Hey isn't this cool? I have been reading in other blogs about tall ship training, and doesn't this seem like a great skill if you are going the big boat route?LAND-LOCKED Upton Warren could become one of the best places in the country for young people to gain the skills that will earn them their sea legs.
Worcestershire County Council's Upton Warren Outdoor Education Centre, off Worcester Road, will officially open its poles course today (Wednesday).
The course is designed to replicate the challenges of a tall ship's mast and will give anyone that tackles it a similar experience to tackling rigging.
The initial design work was done by Mike Forecast, who has many years' experience of designing and building ropes courses, while the poles were imported from Finland. Central Networks erected the poles for the cost of materials only, donating its time and expertise to the project.
Following the erection of the poles, Mike and a small team of instructors rigged the elements and the entire structure was then surveyed by Challenge Course consultancy - a commercial ropes course company to validate its construction and adherence to best practice in its operation.
Centre head Phil Ascough said: "The design of the poles course is in keeping with our sailing heritage and the main pole, at 22m, is probably the tallest single wooden pole in the UK of its kind. It was certainly the largest challenge that Central Networks has undertaken and we'd like to thank them for their input."
He added: "As a self-help project, the entire construction cost a fraction of that which it would have, had it been built commercially."
Centre Goes Up The Pole (from Bromsgrove Advertiser)
Now this particular photo doesn't show a "tall ship" ropes course. I found this photo on a general "ropes course" web page.
I think it would be alot of fun.
PS: KW Kerr here. Just wanted to throw in my two cents on this because I, too, think it is really neat. I wonder if there is any such course planned in the US. I'm sure there are many people who could attend such training here, but couldn't afford to travel to England for it. I will keep an eye out for photos of the course. I'm dying to see what it looks like with trainees swarming up the rigging!
Related Tags: tall ship, training, ropes course, poles course
