Bristol Tandem Bungee Jumping Experience

Millie's Review:

It has always been a tradition for Interns at Experience Days to take the leap of faith and and take part in the Tandem Bungee Jump. Annie and I are the 2022-2023 Interns, and this year it was our turn to jump together! We wouldn't fail our internship if we chose not to jump (I think), but this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity we were not willing to let any nerves miss.

You can choose to take part in this Tandem Bungee Jump in locations all over the UK, but we opted for Brighton as that is where Experience Days and all of our team are anyway!

Beginning our experience on a sunny Sunday, Annie and I made our way to Brighton Marina to begin our bungee adventure. As I entered the marina by bus, the first thing I immediately noticed was the looming crane in the distance. Initially, I laughed to my friends in disbelief as I couldn't quite believe it, but soon realised this was actually in fact the the crane Annie and I were going to be jumping off...

As we arrived to the bungee setup, we were swiftly greeted by the friendly crew and prepped for our jump. It quickly became apparent that safety is their number one priority, and this helped to ease my nerves as I witnessed how much care and precaution is considered when prepping their guests. Once our weight was taken, forms were signed and we had received our safety briefing, we made our way over to queue of other nervous jumpers and were harnessed securely. Annie and I did actually turn up with a lot of jewellery on our bodies, but they made sure there wasn't an earring, or even a dainty bracelet left in sight as we prepared for our jump into the unknown...

Before we knew it, we were next in the line and our names were called to the cage. As the crane ascended us up into the sky, I felt unbelievably nervous, but our instructor was very calming and reassured us that "those with the most nerves get the most out of it"! As this was a tandem jump, Annie and I were going to jump off (and grip very tightly) onto one another. I was jumping forwards, and Annie would be facing me and essentially leaping backwards (brave). Our instructor took great care in ensuring we both knew how to jump together safely, but made sure there wasn't enough time for us to change our minds either...

As our instructor counted down from 3 and helped send us off into the air, Annie and I took a huge breath and let gravity take the hold. The initial freefall was a rush like no other, with the world rapidly shrinking beneath me. A cocktail of emotions overcame me as we flew through the air, it was terrifying yet liberating to jump and feel as light as a bird in the sky. I don't think either of us had accounted for just how many times you are sprung back into the sky, and it felt like we were beginning our jump all over again! Naturally, a lot of screams left our mouths as we sprung up and down. We figured we must have been as loud as the average jumper, but rest assured we were told by the crew were actually in fact the loudest they'd ever had. We're still deciding if that's an achievement or not.

As we began lowering to the ground, I put my arms in the air and a team of crew below us swiftly helped to lower us onto the ground. We both stood up, in shock at what we'd just achieved, and sat down to let our heart rates return back to normal and somewhat compose ourselves.

This truly was an unforgettable experience that combined stunning views of Brighton, adrenaline-pumping thrills, and a overwhelming sense of self-achievement.  I wholeheartedly recommend trying a bungee jump, even if you think you can't do it, you definitely can! The memories you're left with are truly like no other.

Thank you so much to the UK Bungee Team for providing Annie and I with life-long memories and the most immense adventure I've ever had!

Annie's Review:

This month, myself and my fellow intern Millie were invited to Brighton harbour by UK Bungee with the opportunity to try out their Tandem Bungee Jumping experience!

On the morning of our experience my adrenalin didn't kick in until my arrival to Brighton harbour where I saw the crane we would be  jumping from. My initial thought was that it was a construction crane, and there's no way I'd be jumping off of it. I quickly realised I was wrong when I noticed a small blue cage travelling up the length of the crane with multiple people stood inside. When we arrived at the foot of the crane we were greeted by the UK Bungee team, who were all so welcoming and enthusiastic that I didn't feel nearly as nervous as when I first saw the crane.

Once we had been introduced to the team, Millie and I were weighed and given harnesses for our waists and feet. We were given a safety briefing and instructions prior to our jump about how the process would work once we were up in the cage, and then we were asked to join the queue of excited participants and wait for our turn. Watching the other jumpers ascend in the crane gave me butterflies, you could see the nervous excitement as each person made their way to the cage. It was scary to see people jumping from below, but their faces once they were back on the ground kept the excitement going for Millie and I. I was impressed by the people jumping alone, as I don't think I could've thrown myself off if I didn't have Millie to cling onto. 

