OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES – LOTS OF INFORMATION!
On this page you can jump to: Abseiling; Archery; Bushcraft; Caving; Climbing; Kayaking; Raft Building; Rifle Shooting; Navigation skills; Zipwire by clicking these words. Or go to a video of activities here!
Abseiling is sliding down a rope in a controlled manner. It is commonly used in conjunction with climbing where there is an access problem. So if the bottom of a climb is washed by the sea you would abseil down the route from the top then climb back up. Likewise if you got to the top of a climb and could not walk off, you would abseil back down then pull your rope down after you. It is a very useful skill to learn – oh, and it’s great fun too!
Can I fall if I let go? – A very common question. No you can’t, the way we do it. When you are learning you will have 2 ropes attached to your harness so if you did let go (not a natural thing to do) the instructor who controls 1 of the ropes would stop your fall before it went anywhere. However you are in control all the time you are holding a rope. It is possible to abseil 
without this safety rope but then we use a clever device called a prussik loop which grabs the rope if you let go – like a car seatbelt grabs hold if pulled hard.
Almost anyone can abseil, but if you are pregnant, have back problems or can’t fit in a harness then it’s not a good idea. We have abseiled off cliffs, towers, buildings, cranes, bridges and with all sorts of people – in fancy dress, wheelchairs, blind people, on skis and on mountain bikes to name a few. Abseiling is also used for fundraising events and we can provide this also.
Archery is one thing you must do – It’s the law! (Yes it is – an ancient law requires all male Englishmen to practice archery at least 
once a week.) We have a permanent range and a mobile range, so you can either come to us or if you’re having a wedding, promotion or just a party with a difference you can have your own archery range, providing the venue is suitable. We have a variety of bows to cater for both left and right handed people and a variety of sizes for all arm strengths. Minimum age for archery is 7 and there is no upper limit.
If you’re a complete beginner don’t worry – with a 
bit of help and practice you will be hitting the target consistently. We gradually work from the basics up to more advanced techniques and equipment, using a variety of methods and games. Shoot for points / chocolate / beer (!) and you never know – you could become addicted, and you’ll be surprised at who is the best shot - usually the person you least expect!
Bushcraft is a convenient term used to describe a huge amount of knowledge related to a deeper understanding and reliance upon oneself and nature – working with nature rather than trying to fight it. Anyone who has an interest in the outdoors or nature will benefit from some knowledge of bushcraft. It’s not all about eating bugs!
The sheer scale of the subject is in itself baffling and because of this it is always best to discuss a 
bushcraft day with us before making a decision on 
what exactly to do. However if you simply want to give it a go and get a little more knowledge then a basic session would comprise shelter building, making fire by various methods, obtaining water and basic campfire cooking. The basic requirements of sustaining life are generally shelter, food and water. 
The techniques for obtaining and using these are far more complex and we can go into them if you like, but even the most experienced bushmen are constantly learning new tricks.
Caving – Don’t be scared! If you’ve seen films like The Descent then rest assured, caving is nothing like that! If you are curious, like a bit of adventure and trying new things, then caving is for you. With an experienced and helpful guide you will see things you could not imagine 
under the earth. You will be equipped with an oversuit to protect your clothes, a thick belt to keep it all in (and provide a handle for others to assist you!) and of course a helmet and bright, long lasting light. You don’t have to be super fit or super thin as the caves we use will be suitable for beginners, tried and tested. There may be small spaces but claustrophobia is rarely an issue – you’ll be so fascinated by the environment around you that you won’t think about the sqeezy bit! (Anyway, toughen up – it’s all in your head!) You will walk, slide, crawl, scramble, shimmy and get an all over workout as well as a unique experience, but if you have medical issues then please talk to us first to find out if caving is OK for you.
I love caving. If you find you do as well, why not try an advanced caving trip? We can take you further, deeper, wetter…. How far will you go? Be assured there will be lots of mud, more crawling, climbing and possibly abseiling and swimming underground. The rewards for all that effort are worth it though, places like this…..
Climbing is a great sport which is gaining popularity all the time. You don’t need to be super fit; flexibility and self belief play a much bigger part. 
