Outdoor Learning
Given the power of the outdoors to enrich and transform lives we use our experienced instructors, beautiful centre and superb location in the heart of the Peak District to maximum effect to provide fantastic, enjoyable experiences with great outcomes.
Our mission is to widen the horizons of young people through real outdoor adventures in the Peak District.
This is achieved by participants:
We have developed our staff team, the centre and what we do to enable high quality, affordable and inclusive outdoor learning experiences.
Our instructors have the skills and experience to provide high quality experiences which are tailored to match the group’s needs, the aims of the visit and variables such as the weather.
Our wider team have many years of experience delivering enjoyable experiences, including supporting accompanying adults to help everyone make the most of their visit.
Groups have sole use of their accommodation so that staff can create their own supportive atmosphere for their young people without the distraction of those from other organisations with different approaches.
Our beautiful 30 acre grounds and location in the heart of the Peak District provide a inspirational setting for our guests’ outdoor learning experiences and is close to great venues for outdoor activities such as caving, climbing, cycling.
Our onsite activities – such as high ropes, low ropes and mountain biking – provide great experiences, with no time lost to travelling and low environmental impact.
Our offsite activities offer the opportunity to encounter even more inspiring locations and experiences – such as exploring a cave or rocky crags, abseiling from a 25m viaduct and biking through tunnels and across dales.
We offer fully instructed visits where we just require that groups are accompanied by a responsible adult who can help the young people to make the most of the experience and link their learning back to their school/home setting.
If visiting staff wish to lead some activities – such as den building, the low ropes & team building tasks – we are happy to support that through the provision of resources and training.
Whilst fully supported catering is available we offer groups the option of self-catering to enable guests to be involved in that aspect of their visit and to help keep their visits more affordable.
We aim to make visits affordable and do this through our pricing and focus on providing equipment to avoid hidden costs to parents/carers. Waterproofs, wellies, warm clothing, camping equipment and more can be borrowed by guests from our stores.
We are keen for all group members to be able to engage with their activities and make the most of their visit. Experienced instructors, specialist equipment and bespoke programming ensure that everyone makes the most of their visit.
Senior centre staff meet with visit leaders to ensure that the all visits are designed to ensure that participants – whether they are 7 years old or 18+ years old – get the most from their visit.
Visit aims vary but commonly include:
We welcome young people from Year 1 at school to adults and have a range of different options to suit everyone. Whilst we appreciate schools like to go to a range of different settings we could provide a residential for someone every year from Year 2 to Year 13, have progression built into every visit and not run out of activities!
We are keen to enable adults to deliver their own outdoor learning experiences and offer training to enable this in cycling, first aid, hill walking and low ropes.
Whilst our main focus is schools our outdoor learning opportunities are available to all, including universities, uniformed service groups, faith groups, friends & family groups and more.
