Skern Lodge Outdoor Learning and Development Residential Centre North Devon

Let us know your aims and we will work with you in designing a varied and fulfilling programme. Courses are suitable for children aged from 4 to 18 years of age.

Schools:

Outdoor activities are fantastic tools for personal development, promoting confidence, team working, understanding others, communication, understanding risk, making personal assessments, reducing environmental impact and of course lots of fun!

Geography Field Studies Key Stage 2 – A-Level

Fieldwork sites are in our local area and can include investigating the diversity of sand dune ecosystems at Braunton Burrows to studying Exmoor National Park fluvial processes. Classrooms and a wide range of field equipment are available as well as a computer suite with data handling software.

Colleges:

Learning through experience – allow young people the chance to explore aspects of personal and team development. This is followed up with reviews resulting in individuals gaining a raised awareness of themselves, confidence and the motivation to continue learning back in the real world.

We provide every parent with a briefing leaflet. In addition, we will visit your school to help brief and prepare your group if you wish – at no extra charge.

We welcome inspections and preview visits please phone or e-mail to make arrangements. Come and see why we are known as the professional outdoor centre.

Skern Lodge Residential Centre North Devon
Residential Activity Centre Devon
Skern Lodge Residential Activity Centre Devon

Our location, our activity sites the quality of the food, but mostly the staff. When you consider everything else, what your visit really comes down to are the people. It’s making the booking system painless or the care and attention given to every meal. Making sure the cleanliness of the rooms and toilets are maintained and most importantly the delivery of the activity sessions and the interaction with the students. That’s why we say – it’s more than adventure!

We hold the LOtC Quality badge AAIAC Adventure mark and are accredited by AALA, we are also a BCU and RYA approved training centre.

Skern Lodge has a wide variety of outdoor activities available onsite these include:

Outdoor Heated Swimming Pool

Archery Range

Tunnels System

Climbing & Abseil Tower

Traversing Wall

High Ropes Course

Assault Course

Zip Wires

(The above activities will need to be supervised by a Skern Lodge Instructor)

Campfire Circles

Several open fields for football and other games

1-250 depending on male/female breakdown.

Yes click away, there are no copyright restrictions – and if you take a great shot we would love to see it!

Risk assessments and other useful documents are available to download via our website through our leader zone log-in. Log-in details can be obtained by contacting Skern Lodge.

Prices start from £18 + VAT per person for a half day and £28 + VAT per person for a full day. Residential prices vary throughout the year starting from £225 + VAT per person for a Monday to Friday, or £110+ VAT pp for a weekend. Free staff places available, please contact us for a quote.

All staff at Skern Lodge are first aid trained. A qualified member of staff is also on duty through the night.

4 Separate residential blocks – each with bedding provided, own lounges, meeting rooms, drying room and toilet and shower facilities.

Meeting rooms, shower and toilet facilities for day visitors.

Dining room with seating for 120.

Full catering provided with fresh food including healthy, local options and any dietary requirements catered for. A sample programme is available to download from our website.

Classrooms.

Computer suite.

Shop providing toiletries, sweets and drinks, postcards, T-Shirts, sweatshirts and souvenirs.

Bar.

Wifi

Service wash laundry.

Games field.

Several free time games around site.

Dedicated night duty person.

A number of the rooms are suitable for those who are wheelchair bound and have wet room showers.

We are open throughout the year offering day and residential opportunities.

Day group times are between 9.15am and 4.45pm, evening sessions are also available.

Groups staying residentially have a full day from 9am – 5pm and evening programme from 7pm to 9pm. (Earlier starts and finishes available for younger groups).

“Harriet was an excellent leader and really supported our group. We have difficult children, but she worked brilliantly with them. Thanks for a great trip.”

– Berrycombe School

“A very well organized course. The children have had a thoroughly enriching experience.”

– Bierton C E Combined School

“The entire course, Centre and activities were brilliant. Our students thoroughly enjoyed themselves and learnt a great deal about the local area.”

– Royal Grammar School – High Wycombe

“We had a child with dietary requirements. This was catered for; the catering staff identified who he was immediately and made sure he knew where to find what he needed. Food is delicious and great variety.”

– Swanbourne CE School

“A very well run week where the needs of the pupils were at the forefront of all the activities.”

– QEH Junior School

“Ben’s leadership this week has been exceptional. His calm and clear manner was mirrored by our students and they spoke very highly of how much they enjoyed his approach and how safe they felt with the staff.”

– Kingsbury High School

Sometimes having great customer care has its drawbacks, with over 90% rebooking rates for both primary and secondary schools we can have limited availability in those sort after summer term weeks.  Get in touch to check availability. If you are like many of our clients who really see Skern Lodge as their residential provider and are prepared to take weeks in the early spring or late autumn, then get in touch.  We have got some great 2 night, 3 day winter residential offers too.

Set outside the picturesque village of Appledore, Skern Lodge is set in its own grounds and is ideally located for that remote residential. With the town of Bideford only 3 miles away and Barnstaple with its rail link only ten miles away, Skern is also accessible for arriving on public transport if required. The North Devon link road links you to the UK motorway network and you could be here from London in just three and a half hours.

The centre is located within a UNESCO Biosphere and offers superb access to fieldwork locations plus many challenging and inspirational outdoor activity locations. With two National Parks within an hour’s drive and with the southwest coastal footpath passing the bottom of the drive. Skern Lodge is in the ideal location.

The centre provides a range of accommodation from single, twin and dormitory style rooms sleeping 3 – 8. Many have on-suite rooms with others having shared bathrooms available. Each accommodation area has its own lounges and social areas for staff and students with TV.

To check availability or to make a booking contact either Debs or Andrea either by phone 01237 475992 or email skern@skernlodge.co.uk, alternatively complete our check availability form on our website.