It’s also a good team activity as you are totally reliant on a partner for your safety. We give you full training in how to do this and make sure you are totally happy before ascending. Ropes are attached to an anchor point above you and as you climb, your partner “takes in” the rope
through a clever device which will hold you if you slip. In this situation you cannot fall (but you can slip over and lose your grip) and you dangle on the rope like a giant spider. When you reach the top you are lowered back by your partner – similar to abseiling but controlled by someone else. We typically set up climbing routes which are challenging but attainable – at the end of the day you will have sore muscles but a huge sense of achievement.
Progressing climbers can also be helped. We can assist you in the technical aspects of gear placement, setting belays, leading and all manner of rope trickery to give you confidence when you venture out on your first routes.
Kayaking. OK, before you ask yourself let me help.
A canoe is traditionally paddled by American Indians, kneeling in it and using a single bladed paddle.
A kayak is traditionally paddled by Eskimos, sitting in it and using a double bladed paddle. We use kayaks.
Before you get on the water we run through all aspects of safety, including what to do if you fall in. We don’t make you capsize, but if it happens by accident you will know what to do! Of course we provide all safety equipment; buoyancy aids, helmets, windproof jackets etc and you will have an instructor on the water at all 
times. At first you will feel unsure but by a tried and tested method of coaching, games and a bit of silliness your confidence will grow, along with your control skills. Kayaking can be tough, especially in windy conditions, so we have a minimum age limit of 9. 
If you have kayaked before or want to brush up on skills, we can give you guidance on more complex strokes, self rescue and the famous Eskimo roll. Our rolling classes are held in a quiet river with a maximum ratio of 1:2, and we use special boats which make it easier to master the technique. Expect to get very wet.
Raft Building. A great team activity, raft building can be used on its own or 
as part of a larger team event – or even for Birthdays, or Stag / Hen parties. There is no fixed way to build a good raft; the key ingredients are to make the knots as tight as possible and the whole thing stable in the water. We provide some ideas of rafts and will assist you with knot tying, but we won’t build it for you! Once your raft(s) are built and checked, and you have all the safety gear on, we launch and if there are more than 1 raft we will have a race to a buoy. 
Whoever gets there first pulls it out of the water and underneath, in a waterproof container, will be a delicious prize! The runners up usually respond to this with a volley of water, boarding the other raft and general chaos results. If you stay dry on a rafting session it is nothing short of a miracle – so expect to get wet. Minimum age 9.
Navigation & Hill Skills. More people are venturing into the hills and mountains. While this is a great thing, sadly more people are getting into 
trouble due to many factors but the most common problem is getting lost, confused and “out of your depth”. GPS devices and their like are not a definitive solution – the way to keep safe, have a great time and get out of any problems arising is to have a sound knowledge of hill skills – a large subject which is continually evolving.
Map reading, equipment choice, route choice, escape plans etc are covered and you will probably come away from the course with your head filled with new information – and wanting more. This course is packed with useful practical 
information, learned from the “school of a thousand cock-ups” – why do them all again yourself? It’s not something which can be learned quickly or without practice, but you will reap the rewards of more confidence and knowledge when you need it most. Hill skills courses last around 6 hours, but usually over-run with a pub lunch as an optional extra.
Rifle Shooting. We have a small 10m long outdoor rifle range where we use .177 air rifles. You shoot at a paper target which, when you are out of 
ammunition, you keep. (It’s no good to us, it’s full of holes!) 4 people at a time can shoot and due to the fact 
you are under supervision, children may participate. Due to the size of the rifles and the physical effort required to load them, minimum age is 9yrs.
Subject to a suitable venue we can bring the rifle range to your function or event in a similar way to the archery range. Please contact us for details.
Zipwire. Some call it a high wire. Some call it a flying fox. All we know is it makes you scream like this one on the right: 
You are safely strapped into a climbing harness and are protected by ropes as soon as you leave the 
ground. Climb the ladder up the tree to the platform (which moves about in the wind!) and prepare to jump. You reach around 25mph before gently stopping after over 100m of adrenaline. You then lower yourself to the ground using a clever device, and then do it all again! It’s always better the second time around….. so they say.