Onsite Ground-Based 

 

All these onsite ground-based activities take place on our 30 acre site and some can be led by visiting staff/leaders instead of our qualified instructors.  The activities are rated between 1 (low) and 4 (high) to help you choose the best activities to meet your aims.

Campfire

Marshmallows toasting on a campfire
Young adults sit around the campfire one play the guitar and another sings

Minimum age: None
Led by: Visiting staff/leaders (fire lighting materials & wood provided)

A great evening activity.  Use our designated campfire spots to toast marshmallows / sing songs / recount stories with your group whilst sharing the warmth of a campfire.

Ratings

Team working

Build a fire, sing and toast marshmallows together.

Skills

Learn how to build and sustain a fire.

Knowledge

Learn about the fire triangle and fire lighting.

Personal challenge

Singing in front of your peers can be a good challenge for some.

Physical activity

 

One of the more sedentary activities.

Accessibility

There’s level access to our main campfire area which is near to our car park.

Cooking & Baking

3 children baking
Cooking and Baking Cupcakes (onsite ground-based)

Minimum age: None
Led by: Visiting staff/leaders

The self-catering kitchens are ideal for introducing cooking skills.  Many groups take advantage of this facility and include a baking session in their programme.

Ratings

Team working

Work together, reading recipes, weighing ingredients and creating something delicious.

Skills

Reading and deciphering recipes, measuring and weighing ingredients, operating kitchen appliances, all contribute to essential life skills.

Knowledge

Learn about different cooking and baking methods.

Personal challenge

 

Working together as a group to organise and produce an end product can create some challenges.

Physical activity

 

One of the more sedentary activities.

Accessibility

All our kitchen areas have easy access.

Den Building

Boy holds up tarpaulin sheet on their den in the woods and we can see two classmates smiling as they sit inside the den
A school child builds a den from sticks in the woods

Minimum age: None
Led by: Visiting staff/leader or an instructor

Use our designated den building area and den building kit, to design and build your own den.  Will it be waterproof?!

Ratings

Team working

Work with your team to build a den in our woods. Can your team come up with some great construction ideas?

Skills

Knot tying, linking your tarps together and construction of a base out of branches all need some skills.

Knowledge

Learn which type of den construction works best.

Personal challenge

Some parts of this activity can create personal challenges.

Physical activity

There is some physical activity involved lifting and carrying construction materials.

Accessibility

Our den building area is accessed by paths and tracks.

Firelighting & Survival

2 children fire lighting (onsite ground-based) at Thornbridge Outdoors
Adult and 2 children making popcorn over a fire (onsite ground-based) at Thornbridge Outdoors

Minimum age: Year 3 (7 years old)
Led by: A qualified instructor

This activity has lots of different elements within it and therefore caters for all abilities.  Starting with a fun bean-bag name game, we follow on with safety, survival and animal habitats.  Pebble dens are always a highlight, so make sure you have a camera to hand for the finished products!  The dens give the opportunity to go exploring in the woods, working individually or in a group.  Get to grips with how to use a fire steel and contribute to a larger fire to make popcorn for everyone.

Ratings

Team working

Work together to use the fire steels and build some mini dens.

Skills

Creating sparks from the fire steels can be a tricky skill to master but will be achieved by everyone with practice.

Knowledge

Learn about, safety, survival, the fire triangle, fire steels and much more with this extremely varied activity.

Personal challenge

Can you get a spark from your fire steel to create fire?

Physical activity

 

Exploring in the woods creates some physical activity.

Accessibility

The fire lighting area is tucked away in our grounds but is accessed along flat paths.

Heartstart First Aid

A person practising first aid on a course (onsite ground-based)

Minimum age: Year 5 (9 years old)
Led by: A qualified instructor

Heartstart UK is an initiative co-ordinated by the British Heart Foundation. This 2 hour indoors based course can be booked with an instructor and covers the following:

  • deal with an unconscious person
  • recognise a heart attack and a cardiac arrest
  • perform CPR
  • deal with choking
  • respond to serious bleeding

See our courses page to book.

