Facilities
Facilities
The Lake District
The Lake District makes an excellent backdrop for our Outdoor Studies courses at both campuses. It's a privilege to live in such a place, and to have the opportunity to explore it both as part of the course and on a personal level. You’ll be in a prime location to make the most of the outdoors and, in doing so, make the most of your course.
Ambleside| nestles into the base of the Fairfield Horseshoe, which is a treat to see and explore on a cold clear winter morning, especially when a fresh dusting of snow has covered the peaks and is sparkling in the sunshine. Directly to the south of Ambleside lies Lake Windermere and to the west Grasmere and Rydal Water, these locations also are stunning through the seasons. They can be dark and foreboding one day, and still, silent and misty the next.
The
Newton Rigg campus|,
Penrith| is located on the northern fringe of the Lake District, just a stone’s throw from the beautiful Lake Ullswater and the spectacular peaks of Blencathra, Skiddaw and Helvellyn (to name but a few).
These are just some of the places directly on our doorstep; there is so much more of the Lake District to explore beyond. The crags, the streams, the views, the lakes, the caves, the mountains, the rain (much needed to make the Lake District what it is!) - need we go on?!
Water-based Stores
In addition to our land-based equipment stores, we also have water-based stores at the Low Wood Watersports & Activity Centre, where we keep our kayaking, open canoeing and sailing equipment.
Ambleside-based students contribute to the work of the store, and to the updating of the daily weather information board, during their first year.
Equipment Stores
Our stores provide a broad range of, mainly, group equipment for use on the Outdoor Studies modules. We maintain specialist, high quality safety gear along with good, general-purpose equipment for a variety of activities.
While students generally provide their own personal equipment from the list supplied upon acceptance, we do keep some basic items which they may borrow initially until they acquire their own. Some of the above equipment is available to students for personal use and practice in their own time, depending on individual levels of experience, qualifications or our own internal validation system.
Indoor Climbing Walls
The Sport Centres at both campuses house impressive indoor climbing walls. These were designed by local climbers and are an excellent place to hone your skills, particularly bouldering: they also represent a valuable wet-weather alternative.
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10.5 m high leading wall with up to 60 routes of all difficulties.
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Overhanging and fully featured lead wall section.
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8 in-situ ropes for anyone to use.
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56 square meters of natural features bouldering wall, with regulary changed routes from V0 to V8.
High Ropes Course
Located at the
Newton Rigg campus|, Penrith, our high ropes course provides students with a useful resource for practical activities and the ideal setting in which to practice their leadership skills (and develop a head for heights!).
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