Salt and Fern Cabins Residential School Trips Wales

Salt and Fern Cabins Residential School Trips Wales provides comfortable, self-contained accommodation in a peaceful countryside setting in Goytre, Port Talbot, making us an ideal base for school residential trips and outdoor education.

We work alongside Adventure Wales, who provide a wide range of outdoor activities suitable for school groups, including gorge walking, kayaking, surfing and other adventure activities. Our aim is to make residential trips as straightforward as possible for teachers and group leaders, with accommodation, meals and outdoor activities all available as part of the experience.

Our location is also ideal for exploring South Wales, with easy access from the M4 and close proximity to the coast and a range of outdoor and educational attractions.

What we provide for school groups: 

• Comfortable group accommodation in our cabins
• Breakfast, evening meals and packed lunches
• A dedicated base for pupils and teachers to relax between activities
• Outdoor space for games and group activities
• Access to a range of adventure activities through Adventure Wales
• Space for groups to socialise together in the evenings
• Campfire opportunities, subject to weather and site conditions
• Flexible itineraries that can be tailored to the age and needs of the group
• A convenient location for exploring the wider South Wales area

Example 4-Day School Residential 

Day 1 – Arrival & Settling In 

On arrival, pupils are shown to their cabins and given time to settle in. Teachers and group leaders can get everyone organised before the evening meal, which is typically served around 6:00pm.

After dinner, pupils have time to relax and socialise. Depending on the weather, groups can make use of the outdoor space for games or spend time together in their cabins.

Day 2 – Adventure Day

After breakfast, pupils collect their packed lunches before getting ready for the day’s activities. Adventure Wales then takes the group out for an exciting day of outdoor activities such as gorge walking, surfing or kayaking.

Groups typically return to Salt & Fern in the afternoon, giving pupils time to get changed, warm up and relax before dinner.

Dinner is served at around 6:00pm, followed by free time. Where appropriate, groups may also have the opportunity to enjoy an outdoor campfire.

Day 3 – Activities & Exploration 

Day 3 follows a similar format, with breakfast followed by a full day of activities. The itinerary can be adapted depending on the group’s interests, age and activity programme.

After returning to the cabins, pupils can freshen up and relax before dinner and an evening of group time.

Day 4 – Final Activity & Departure 

After breakfast, pupils collect their packed lunches and prepare for departure. The group can complete a final activity before loading the buses and beginning the journey home.

Salt & Fern offers schools the opportunity to combine adventure, outdoor learning and comfortable accommodation in one peaceful setting.

Our location in South Wales is one of our biggest advantages. We are tucked away in a wooded valley surrounded by trees, green open space and natural scenery, while being just 5 minutes from the M4, making us easy and convenient for school groups travelling by coach.

Our cabins have direct access to walking trails, giving pupils the opportunity to experience the outdoors immediately from their accommodation. We are also ideally located for exploring some of South Wales’ most popular outdoor destinations, including the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons), the Gower Peninsula and Rest Bay in Porthcawl.

We work with activity providers such as Adventure Wales, giving schools access to a range of outdoor activities. This makes Salt & Fern an excellent base for residential trips focused on teamwork, confidence, outdoor education and new experiences.

Unlike a traditional hotel, our individual cabins give school groups their own comfortable spaces, creating a more relaxed residential experience while allowing pupils to socialise with their classmates. After a full day of activities, groups can return to a peaceful natural setting, enjoy a meal together and have time to unwind

On site we have:

• Large areas of open green space for group games and outdoor activities
• Fire pits, providing an opportunity for supervised campfire evenings, subject to weather and site conditions
• Access to trails and natural surroundings, allowing groups to explore the area directly from the site
• A large marquee dining area, available during the drier months and suitable for larger groups to eat and gather together
• Comfortable group cabin accommodation, providing pupils with a base to relax after a day of activities

Cabins: accommodation for up to 100 people 

Dormitory accommodation: accommodation for up to 30 people 

Total capacity: up to 130 people

Salt & Fern offers a mixture of two-bedroom and three-bedroom self-contained cabins, providing comfortable accommodation for school and educational groups.

