Go Ape Margam

You're strapped into a harness, suspended about thirty feet above the forest floor, trying not to look down as you shuffle along a wooden plank between trees. Welcome to Go Ape Margam, the sort of place that makes you wonder why you thought this was a good idea, and then five minutes in, you're grinning like an idiot.

It's a high ropes course tucked into the woodland at Margam Country Park, just inland from Porthcawl. The setup is straightforward: various courses of increasing difficulty wind through the canopy, mixing platforms, zip-lines, and obstacles like rope bridges and Tarzan swings. You're harnessed the entire time, which takes the absolute fear out of it, though your stomach doesn't always believe that.

This is genuinely good for families with older children and teenagers who can handle heights without melting. Adults do it solo or in groups and leave feeling surprisingly accomplished. Younger kids will likely find it either thrilling or terrifying with no middle ground.

You need to book ahead and allow three to four hours depending on your speed and confidence level. The course isn't free - expect to pay a decent chunk, though prices vary by season. Go on a weekday if you can, because weekends turn the place into a bit of a queue situation.

It slots nicely into a longer day at Margam Country Park itself, which is worth an hour just wandering the grounds. If you're based at Trecco Bay Holiday Park nearby, it's a fifteen-minute drive and breaks up the usual park holiday routine perfectly. Not everyone's cup of tea, but for the right crowd, it's genuinely brilliant.