In a previous post we have discussed the applications and installation of loft ladders in the home, but there are similar ladders which actually have far greater purposes around the world. When you think about loft ladders the first thing that comes to mind is probably gaining access to a dark stuffy attic full of tools, antiques and old books, but the ladders we will look at today have more ambitious, extraordinary uses. From the island of New Guinea to the jungles in Peru, ladders are still relied upon by the native people as the only means of access to their homes. It is interesting to learn that in countries on opposite sides of the globe people are still using the most basic materials, such as wood and rope to craft loft ladders from their bare hands. Not all ladders have stood the test of time however, and so we will also examine some loft ladders that were used in days gone by and have long become redundant.

The Korowai Tree Houses

Most of us have built a tree house as a child and revelled in climbing up the ladder to what felt like the top of the world! For a tribe on the island of New Guinea tree houses are their homes and have been for centuries. The island lies just off the coast of Australia and is home to the Korowai tribe, which remained un-discovered until 1970. The tribe consists of 3000 people who reside in the jungle; they were completely unaware that the world was home to any other people until they were discovered in 1974 by explorers. These fascinating people build giant tree houses to live in, which can be as tall as 130ft and are only accessible by loft ladders. Where in our lives a ladder is used to access our loft, the Korowai people need ladders to access their homes! More was discovered about these traditional buildings in 2011, when the BBC documentary Human Planet commissioned one of these tree houses to be built by the indigenous people. The Korowai explained that it was necessary to build the houses so high to protect them from floods, enemies and harmful insects. The stilts that hold the structure up are crafted from ironwood, a wood known for it's hardiness and ability to withstand fire, often the loft ladders they use to gain access to the huts are also made from ironwood. The tribe use these ladders in the same way to this very day.

Ladders up Putucusi Mountain

When you think about climbing a mountain it is usually with ropes and harnesses, rather than wooden loft ladders! Huge wooden ladders are exactly what is used to climb certain parts of the Putucusi Mountain in Peru. Scaling these ladders is not for the faint hearted, and many visitors turn back at the sight of the second ladder they encounter….which seems to climb vertically forever. In fact the highest ladder on the Putucusi trail is over 100ft tall. If you are brave enough to reach the top then you will be rewarded with magnificent views of the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu. Unfortunately the wooden ladders aren't made to the Youngman standard and in 2011 floods wiped out a 100ft ladder section, making the climb impossible without professional climbing gear. Another, more famous, mountain that requires the use of ladders to reach the summit is Mount Everest. Climbers set up ladders in the particularly treacherous part of the climb known as the Khumbu Icefall. Sadly many Sherpas and climbers have met their deaths in this particular section, as if climbing a ladder at 6000 metres isn't dangerous enough, you also have to contend with (as the name suggests) falling blocks of ice.

There are similar ladders found in the Slovak Paradise national park in Slovakia. The wooden ladders there are used to scale ravines, canyons and even waterfalls…however this would surely cause the ladders to be a tad slippery!

The Katskhi Pillar, Georgia

From climbing ladders up a mountain in Peru to one that scales a pillar of rock in Georgia. This isn't the State of Georgia in America, but a small country that lies between Europe and Asia. The Katskhi Pillar is a 40 metre high rock formation that rises sharply from the ground in the hills of central Georgia. On top of the rock lies a small church, dating from the 7th century, that is home to a monk who lives alone. The pillar has nearly vertical edges and therefore the only means to reach the top is by a ladder made from iron that hangs down one side of the rock. The ladder is caged, making it reasonably safe in comparison to some of the ladders we have encountered so far. A strange, and potentially controversial tradition is that only men are allowed to climb up to the top…making it the only sexist ladder in the world!

Luxury Ladders

So far we have only encountered ladders crafted from free materials by indigenous people. On the other end of the scale you can find tree houses worth thousands of pounds. Glamping has become a recent craze, where people pay a lot of money to go camping but with all the luxuries thrown in. Companies charge hundreds per night for people to stay in their luxury fully-equipped tree houses. One such company is free spirit spheres in the USA which allows you to experience living in a sphere shaped wooden treehouse. If you decided you enjoyed the experience so much that you were inclined to buy one, the cost would set you back $44,700! The spheres are accessed by loft ladders crafted from wood and rope that spiral beautifully around the trees.

One luxury treehouse in Bath, UK costs £245 per night and includes a copper bath, double bed and kitchen, all in the canopy of the trees! The ladders leading up to this huge structure are more akin to staircases, crafted from wood and including handrails.

Forgotten Ladders

Although we still use loft ladders on a daily basis, some ladders have slowly become unnecessary over time, being replaced with more practical solutions. There is a small mountain village in Saudi Arabia called Habala that was originally accessed via rope ladder; the word Habala actually means “ropeâ in Arabic. However in 1990 there was a desire to increase tourism to the area and make access to the village practical which meant doing away with the traditional rope ladder, and replacing it with a modern cable car. Unfortunately some of the residents of the village called “flower men” were forced by the authorities to move to a modern village in the valley below Habala. Sadly they are only allowed to return to the village to perform traditional dances for the tourists.

Do we Still Need Loft Ladders?

With ladders being replaced by staircases and cable cars, is it only a matter of time before our loft ladders get replaced too? Well in actual fact the rope ladder at Habala was replaced with a cable car because it was impractical and dangerous for tourists, and not because this was better option for the locals; the indigenous people actually prefer the ladder over the cable car. Although some uses for ladders, such as siege ladders used for attacking castles, have disappeared there are also relatively modern applications for them, like ladders used by firefighters. To carry our day-to-day chores, such as storing something in the attic, there is no alternative to the loft ladder. Choosing loft ladders after having read about some of the most amazing ladders in the world may seem pretty dull, but it is these ancient designs that have inspired the modern loft ladders that we use today. Whether you wish to stick to the traditional materials and go with a Youngman ECO S-line wooden loft ladder or make use of the modern, space-saving design elements in a Alufix Concertina loft ladder we will be able to fit you up. We provide ladders from as little as £45 – to view our entire range of loft ladders visit http://www.midlandladders.com//catalog/Loft_Ladders-4-1.html or call us on 0300 303 22 99 to chat to our helpful, friendly sales team.

Midland Ladders are a Leading UK Distributor of Ladders, Aluminium ladders, Combination ladders, Step ladders, Scaffolding towers, Loft ladders and all access equipment. Main Distributors for : Youngman, Titan, Lyte, Zarges, With Free Next Day Deliveries UK wide.