you are not allowed to do is make yourself go upside down but do not worry as this can only be done if you force yourself to flip over. Once you have had your first turn you can make your way back around the lake to the start for your next turn.

At the end of the session everything goes back to its original places in the shelter ready for the next group.