North Devon’s professional outdoor centre
Skern Lodge has been using the outdoors for adventure activities and people development since 1976 and are committed to the highest standards in all aspects of their business. Situated on the north Devon coast in 22 acres of their own grounds, they are in the perfect location. School groups use Skern Lodge for a variety of reasons, especially its talent for creating a course that suits your requirements. No two courses at Skern Lodge are the same. With a wide variety of exciting, adventurous outdoor activities on offer and an experienced and dedicated staff team to deliver a tailored programme, it’s easy to see why they were awarded the best outdoor activity and sporting experience in the Southwest. The centre has been providing multi-activity experiences for schools for more than 40 years. Its friendly office staff are on hand to help you at all stages of your booking and in preparation for your course. Their aim – excellence in courses and services – is made easier to achieve because the full Skern staff team is on site with you at the Lodge. On your arrival, one of their staff team is allocated to be your Course Director, co-ordinating all aspects of your course with you. You have available at Skern, the full management team to ensure everything runs smoothly and to help with any problems. There is plenty of space on site for games in free-time, boundaries are clear, accommodation is easy to supervise and there is 24-hour duty cover. The residential experience at Skern Lodge develops young people’s personal and social skills and can be great fun! Team building, problem solving, communication, working and living together, combined with the range of exciting activities, gives young people the best experience they can have; skills not only invaluable in the classroom, playground and on the sports field, but also in later life at work. At Skern Lodge they pride themselves in not only providing you with an experience that you will remember for life, but also paying attention to the domestic arrangements so you will be warm, dry and well fed. You won’t find many places where the food is as good. Their domestic team are outstanding, providing superb meals and services with care and good humour. To arrange your Skern residential experience follow the link to their website. www.skernlodge.co.uk
The Coquet Shorebase
The Coquet Shorebase has a history of providing educational watersports going back nearly 70 years. Originally a Nautical Training base run through the Coquet High School at Amble, on the Northumberland coast, it is now a Community Watersports Centre providing affordable watersports training and recreation for the local community. As a registered charity, our aims reflect the social and education benefits these activities can bring to participants. Our main activity base is Ladyburn Lake, part of Druridge Bay Country Park, where we run sailing, canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding, windsurfing and raft building activities. What can we offer to schools? You may just want a fun end of year session or a series of skills training sessions leading to a certificate. However, all our sessions will have an emphasis on team-work, confidence building, problem solving and water safety, not forgetting enjoyment, challenge and getting to know each other better, appreciating everyone’s strengths and weaknesses. Let us know your aims and objectives and we will tailor our sessions to these. For example, the most popular activity for a half-day session (up to 24 pupils), particularly with First Schools, involves splitting the group into two, and giving them 50 mins in sit-on-top kayaks and 50 mins on the big Stand up Paddleboards, swapping over half way through the session. It’s a lot of fun, really boosts water confidence and emphasizes teamwork and helping others. (Cost is £280). We can also offer improvised raft building (suitable for the older age group), and sailing or windsurfing for smaller groups. Activities really are for everyone. We work regularly with people with a wide range of physical and mental disabilities; our facilities are wheelchair accessible and we have Sailability and Paddle Ability approval status. It isn’t just about introductory sessions. We have three affiliated clubs (for Canoeing, Windsurfing and Sailing), which can use all our equipment, and provide a low- cost means of continuing activities for those who live locally. Many of our enthusiastic instructors are drawn from club members. Our other facility is situated at Amble, on the banks of the Coquet, which offers a more challenging environment for more advanced paddling or sailing activities. Both centres have changing rooms and hot showers. Wetsuits, cagoules and buoyancy aids are provided. We are licensed by AALA, an RYA training centre and hold the British Canoeing Quality Mark. See our webpage for more details about The Coquet Shorebare: click here Or contact us info@coquetshorebase.org.uk to discuss your ideas.