Do Something
Fun with your Weekends!
Want to go Caving, climbing, canoeing or kayaking and do much more than just have a taster session?
Our new weekend mini courses are for you!!
Our weekend mini courses are designed to give you the skills and confidence to join us on a full day of either Climbing, Caving, Canoeing or Kayaking in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales.
Saturday is a training day at High Adventure Outdoor Education Centre
Sunday is a full-on event day doing your chosen activity, putting into practice your new skills.
Get together with friends for your own private adventure!
Get together with friends for your own private adventure session, available for 6 or more. This gives you your own session, total flexibility and a discounted rate per person, see below for details.
B&B Accommodation is available for £40pp (including packed lunch)
Who are mini-courses suitable for?
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Anyone 7 to 70 with good mobility and a sense of adventure
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Great for family groups wanting a wholesome, challenging and fun experience delivered by seasoned professionals
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Perfect for couples and friends wanting to do something a bit different, learn new skills and make new memories
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Ideal for anyone wanting to take up one of the activities as a new hobby as you’ll be able to take your first steps in safety with our professional team.
As an added bonus you’ll each get a certificate of achievement when you complete the course.
Our Canoeing and Kayaking mini-course include 2 official British Canoeing Paddlesport awards over the 2 days which will look great in a young person’s record of achievement - See the Canoeing/Kayaking section for details.
What does it include?
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All equipment
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Insurance
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Professional instruction
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Certificates and Awards
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Tea/coffee/juice on training day
What is not included?
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Lunch – Bring a packed lunch
Can children do the course on their own?
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Yes but we do require an adult to be present acting in loco-parentis for the children booked.
Why Choose High Adventure?
Simple – This is what we do week in week out, and we do it well! High Adventure was established in 2001 by professional teachers with a love for passing on their passion for the outdoors. All High Adventure staff have the same ethos and have made High Adventure into the well respected and market leading Outdoor Education Centre it is today. We love what we do and it shows!
How much does it cost?
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£150pp for a weekend course (min 2 people booking)
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£125pp for a private two day course (min 6 people booking)
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B&B Accommodation is available for £40pp (including packed lunch)
Private courses- discounts for 6 people or more
When 6 or more people book, we’ll put a course on just for you. This gives you several advantages:
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It is cheaper per person
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It will be your group only, so we can tailor the tone of the course exactly for your group
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Total flexibility. You can choose any course on any of the available dates! If, for example you want to do the Cave Course in May, no problem!
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You have the option of splitting the course over two weekends, when booking simply choose any day in the calendar to be your Training Day and a later one to be your Event Day
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We can also offer great value accommodation.
Accommodation
B&B Accommodation is available for £40pp (including packed lunch), please call 01535 630044 to book.
How to Book
Book a private course for 6 or more - click here
Book a weekend course for 2 more more- click here
Weekend Climbing Course
Climbing is a great activity for family and friends of all ages, with proper instruction and preparation its very safe and rewarding. It’s a hobby that can last a lifetime and take you on a world of adventures, but where to start?
Our climbing course is designed to give you the skills and confidence to take a full and active part in a climbing trip to a Yorkshire Dales Crag. As well as the climbing you will learn the vital task of keeping your climbing partner safe (belaying).
Itinerary overview
Day 1 – Training Day
09:30am Meet at High Adventure (address provided on booking)
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Welcome brief, brew and waiver signing
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Equipment familiarisation session where you will learn how to put on your harness and helmet and understand how the belay devices work
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Climbing technique session in the bouldering wall to practice the techniques you will need when climbing in the wall after lunch and for the rock day
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Lunch (the packed lunch you have brought!)
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Belaying session in the wall where you will learn the techniques to keep your partner safe before anyone leaves the ground
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Climbing session where you practice the role of climber and belayer working on your technique on the simplest climbs in the wall
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Grading session where you try increasingly more difficult climbs to discover where your limits are and work out what grades you are comfortable with
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Debrief, brew and preparation chat for day 2 including weather forecasts brief
Depart 4:30pm
Day 2 – Climbing Adventure Day
09:30am Meet at High Adventure
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Welcome brief, weather review, brew and waiver signing.
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Issue of equipment and loading into vehicle(s)
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Travel to venue – Depending on which venue we choose it could be up to an hour’s drive to get to an appropriate venue for the day.
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Setting up the top ropes: This needs to be done by our qualified instructor while you kit up and warm up on some bouldering.
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Climbing session on various climbs with coaching and supervision for our instructor.
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Pack up and travel back to High Adventure
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Debrief and brew
Depart 4:30pm
Following the course, if you wish to continue as a hobby, we will advise you on how to progress safely.
What will you learn?
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Climbing techniques to enable you move efficiently and skilfully on the rockface and training wall.
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The technique of belaying, this is basically how you keep your climbing partner safe. You will learn how to use a variety of belay devices and learn the pros and cons of each.
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Climbing and belaying using a top rope.
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How to use the guidebooks for climbing and gain an understanding of the grading system.
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Establishing what grades you are comfortable climbing.
