Go Ape Cockfosters London

Swinging through the treetops in Cockfosters is proper fun if you've got the energy for it. Go Ape is an aerial adventure course set among the trees - think rope bridges, zip lines, and platforms that require you to trust your harness more than feels entirely natural. You're clipped in throughout, which takes the edge off the nerves, though watching other people wobble along a swaying beam never gets old.

It works best for teenagers and confident adults who don't mind heights. Younger kids can do it, but they need to be genuinely fearless and tall enough to reach the safety equipment properly - check their height restrictions before you book. If your lot are already bored by traditional playgrounds, this could be the thing that gets them away from screens for an afternoon. Expect to spend two to three hours on site, though the actual course takes longer if you're taking your time (which most people do).

The course is paid entry - book ahead online to avoid queuing - and it's not cheap, but it's a solid workout disguised as entertainment. The Cockfosters location works well if you're staying near Barnet or anywhere across the northern parks like Lee Valley Camping in Edmonton or Sewardstone. It's the kind of activity that breaks up a caravan holiday nicely without requiring a massive road trip. Fair warning: you'll feel muscles you'd forgotten existed the next day.