Each cabin sleeps approximately 4–8 people and includes:

• 2 or 3 separate bedrooms 
• Private bathroom 
• Living area with TV 
• Kitchenette area
• Fridge and basic kitchenette facilities 
• Comfortable shared space for pupils to relax after activities

For school groups, hotplates and cooking utensils are removed from the cabins for safety, so pupils do not have access to cooking equipment. Meals can instead be arranged as part of the group’s catering package.

The cabins provide a more relaxed residential experience than traditional dormitory accommodation, while still allowing pupils to stay together in small groups. Teachers and group leaders can also be accommodated on site alongside their pupils.

Available for teachers

None, groups can take photos and videos.

Name: Sorcha Moloney

Email: info@saltandferncabins.com

We offer straightforward per-person pricing for educational and youth groups, with the option of self-catering or full-board accommodation.

Standard price of £35 per person self catering excluding VAT (Accommodation) Standard price of £45 per person full board excluding VAT (Accommodation, breakfast, packed lunch and evening meal)

For school and educational groups, we require the visiting group to bring a qualified/appropriately trained first aider who can provide first aid support and oversee the pupils throughout their stay.

Our on-site first aid facilities and trained staff member provide an additional level of support, but do not replace the school’s own first-aid arrangements or designated first aider.

Salt & Fern provides a comfortable and self-contained environment for school and educational groups, with key facilities available within each cabin.

Facilities include: 

• Free Wi-Fi throughout the site
• Private bathrooms and showers within each cabin
• Changing facilities within each cabin
• Living/social areas within each cabin, providing pupils with a space to relax and spend time together
• TVs in the cabin living areas
• Kitchenette areas within the cabins
• Outdoor open space for groups to enjoy
• Fire pits for supervised campfire activities, subject to weather and site conditions ● Marquee dining area available during the drier months for larger groups

The self-contained cabin layout means pupils have access to washing, showering and changing facilities within their own accommodation, rather than needing to use shared communal shower blocks.

Salt & Fern offers both full-board catering and self-catering options for school and educational groups.

Full Board Catering – £45 + VAT per person, per night 

Our full-board option includes:

• Breakfast each morning
• Packed lunch prepared for pupils to take with them on off-site activities ● Evening meal each day

Packed lunches can therefore be provided for groups to take with them when they are out on activities or educational visits during the day.

Self-Catering – £35 + VAT per person, per night 

Groups choosing the self-catering option can make use of our commercial kitchen facilities to prepare their own meals.

For groups bringing and preparing their own food, the visiting organisation/school is responsible for completing its own food safety and risk assessments and ensuring that appropriate food-handling procedures are followed. Salt & Fern accepts no responsibility for food brought onto or prepared on site by the visiting group.

Monday–Friday: 8:30am–4:00pm

Saturday & Sunday: Office closed

Bank holidays: Office closed

Salt & Fern is located in Goytre, Port Talbot, South Wales, on the edge of Afan Forest, making it an excellent base for school residentials, outdoor education and field trips.

The site is surrounded by woodland, trails and open countryside, giving groups immediate access to the natural environment and opportunities for outdoor learning and exploration.

We are also conveniently located approximately 5 minutes from the M4, making the site easily accessible for school coaches travelling from across South Wales and beyond.

Our location provides easy access to a range of South Wales destinations, including:

• Afan Forest – walking, mountain biking and outdoor exploration
• South Wales coastline and beaches 
• Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) 
• Gower Peninsula 
• Rest Bay and Porthcawl 
• A range of outdoor adventure and educational attractions

This makes Salt & Fern a useful base for schools looking to combine residential accommodation with outdoor learning, adventure activities and visits to the wider South Wales area.

Salt & Fern works with Adventure Wales, giving educational and youth groups access to a wide range of outdoor adventure and team-building activities. Activities can be arranged as part of a residential programme and selected according to the age, ability and interests of the group.

Activities available through our activity partners include:

• Paintballing
• Laser tag
• Climbing
• Raft building
• Canyoneering
• Quad biking
• Gorge walking
• Muddy assault courses
• Surfing
• Other outdoor adventure and team-building activities

This allows schools to create a varied residential programme combining adventure, teamwork, confidence-building and outdoor learning, while Salt & Fern provides the accommodation, catering and a comfortable base for the group.

We can work with schools and group leaders to help coordinate the accommodation, catering and activity programme to create a straightforward residential experience from arrival through to departure.