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How to get reliable weather forecasts and what it means for your climbing trip.
Will you be able to go out climbing independently after the course?
Indoors at a climbing wall with top ropes, Yes! You will be a competent belayer and understand how to keep your partner safe. The individual climbing walls will have their own rules and will probably ask you to sign a waiver saying that you can belay or ask you to demonstrate.
Outdoors on rock, No. There are more steps between our introductory course and being an independent climber who can set up anchor systems and use the equipment needed to protect yourself.
Our course in an introduction to the world of climbing and will give you much more than a taster session, if you wish to progress we will recommend trusted professional colleagues who run courses that build on ours.
Is it safe?
With an experienced instructor, proper equipment and preparation climbing is a safe, fun and rewarding experience. As with any activity which involves moving over uneven surfaces, or even simply walking there is of course a risk of slips, trips and falls. You will be roped while climbing so statistically the most dangerous part of the day is walking to the venue! All our instructors are first aid trained and qualified. With clear instruction about potential hazards, good dynamic risk assessment and a full day of training prior to the trip, we do all we can to minimise any risk.
Is climbing suitable for children?
Yes, it’s a great activity to do with children. (7+)
How much does it cost?
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£150pp for a weekend course (min 2 people booking)
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£125pp for a private two day course (min 6 people booking)
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B&B Accommodation is available for £40pp (including packed lunch)
How to Book?
More information about the course, including dates, the itinerary and what to wear can be found on our online booking system. Choose to book either a private course for 6 people or more, or a weekend course for 2 people or more.
Canoe & Kayak Mini-course
This family friendly course is a great introduction to Canoeing and Kayaking, allowing you to spend time in both types of boat on the training day before deciding what to use on the event day.
In addition to all the fun you will learn all the skills needed to obtain your Paddle Start Award and your Paddle Discover Award
Safe and beautifully situated venues for both the training and event day
The Canoes are open boats, often called Canadian Canoes that can
be paddled by one or two people (great for families with younger children
who can do the whole course as a parent/child team in one canoe)
Paddled using a single bladed paddle.
The Kayaks are closed cockpit, single person boats that are paddled using
a double bladed paddle.
Course Overview
Day 1 – Skills day
09:30am Meet at High Adventure Centre (address provided on booking)
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Welcome brief, brew and waiver signing
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Issue of kit and off to our Paddlesport venue, Ponden Watersports, which has changing and toilet facilities
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On-site safety brief and portage of canoes and kayaks to the water’s edge
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Canoe coaching session
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Lunch at venue (not provided so don’t forget your packed lunch)
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Kayak coaching session (Anyone not comfortable or not interested in moving to kayaks can stay with Canoes. A good option for families with younger participants)
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Equipment back to compound, change and return to High Adventure
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Debrief, brew and issue of British Canoe Paddle Start Award https://britishcanoeingawarding.org.uk/wp-content/files/01112018BCABPaddleStartAwardV1-1Nov21.pdf
4:30pm Depart
Day 2 – The trip
09:30am Meet at High Adventure
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Welcome brief, weather review, brew and waiver signing
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Issue of kit, loading of your chosen craft and off to the venue
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Day 2 is about putting your skills into practice during a ‘sheltered, flat water’ journey, having fun and gaining the British Canoe Paddle Discover Award. https://britishcanoeingawarding.org.uk/wp-content/files/01112018BCABPaddleDiscoverAwardV1-1Nov21.pdf
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We use the picturesque Leeds Liverpool Canal and weather permitting we will journey to the famous medieval market town of Skipton and paddle beneath the walls of ‘The best preserved medieval castle in the UK’. https://www.skiptoncastle.co.uk/
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Lunchbreak will happen by mutual consent along the way
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The journey back has minimal input from your instructor to check your independent paddling and decision making skills
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Load up and return to High Adventure
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Debrief, brew and issue of British Canoe Paddle Discover Award
4:30pm Depart
Is it safe?
· With an experienced instructor, proper equipment and preparation Canoeing or Kayaking are safe, fun and rewarding activities.
· As with any activity there is of course a risk of slips, trips and falls. All our instructors are first aid trained and qualified. With clear instruction about potential hazards, good dynamic risk assessment and a full day of training prior to the trip, we do all we can to minimise any risk.
Is Canoeing and Kayaking suitable for children?
· Yes, it’s a great activity to do with children. (7+)
· We recommend younger children stay with the Canoes working together with an adult or older sibling or friend.
How much does it cost?
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£150pp for a weekend course (min 2 people booking)
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£125pp for a private two day course (min 6 people booking)
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B&B Accommodation is available for £40pp (including packed lunch)
How to Book?
More information about the course, including dates, the itinerary and what to wear can be found on our online booking system. Choose to book either a private course for 6 people or more, or a weekend course for 2 people or more.
Caving – Underground Adventure
Firstly, lets deal with some of the common misconceptions about Caving, answer a few questions and hopefully allay some fears you might have.
What’s the difference between caving and potholing?