Low Ropes

Children swing from tyres on the low rope course and smile for the camera
Boy crawls out of tunnel in the woods of Thornbridge Outdoors with a helmet on, he's muddy and smiling
Four students swing on the low rope course in the woods

Minimum age: Year 3 (7 years old)
Led by: Visiting staff/leader after attending the training course or a qualified instructor

This is our most popular activity!  A great team activity, which can be adapted to suit the age and ability of the group and is ideal for developing team work / trust / confidence etc.

Ratings

Team working

A fantastic and great fun activity to promote working together.

Skills

Climb, balance, crawl, jump and much more!

Knowledge

Safety and equipment use.

Personal challenge

A great mix of 20 different challenges throughout the course.

Physical activity

Plenty of physical challenges on the majority of elements.

Accessibility

Accessible along flat woodland footpaths, no harnesses required but movement required to get on and off the elements of the course.

Nightline

Children walk beneath a willow archway with Night Line goggles on, unable to see
Students hold onto eachother's shoulders as they stand in a line wearing big coats and goggles for the Night Line challenge under the cover of darkness
School children wearing goggles and red cagoules walk the Night Line in the woods at Thornbridge Outdoors

Minimum age: Year 1 (5 years old)
Led by: Visiting staff/leader or an instructor

A rope course through the woods.  Participants must follow the rope wherever it goes!  This activity can be done at night or during the day, as blindfolds and goggles are provided.

Ratings

Team working

Trust your team members as you make your way along the line in darkness. Communicating is essential between each other.

Skills

 

Some coordination skills will be required.

Knowledge

 

Different senses will come into play during this activity which can be discussed afterwards.

Personal challenge

Walking in the dark can be very challenging for some individuals

Physical activity

 

This does not require much physical activity.

Accessibility

There are paths to the nightline but the ground through the nightline is undulating and quite steep in places.

Orienteering

2 children orienteering (onsite ground-based) at Thornbridge Outdoors

Minimum age: Year 3 (7 years old)
Led by: Visiting staff/leader or an instructor

We have a number of permanent orienteering courses in place around our grounds. From the circular star course (good for introducing map skills and orientation) to the whole site orienteering. Our courses are designed so that participants can progress through the levels of difficulty as they become more competent at the sport. Orienteering is often seen as a good introductory activity and a way for groups to get to know their way around the site.

Ratings

Team working

Working together in pairs or threes is encouraged.

Skills

Many skills are involved in this activity.

Knowledge

Learn how to orientate a map, work out where you are, interpret the map and find your points.

Personal challenge

Reading the map correctly and finding the orienteering point can be very challenging on our 30 acre site.

Physical activity

Walk or run to find the various points.

Accessibility

We have a wide range of orienteering courses and some are accessible.

Parachute Games

Pupils playing parachute games
Pupils playing parachute games (onsite ground-based) at Thornbridge Outdoors

Minimum age: Year 1 (5 years old)
Led by: Visiting staff/leader or an instructor

A fun activity using a giant parachute.  A good introductory activity or even whilst out on a walk.

Ratings

Team working

The parachute games need everyone to participate for a successful outcome.

Skills

 

Learn to control the parachute in different ways.

Knowledge

 

Learning new games.

Personal challenge

Can you catch a team mate under the parachute or catch them as you run round it?

Physical activity

 

There are many different games to play with the parachute; many of them require you to run around as well as keeping the parachute moving using your arms.

Accessibility

Everyone can have fun with the parachute.

Photo Treasure Hunt

Photo treasure hunt resources (onsite ground-based)

Minimum age: Year 3 (7 years old)
Led by: Visiting staff/leader or an instructor

Using the photos provided, you must find the clues hidden around our grounds.  Once you have collected all the clues, can you crack the code and find out more information about the Peak District?

