Activities
Our school courses are flexible in format, having a typical duration of five days, but we also run shorter weekday and weekend programmes. We like to view our courses in a holistic way, as the whole experience of living away from home, sharing with friends, and meeting new people leads to greater personal and social development. Activities are naturally key to the success of this process.
We can offer a very wide variety of activities, and each programme will have its own look and feel. With so many options (and we can’t do everything in a week) the only problem can be choosing which activities to include!
Please note that all our activities focus on personal challenge, environmental awareness, and team working, but some activities work better on one aspect than others. For example raft building requires good teamwork, but may be very challenging for non-swimmers. We have listed the major focus of each activity below, but the other outcomes should never be disregarded. For more details, please see a graphical illustration of this, downloadable as a PDF here.
Below is the full list. A 'Session' is a third of a day – i.e. morning, afternoon, evening. There is a wide range of evening activities, but they are not listed here.
Please click on any activity to reveal further details.
All-Year Activities:
The challenge of abseiling encourages the individual to overcome their fears and apprehension, thus building self-esteem and confidence. A small crag is utilised for beginners to encourage the whole group to complete the abseil. Larger crags (where climbing is possible) may be used once the basics are mastered.
A whole day out in the hills with a route chosen to suit the group and the weather conditions. In summer the adventure can be afloat as well – for example paddling to a hill, or to an abseil crag. Participants need to be self sufficient for the day and a packed lunch is provided. Adventures vary and might include reaching a mountian summit, or negotiating a narrow rock passage. The day involves a personal challenge whilst the team works together supporting each other. Awe and Wonder moments abound!
Target archery is taught on our purpose built indoor archery range. Great fun and very absorbing. The concentration and discipline required serves as valuable personal training, but steam is let off at the end of the session with some drumming.
An exciting introduction to rock climbing on our purpose built indoor climbing wall.
A high adventure activity where the group must work together four at a time to climb a fifteen metre high rope ladder. Climbers are belayed by other group members holding their safety ropes. Ideal for groups who require personal physical challenges. Success will only be achieved through teamwork.
The group plan and undertake a day’s journey by walking, canoeing or a combination of the two, to reach their destination. The group planning element is integral in this activity. We strongly suggest schools select this activity, if aiming to complete the whole of the Natural Connections award. Journeying is tricky to complete back in Fife.
Our cave simulator. Not a session in its own right, more of a fun filler activity during the day. Particpants must find their way through the tubes, passages and chambers to emerge smiling at the other end. We often use this as part of our 'Lost at Sea' Enterprise Day.
Maps and compasses are introduced and the techniques are used to navigate as part of a big day out. An important life skill. During summer months this could be in part afloat.
An active and fun half-day learning map-reading skills. Using simple exercises in the Ardroy grounds and courses in the countryside nearby, pupils master the basics and gain a sense of achievement from negotiating the course and navigating it successfully.
A practical study to bring to life the water cycle. The River Goil is followed from its source high in the mountains, through the various stages of its life until it flows into the sea near to Ardroy. Glaciation, erosion, deposition and the water cycle are introduced in a meaningful way.
Try a forest whiff cocktail, make a rainbow palette, distinguish between ‘prickly' and 'tickly’. Pupils participate in fresh and innovative ways of experiencing the richness of nature through sensory activities. Based on ‘Acclimatising’ activities by Steve Van Matre and ‘Sharing Nature with Children’ by Joseph Cornell.
A challenging, confidence building ‘caving’ activity situated on a hillside. Participants negotiate passageways and scramble through rock falls, helping and supporting their team members as they go. A great personal confidence builder.
This role-playing game is designed to let pupils experience some of the problems faced by wild animals in their struggle to survive. Pupils become hunter and hunted, as they search for food and shelter, always wary of becoming the predator’s next meal. A fun and practical way to learn about food chains, habitats, predator/prey relationships and the impact of humans on the landscape.
A half day skills session based in our beautiful woodland study area. Ancient green woodworking skills are taught such as mallet making and pole lathing.
All the content of a Woodland Skills session, but when opting for a full day groups will have the opportunity to do some practical conservation work to put something back into our beautiful woodland. This could be coppicing, thinning of invasive trees, hazel hurdle making etc.
Summer Activities: (Easter to Halloween)
Kayaks or Open Canoes are used to teach basic skills and explore the sheltered waters of Loch Goil. Plenty of fun and games are used whilst learning the skills and increasing confidence. Further sessions can be programmed at your request. These sessions take pupils to a higher skill level when rainbow awards and star tests can be taken.
This exercise focuses very much upon teamwork. Groups pool their ideas, design a raft on paper, then construct a model to present their proposals. Under the watchful eye of their instructors the team constructs an actual raft, which (hopefully!) carries them over a short course on the Loch.
Clad in wetsuits, buoyancy aids and helmets the group ascends a riverbed negotiating gorges, waterfalls and plunge pools culminating in the final “Splosh”! An excellent teambuilding activity. It’s great fun too!