Your first jump is impossible to describe. It goes against everything your mind and body is telling you. The freefall is amazing, a counterintuitive mixture of adrenalin and relaxation as the wind passes your face. It’s surreal. Being pulled back up by the cord is always a massive relief: you know you’ve survived.
I was afraid of heights but if people with fears push themselves they will be able to overcome them eventually. I had been travelling and the last stop was in New Zealand, where I missed out on a chance to bungee. Returning home after having skydived from 7000 feet, I heard about Highland Fling and booked myself a jump.
After skydiving you’d think bungee jumping wouldn’t be as scary. I thought that too but it was far more terrifying. When skydiving you can’t fully comprehend the ground because it’s so far away, but on a bungee jump you can see where you might land if anything goes wrong.
I jumped for my first time that day and returned for a job the following year. Our sites are at the Titan Crane in Clydebank and Garry Bridge in Killiecrankie (pictured), the first permanent bungee platform in the UK. They are completely different. The Titan is exposed, whereas Garry Bridge lies across a valley. Beneath the bridge it’s fairly sheltered so we have never had to cancel a day.
Everyone is ecstatic after jumping. I spend my life meeting people from all over the world and have a hand in giving them an unforgettable, often life-changing experience.
To keep them calm before the jump we usually try to have a bit of a laugh and build rapport, with more of the serious and technical jobs being done in the background. Regardless of how apprehensive they are, almost everyone goes through with it. If they voice their fears once they’re up there, we usually have a chat to find out what’s making them feel that way.
One of the most memorable days at Killiecrankie was when a 90-year-old man broke the record at the time for the oldest person to bungee.
I would recommend it to everyone. There are rumours about jumping, like your eyes will pop out or the pressure will cause your retinas to crack. These are urban myths. We have a clean safety record at the site, with no instances of injuries, apart from when The only injury was when someone got their finger stuck in the bus door.
I’ve worked in an office, been a labourer and worked for a funeral director, so I’m appreciative of doing what I love for a living. Besides, who else can say they have been at work and witnessed a bride and groom get married at 132 feet, saying their vows and kissing before plummeting together in full suit and white wedding dress into the valley below?
Visit bungeejumpscotland.co.uk
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