Ratings

Team working

Work in pairs or threes to spot and record your clues.

Skills

Observation skills are required.

Knowledge

Crack the code when you have found all the points and learn about the Peak District using our information booklet.

Personal challenge

Are you observant enough to find the clues?

Physical activity

Plenty of running around to find all the points.

Accessibility

The treasure hunt is around the accommodation areas and most points are accessible.

Problem Solving Challenges

Student in a soaked cagoule grins while taking part in a team problem solving challenge
Two school girls work together to walk on two wooden planks across the field
Children stand on the see saw at Thornbridge Outdoors and listen to the instructor's instructions

Minimum age: Year 1 (5 years old)
Led by: Visiting staff/leader or an instructor (briefing sheets available and equipment provided)

Ideal for developing team work / co-operation / leadership and communication skills for groups of all ages and abilities.  Some problem solving tasks are mentally challenging whilst others require a more physical input.  We can help select the right tasks for your group, which are challenging, yet inclusive, to ensure that all members of your group can take part.

Ratings

Team working

All the activities we have provide excellent opportunities for team work.

Skills

Coordination skills are required for many of the problems.

Knowledge

Learning the different ways that an activity can be solved within a team.

Personal challenge

Mental and physical challenges are required.

Physical activity

Some of the challenges require physical activity.

Accessibility

We have a range of problem solving activities and many are accessible.

The Thornbridge Challenge

Pupils taking part in the Thornbridge Challenge (onsite ground-based)

Minimum age: Year 3 (7 years old)
Led by: A qualified instructor

Work together as a team to take on the Wizard’s challenges, including a tunnel system, rope swing, giant seesaw and more, to earn stars, collect clues and hopefully discover the hidden treasure!

Ratings

Team working

A focus upon team working across all of the wizard’s challenges along with ongoing reviews of the team.

Skills

The focus is on team working and communication skills.

Knowledge

Key details and ideas for working in a team are shared and reviewed.

Personal challenge

Joining your team in the Wizard’s mole holes, on the Wizard’s boulder & swing all require courage.

Physical activity

The challenges are spread around the site and everybody gets stuck in.

Accessibility

 

Some elements are more accessible than others but they are spread widely across the site.

You may also be interested in

 
Residential Visits at Thornbridge Outdoors

Residential Visits

 Accommodation at Thornbridge Outdoors

Indoor Accommodation

 Outdoor and Environmental Activities at Thornbridge Outdoors

Outdoor Activities

 Accredited Courses at Thornbridge Outdoors

Accredited Courses

Contact Us

 


Address:
Thornbridge Outdoors
Longstone Lane
Great Longstone
Bakewell
Derbyshire
DE45 1NY


what3words:
///callers.provoking.monk


Email: thornbridgeoutdoors@sheffield.gov.uk


Phone: 01629 640491

Facebook Feed

 
Thornbridge Outdoors - adventure learning centre
Thornbridge Outdoors - adventure learning centre4 days ago
New at Thornbridge Outdoors: mid-week bike hire! 🚴

We’re excited to launch children's & adult bike hire during the week, with morning and afternoon hire slots now available.
Perfect for exploring the Monsal Trail, getting active, or making the most of a day in the outdoors.

Book your mid-week ride online through our website.
Thornbridge Outdoors - adventure learning centre
92
View on Facebook
Thornbridge Outdoors - adventure learning centre
Thornbridge Outdoors - adventure learning centre5 days ago
A beautiful view of Grindsbrook Clough from our first Mountain Training Hill Skills course! If you are new to the hills or keen to explore beyond the routes you know well and are looking to learn more about hiking in the hills, check out our website for the next course date!
Thornbridge Outdoors - adventure learning centre
5
View on Facebook

Newsletter Sign Up

 


Sign up to our newsletter for Primary and Secondary schools and those in education.

Sign up to our newsletter for centre updates and developments, accommodation and camping, course dates, and more.