The term ropes course is a misnomer! Indeed some ropes courses have no ropes on them at all! The only thing all ropes courses have in common is that they require some element of supervision.
The prEN:15567 for ropes courses offers the following (unhelpful!) definition: “A constructed facility consisting of one or more action systems, support systems and, if needed, belay and/or safety systems!” It goes on to say however (helpfully!): "A ropes course is distinct from playground equipment in that it has restricted access and requires supervision”.
It is fair to say that ropes courses originated as an outdoor activity for the development of individuals and teams. They were usually a mixture of low and high elements. Low elements being on or close to the ground and high elements constructed in trees or poles and relying on a variety of belay systems for participants' protection. Gradually the use of ropes courses has widened and they can be found indoors and well as outside and are increasingly used for recreational purposes.
Many practitioners regard George Hébert as the founder of ropes courses. He was a French naval officer in the early 1900s who developed his own methods of physical education. This included building obstacles that reflected those found on the decks of ships. “Hébertism” became the standard for training for the French military. Many ropes courses in French Canada and Europe are still known as Hébertism courses today.
A professionally designed and constructed ropes course may accommodate people of all ages and abilities as well as individuals with special needs.
A ropes course is not an adventure playground – it is an activity that is always supervised; however, the level of supervision can vary. In broad terms a ropes course that is used for developmental purposes will have higher levels of supervision than a ropes course used for recreational purposes. The latter will normally place a greater reliance on technology to ensure participants’ safety.
Climbing walls also form part of many ropes course facilities but they generally differ from a purpose built sport climbing wall in that the latter is invariably constructed from fibre-glass or concrete, whereas most climbing walls found on a ropes course are built from timber – even if the climbing holds are glass fibre. They are often referred to as Challenge Walls.
The concept of "Challenge by Choice" is frequently an underpinning principle and this ensures that participation is at the individual's discretion.
The first “modern” ropes course was built by Outward Bound UK shortly after the Second World War and a number of other outdoor adventure centres followed their lead.
Today the ropes course industry is highly professional and diverse. There are approximately 30,000 ropes courses across the world.