Once it was our turn we walked over to the cage and were greeted by a member of the team. He explained to us that we needed to stay stood to one side of the cage so that he could open the door and let us stand on the edge once we were at the top. Hearing the words 'open the cage door' made my stomach drop and suddenly any calm feelings I previously had were gone. Too late to turn back now, the cage door was closed and we began moving up into the sky. I know everyone says don't look down so I'm unsure why I did, but the view way unlike anything I'd seen. Looking straight down 160 ft in the air is a crazy feeling, and knowing you're about to plunge headfirst towards that view is even crazier. 

We reached the top of the crane and spent a few minutes looking at the harbour, it was slightly overcast but never the less, a beautiful view. Our instructor said one of us needs to turn with our back to the door and the other needs to be facing forwards. Millie said she wanted to watch us fall (weird), so I was happy to look away and fall backwards. Millie and I tucked our heads into each others shoulders and wrapped our arms around each other. Our bungee instructor said we need to hold onto each other for at least two bounces, and then we can put our hands out if we want to (I did not). He put one hand on my back and one on Millie's before shouting '3, 2, 1, BUNGEE' and sending us over the edge. 

The free falling was probably less than 10 seconds long but it felt like much, much longer. We clung onto each other and screamed as we looked at the ground speeding towards us. We dropped and flung back into the air, soaring through the sky at least 6 times (it felt like thousands of times) before we were finally close enough to the ground for Millie to reach her hands out ad grab onto the instructors waiting for us below. We were pulled onto a crash mat and rolled onto our sides so so the harnesses could be unclipped. The experience in total was quick, but the excitement and adrenalin we felt lasted for a long time afterwards. 

Our experience was a lot of fun, UK Bungee made everything easy and we both felt extremely safe considering we were plummeting to the ground on a piece of string. This was an extreme experience and definitely something everyone should try at least once! 

You can check out all of our Bungee Jumping Experiences here

Thank you for reading!

We thought it was about time to have a chat with John, owner and founder of UK Bungee Club and one our very best experience providers. The level of professionalism and commitment to customer safety that the club projects makes it easy to understand why they are the market leader in bungee jumps. Here at Experience Days, many of our team have been lucky enough to jump and it is truly something we will never forget (you can see our jumps here). Although nerve wracking and nail bitingly scary, the rush of adrenaline is worth the anticipation and will leave you grinning ear-to-ear as you land back in reality. So, if you’ve been thinking about taking a step on the wild side and taking part in a bungee jump, have a read to find out a bit more about the adventure…

Q: Please could you tell us a bit about the history of UK Bungee and what inspired you to join the bungee jumping industry?

A: Bungee first started on 1/4/79 in Bristol when 4 members of the dangerous sports club jumped from the Clifton suspension bridge in Bristol. What most people don’t know is that Bungee jumping is a British invention. I jumped in Australia in 1991 and was hooked. Coming back to the UK The UK Bungee Club had just started operations. I became a Roadie and worked for the club more or less every weekend during the summer of 1992 completing all my exams to become a site controller. By 1993 the bubble had burst with only a handful of operations left in the UK. We decided to put a 300ft Crane next to the Thames in Battersea and we have never looked back. Today we offer 10 locations nationwide including Belfast at heights of 150ft, 300ft and 400ft plus the only Bridge in the UK plus the world’s only indoor Bungee. Overseas operations have included Moscow, Abu Dhabi, Thailand, Brazil, Australia and South Africa to name but a few. The UK Bungee Club continues to be market leader in the UK for Bungee jumping and safety consultation with the health and safety executive.

Q:  How has the bungee industry or customers’ understanding of bungee changed over the years?

A: In the early days people were naturally scared of the product which was kind of the point. People were sceptical of the safety approach and the public needed educating. We were regularly inspected by local councils which we welcomed to spread the word regarding safety and that our operations were professional and run with integrity. Bungee is now recognised as a highly safe activity run by professionals. British health and safety is the best in the world and so by its very nature the attention to safety has been very high from inception back in 1992 when the company started. The general public know that with 25 years’ experience we are the company to jump with.

Q: What’s the most frequently asked question by customers?

A: Believe it not have you killed anybody and will I die. Thankfully the answer is no to both of these.

Q: What’s next for the Bungee Industry in the UK? Any exciting news to share with us?

A: We are looking at our 25 year anniversary next year on the 16th July so potentially we are looking at a 400ft Crane jump at Wembley Stadium. Look out for information on the Experience Days website!

Thanks UK Bungee Club for letting us know a bit more about your story. You can buy a bungee jump here which is available from a number of different locations. If you haven’t got the courage to jump on your own, jump with a friend!