Boys outside their comfort zone...

Pretty boy

Today dawned bleak with grey skies and some rain, but the weather forecast was for an ok day with little wind or rain so we decided to go ahead to the Landmark Park - this is the Highlands answer to Thorpe Park - not quite on the same scale and the rides quite tame, but it was Tom's first experience of a theme park and Matt doesn't like rollercoasters etc so not such a bad thing.  On the way we saw a huge magnificent highland cow bull - quite the pin up don't you think?

All week we've been telling Tom that he needs to be a bit braver, not say no immediately to things and to at least try new things (He isn't the most courageous person in the world bless him!).  Well today he blew us away.

Me on my treetop adventure

We took things easy at the start, doing the tree top walk - a decked walkway that takes you up in the trees, full of information boards telling you all about the environment, local wildlife, trees etc.  After that we headed to the main part of the park.  First stop was an adventure play area - we had a go on a couple of slides (adults could play too which was nice).  We then noticed a tree top adventure thingy - a bit like Go Ape - where you are suspended by rope and walk along various obstacles in a circle.  Tom surprised us by saying he would have a go.  We all got harnessed up and ascended.  I went first, then Tom, then Matt.  Tom managed to get onto the first platform, but would not put his faith in the rope he was suspended from and got very scared.  So scared, that he had to go back.  Not a great start, however, I carried on around the obstacle course and found it quite scary myself.  (I used to love all this stuff before I was 35 (around the time I had Tom) and am now a little bit of a wuss myself!)  In a way I was glad he had turned around as once you start you can't suddenly stop - you have to make it around as there are no escape routes.

Fun fun fun

Wheee - no hands needed!

Whist he was watching me do my rope walk, he spotted some water rides and told Matt he wanted to have a go.  Once I was down, we headed over and he and Matt climbed up the tower for a go, they came down at a tremendous rate.  He was buzzing when he came to me and insisted I had a go.  He was right it was fun.  You sit on a little rubber dingy, hold on to the handles, get tipped up on a ramp and away you go: whhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!  There were three different options - a bumpy ride down, a ride in the dark going round and round in a tube before being spilt out and one which is straight down.  We did the bumpy one a couple of times and then the dark curly one.  The dark curly one really was quite scary as it was pitch black, you can't see a thing and you move from side to side quite abruptly.  I was surprised that a) he did it and b) he wanted to do it again.  I'm not sure how many times we rode down but it was a good number.  Get this, as it isn't Scottish half term we pretty much had the whole park to ourselves, we didn't have to wait at all for any rides, just pitched up and got on - my idea of a wonderful theme park experience! Tom would have quite happily stayed there for the rest of the day, but there were other things to see and do.

Waterslides: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ll7yENAI21Y,
                    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuLotAl2h20

We did a labyrinth next - thinking it would be a small affair (it looked it from outside) but it was much bigger and every time we had a choice of paths we chose the wrong one!  Oh well, we got there in the end.

Next stop was a rollercoaster - quite a tame one (no up and over) but still you went up quite high and turned round corners quickly.  Tom went on with me first (Matt doesn't like rollercoasters) and although I wouldn't say he enjoyed the experience he did well.  Matt was waiting for us - he wanted to have a go, but wouldn't go on his own.  At first Tom didn't want to go on again but after explaining that he would be doing it for Daddy who needed him he agreed.  Of course this time they were first on and got the two seats at the front.  My camera battery decided to die just as I took a photo meaning I don't have any evidence, but Matt survived and Tom was enjoyed his double dose of adrenaline.

Matt all roped up!

Next stop was the bigger tree top trek for Daddy.  This was a bigger, taller version of the rope adventure I did.  He did really well - he does have a much better sense of balance than me (that's my excuse anyway!)

Tom on a plate

We then headed over to the restaurant to warm up and have lunch - which was surprisingly good considering the mediocre offerings you usually get in these places.  Once rested we headed to Bamboozleum - an indoor feature full of optical illusions which was fun: we have pictures of Tom's head on a plate of salad (no body), lots of funny mirrors, pictures turning into other pictures etc etc.

We then headed deeper into the woods where we came across some more optical illusions which were really well done.  One room in which Tom was just as big as me (I didn't like that one bit!), another with a rotating tunnel of lights which then made you think you were moving, making it almost impossible to then walk along the level walkway even with holding on to the handrail.  Tom almost didn't make it in this one, but dug deep and found some courage to do it - well done him.

I like this one.

I don't like this one!

Next stop was a working saw mill - using a steam engine to power it.  Once it puffed into action Tom was hooked - just his thing, a big working thing with plenty of action cutting wood etc.  Next stop was a fire tower which we climbed, taking us above the tree canopy to view the forest within which we were.  A splendid view over the Cairngorms.

Tom enjoyed it but wanted to get back to the water rides so we did (after first indulging me in another go on the rollercoaster).  We spent quite a bit of time on them - this time he tried out the third one which was a straight ride down - stomach in mouth type of thing, over in seconds but great fun.  He chose Matt to go with him first, Matt was a little nervous, but he couldn't say no and they both came off with huge grins.  I then had a go - it was fun.  We stayed there quite a while, I lost count how many times Tom went on them, but it was many!

Matt's leap of faith

My leap of faith

Matt then announced that he wanted to do the Skyfall - where you get hooked up to a rope harness, climb up a telegraph pole to the top and then step off and fall back to earth.  It takes a huge leap of faith in the equipment to do it.  Half way up Matt had the wobbles and said he had made a mistake and started to climb back down.  The lady manning the jump was great and told him to come down a little bit more and then jump from there.  Once he was comfortable he went for it and jumped down.  Assured that it wasn't going to be that bad he climbed back up to the top and jumped.  Wow!  It took a lot of courage and he did it.  Tom was impressed, so much so that he then demanded that I did it.  A bargain was struck, if I was to do it, he had to try the rope top adventure again.  He agreed, so I got harnessed up and climbed up the pole.  This was the hardest bit - the grips were really cold and slippery making it actually quite hard to do.  Once at the top it took me a couple of seconds to build up the courage and I took the leap of faith and fell down to earth - it was certainly an adrenaline rush and reminded me of the bungie jump I did many years ago (as I said I was much better at these things when I was younger!)

Careful does it

Over the wobbly bridge

Tom was very excited, but now he had his side of the bargain to fulfil.  He got harnessed up and went on the treetop ropeway with Matt.  He was completely out of his comfort zone and quite scared for most of it (crying half way round) but he dug deep and found his courage and made it round (many thanks to a very patient Matt who helped him).  I couldn't quite believe what I saw, I never thought he would do it - he amazed both of us, I was crying with pride when he finished.  Wow!!!!  Who thought that timid Tom would be able to do that????!  Tom was absolutely buzzing when he came down as he should have been.  We went back to the water rides as a reward for a couple more turns and then headed to the cafe for a drink.  Tom then got a chance to choose a toy from the shop as a reward for being so brave - he chose a bullet train (of course).

A rare photo of the 3 of us

We then headed back home.  We had been in the park for 6.5 hours - it didn't feel like it at all.  This was a really really good day out - we all overcame our fears at some point.  Can't wait for our next day out at a theme park...