School and Group Outdoor Days in the Peak District: How They Work

We've been running climbing, caving and navigation days for schools, scout and youth groups, universities and clubs since 2006. Whether it's a group of 10 or a whole year group, the questions are usually the same, so here's how a group day works.

What activities can groups do?

• Climbing and abseiling on the Peak District's gritstone edges
• Caving in beginner-friendly caves with walking-sized passages
• Navigation, from basic map reading to NNAS awards, which work well for DofE groups
• Bouldering at our own indoor wall at The Adventure Hub
• Multi-activity days, where the group rotates between activities
• Problem-solving and team challenges for staff or students, on site or in school

We can also run full residentials when you book local accommodation alongside your activities.

How do you handle large groups?

We split bigger groups so that everyone gets proper time on the activity rather than standing around waiting. There are two common ways to do it.

Split by session. Half the group does the activity in the morning while the other half does a self-led activity with your own staff, then they swap at lunchtime. This keeps instructor costs down and works well for caving.

Split by activity. We bring more instructors, so half the group climbs while the other half caves, and everyone swaps at lunchtime. Nobody is left waiting, and everyone gets two activities in one day.

For a large school group we might, for example, run three climbing groups side by side, each with its own instructor and a teacher.

What are your instructor ratios?

Ratios depend on the activity, the venue, the age of the group and the conditions on the day. As a guide, we work to around one instructor for every six to eight people on climbing and navigation, and smaller groups underground. We'll always tell you how many instructors we'd recommend when we quote, and why.

Is it safe?

Safety comes first on everything we do.

• AALA licensed. Pure Outdoor holds an Adventure Activities Licence (R2331), which is required to run these activities with under 18s.
• Qualified, DBS-checked instructors. Our team hold the national governing body qualifications for each activity, with ongoing training.
• Insured. We hold public liability insurance up to £10 million, plus professional indemnity and employers' liability.
• Kit provided. We supply all the technical and safety equipment.

What paperwork do you provide?

We can send everything your trip approval or visits coordinator needs, including:

• A copy of our AALA licence
• Activity risk assessments
• Insurance certificates
• A participant medical and consent form, if you'd like to use ours
• Kit lists and joining instructions to share with students and parents

We're happy to invoice the school or organisation directly.

What should students bring?

• Comfortable clothes they can move in (no jeans), plus a warm layer and a waterproof
• Trainers or walking boots
• A packed lunch, snacks and a drink
• For caving: synthetic layers rather than cotton, warm socks and a change of clothes for the journey home

Where do we meet?

Most groups meet us at The Adventure Hub in Bamford, between Hathersage and Hope, which has parking for coaches and minibuses. If you're staying elsewhere in the Peak, we can often meet you at the venue.

How do we get a price?

Tell us your group size, the age of the group, your dates and what you'd like to do, and we'll put together a plan and a quote. The more flexible you can be on dates, the better we can match the activity to the weather.

See our schools and youth groups page, or call us on 01433 424164. Bringing a family rather than a school? Read our parent's guide to climbing and caving for kids.