NLP & The High Ropes: The High Cat-Walk

(See Gallery Page for other High Ropes picture pages)

The High Cat-Walk is often the first High Ropes activity that members of a group explore when they attend NLP Core Skills. It can be enjoyable and not a little scary. And it’s a great learning experience especially when you use NLP to ‘model’ or learn from your experiences before, during and after doing this or any of the High Ropes activities.

The High Catwalk on NLP Core Skills

Even before you head down to the Ropes Course area we explore the style and the attitude which makes for an enjoyable session and a valuable learning experience. This includes the explanation that the ropes, harnesses, etc. which are used to ensure your safety can support a weight equivalent to four race horses - or a minibus! And the preparation also includes discussing the Challenge by Choice principle... At the Ropes Course you then get a safety explanation from the centre's qualified staff instructors and they ensure that you are correctly kitted up in your safety gear.

Then your harness is tied to the belay rope by your qualified instructor or 'safety person'. Now you begin your climb. First a few steps up the ladder. Then, if you choose to go further, you use the rungs that are set into the tree.

If it's your first climb you may experience mixed feelings - exhilaration, fear, anticipation. And, of course, as a good NLPer you may already be using your NLP skills to recognise how you are dealing with the challenge.

At the top you manoeuvre yourself around the tree and onto the cross-beam. Then you stand looking at the 20’ traverse along the cross beam to the opposite tree. Rationally you 'know' it is completely safe but often has little affect on the excitement or ‘nerves’.

You are now standing about 30 feet above the ground - as if you are standing on the roof of a double decker bus sitting on top of another one. Yet it usually seem even higher when you're up there - which provides food for (later) thought and discussion about how our perceptions are distorted by our emotions.

This situation could be a pressurised one - and that is why Challenge by Choice is so important to absolutely everything we do on our courses, including the Ropes Course. You choose what you want to do - whether this be climb a few steps of the ladder, climb further up and touch the cross-bream, walk across - or do some of the 'sillier' things which some people opt to do (see the 'optional extras' below) 

Not only do you choose but everybody else, instructors and team members alike, fully and unquestioningly supports the choices you make. We think this is a key difference between how we do with outdoor activities and how they are often done. There is a big difference between supporting somebody and pressurising them - something which we explore on our courses.

'Optional extras' on the High Catwalk

Once at the other side you have a new choice-point. How to come down. You could climb down using the rungs or maybe you go back to the centre and step out into mid air. Or hand upside down by your legs in the Koala descent.

And then you begin to float down on the safety rope experiencing relief, or exhilaration, or sadness that the fun is over (till you do the next activity) – or a blend of all of these.

Which activities do we include on NLP Core Skills?

The High Catwalk is one of the activities we use on the High Ropes at NLP Core Skills - we also include a number of other activities which may include the Incline Logs, the Multi Vine, the Trapeze Jump and the High All Aboard team climbing activity - and occasionally the Crate Stacking challenge.

What about the weather?

Which activities are included on a particular course will be influenced by weather, available time, safety (an activity may be withdrawn for safety inspection of maintenance). We aim to include High Ropes on every course but safety factors include the weather; winds above a certain strength and lightning make the High Ropes unsafe. We can usually re-schedule a cancelled session. In over 11 years we have one course where weather prevented a session and in this case participants were able to come along and do their High Ropes on any subsequent course which suited them.

Main High Ropes' pictures page

See also our Low Ropes pictures

All our activities support the Challenge-by-Choice principle

There is more information about NLP here

NLP FAQ

Why learn NLP

How to learn NLP

Where to learn NLP - and how to choose a training provider

NLP Core Skills - our course in the New Forest

What's special about Pegasus NLP Trainings

What people have said about our courses

How we integrate NLP with outdoor activities