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Caving and potholing are terms which tend to be used interchangeably and you may have also heard it called spelunking
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The most common definition is that potholing is done by experienced cavers who use technical equipment to explore cave systems which are vertical in nature
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Caving is the exploration of caves which are horizontal in nature and can be safely accessed by novices with an experienced guide, suitable clothing and a good light
Is it just crawling around in tight wet spaces I could get stuck in?
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Caves come in all shapes and sizes and yes there are people who seek out tight, wet, difficult crawls. We are not those people!
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Some caves you can simply walk into and explore, there are often spaces big enough to drive a double decker bus through or even fit St Pauls Cathedral inside
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We will choose a cave which is easy to access and will provide you with an exciting and interesting day exploring underground. The nature of a cave is that it is formed by water, so it will be damp!
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The route we choose will not include spaces where you could get stuck. If there are people in the party who would like to do a ‘tight’ section there are offshoots from the main passage they can explore but our main route will be walking, clambering and the odd bit of hands and knees crawling.
I have read stories of people getting stuck in flooded caves, could this happen to me?
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In nearly all cases this has been the result of an inexperienced leader taking a group into a cave that was not suitable for the group and the weather forecast
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We take hundreds of groups of school aged children caving every year. We carefully monitor the weather and choose a cave which is suitable for the group and the weather conditions. If in doubt we stay out!!
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Our experienced instructors are all professionally qualified cave leaders.
Is it safe?
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With an experienced guide, proper equipment and preparation caving is a safe, fun and educational experience
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As with any activity which involves moving over uneven surfaces, or even simply walking there is of course a risk of slips, trips and falls. All our instructors are first aid trained and qualified. With clear instruction about potential hazards, good dynamic risk assessment and a full day of training prior to the trip, we do all we can to minimise this risk
Is caving suitable for children?
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Yes, it’s a great activity to do with children (7+)
What will I see and do?
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Caving is a totally unique experience as you will be venturing under the Yorkshire Dales into caves formed by water in 350 million year old limestone
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You will see stalagmites, stalactites, straws, helictites, rimstone pools, cave popcorn and many types of flowstone! Mean nothing? It won’t after your adventure, your instructor will explain how all these calcite deposits form
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Caving is a brilliant activity as everyone is active all the time. As a team you will explore a cave, helping each other past and through the natural obstacles and stopping to learn about the many formations
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Caves are made by water so there will be times you’ll be walking through a streamway or navigating around the side of a pool
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It is not a walk, although lots of walking is involved, there are times when you’ll need to clamber over a boulder, slide down some rock, crawl through the odd low section and assist your fellow cavers so good mobility is required.
The Course
Day 1 – Training Day
09:30am Meet at High Adventure
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Welcome brief, brew and waiver signing
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Intro to caving chat
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The labyrinth. This is our indoor caving experience consisting of a series of wooden tunnels in what was a swimming pool, now empty!! This will give you the chance to practice using your cave light and discover how you feel in an enclosed dark space. There are six exit points and you can do as much or as little as you’d like as the tunnels are actually smaller than anything we’d take you to in a cave
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Equipment fit and issue: After the Labyrinth and a quick comfort break we’ll issue you with a cave suit, cave belt and wellies. You’ll need to try them all on and make sure they fit
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Lunch (The packed lunch you brought with you!)
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High Adventure on-site cave: We have built, we think, the best artificial cave system in the UK! Our cave is designed to imitate anything you might find on your Cave Adventure Day and in actual fact some sections are a lot tougher than anything you will experience down the cave. The instructor will lead your through the system and be assessing how you are doing and feeling in order to decide on which real cave will be the most rewarding for you. There are numerous exit points and sections can be missed if you are uncomfortable with them
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Quick break and chat in the open air
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Back into the system for the second half of features, for those of you that wish there will also be opportunity to repeat sections and self lead to build your confidence
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De-kit and suit wash (you will be damp and muddy)
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Ropework practice to ensure you are familiar with any rope techniques you will encounter on your Cave Adventure Day
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Debrief, brew and prep chat for Day 2
Depart 4:30pm
Day 2 – Cave Adventure Day
09:30am Meet at High Adventure
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Welcome brief, weather review, brew and waiver signing
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Issue of equipment and loading into vehicle(s)
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Travel to Cave – Depending on which cave we choose it could be up to an hour’s drive to get to an appropriate cave for the day
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Change into caving gear (This is done on the side of the road or track nearest the cave – who said caving wasn’t glamorous?)
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Lunch (The packed lunch you’ve brought! Probably a bit on the early side but we recommend you get something in you before caving and have the rest after)
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Instructor led Cave Adventure!
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Change into dry kit and drive back for kit sort, brew and debrief.
Depart 4:30pm
How much does it cost?
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£150pp for a weekend course (min 2 people booking)
-
£125pp for a private two day course (min 6 people booking)
-
B&B Accommodation is available for £40pp (including packed lunch)
How to Book?
More information about the course, including dates, the itinerary and what to wear can be found on our online booking system. Choose to book either a private course for 6 people or more, or a weekend course for 2 people or more.
