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Your summer starts here
Their summer started here: Ultimate Adventure, Loch Eil.
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Thrillseekers wanted Have you ever watched the sun go down from the top of a mountain? Or camped out under the stars, miles from anywhere? Ever traversed down a waterfall? Or paddled through a peaceful lagoon? You could do all this and more on an Outward Bound adventure. Outward Bound gives you the freedom and independence to get out there and take on new challenges. By the end of the summer you’ll have loads of new skills, bags more confidence and amazing memories to take home with you, not to mention new friends from all over the world. So, whether you’re kicking off a gap year, trying to get a head start at sixth form, or simply looking to give your CV a bit of a boost, this is your chance to enjoy a serious summer of adventure.
Let’s get started.
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We’re the adventure experts Over the last 70 years The Outward Bound Trust has inspired over a million people, from leading sporting figures to world-famous adventurers. Today, we welcome young people from more than 30 countries to our centres every single year. With all that experience, and some of the best instructors in the business working for us all year-round, it’s easy to see why we’ve earned a reputation as ‘the adventure experts’. At The Trust, we believe that the outdoors can help you achieve amazing things. It’ll push you to your limits, challenge you in more ways than you can imagine, and show you environments you’ve never seen before. Think you’re up for it? Check out some of our adventurers’ stories from past and present here.
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Unleash your inner adventurer Whatever your experience, whether you’re an outdoor addict looking to perfect your skills or a total newbie searching for a bit of adventure, Outward Bound experience will provide you with a real challenge. From climbing sheer rockfaces and scrambling up waterfalls to kayaking along sandy shores and blasting down rocky ascents on your mountain bike. These are just a few of the things you’ll get up to. You’ll even head off into the hils for incredible multi-day expeditions, camping deep in the mountains and spending your nights under canvas. Choose from a one-week Discover or Serious Adventure to get you started then come back for an incredible 3-week Classic. And if you’re really up for the challenge, choose the Ultimate Adventure, where you’ll spend three weeks camping out under the stars.
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Grow in leaps and bounds Your unique Outward Bound experience will show you that anything is achievable. It’s a chance to broaden your outlook, find out where you’d like to go in life and gain the confidence you need to get there. You’ll be able to fine tune your skills and gain valuable new ones, from learning how to lead a team and work with others to learning about the environment and the world around you. And if you’re looking to beef up your CV or add some spice to your UCAS application, then an Outward Bound adventure is right up your street. In fact 93% of participants believe their Outward Bound course will help them in the future at school, university or work. As well as having an amazing time, you’ll also take home a range of awards and benefits. Depending on your adventure, you could gain: • • • • •
The Outward Bound Trust award badge* and certificate Full course report (handy for college, university and job applications)* CAS sections of the International Baccalaureate The John Muir Award* Duke of Edinburgh Award (We are an Approved Activity Provider for Gold Residentials and certain Expedition sections)
*Three-week adventures only.
Outward Bound is such a great thing to put on your CV. I know it will help with my A-Levels too. Charlotte Notley
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Indestructible instructors Many of our participants rate their Outward Bound instructor as one of the best bits about their adventure. Perhaps it’s the fact that you’ll have one dedicated instructor to challenge and support you throughout your whole experience. They will take their time to get to know you as an individual, to understand what you’d like to achieve and guide you every step of the way during your adventure. They’ll also give you feedback at the end of your experience, and show you how to use the skills you’ve learned to take that next big step in life.
Senior Instructor, James, at the top of Mount McKinley in Alaska.
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Where it’s at Choosing your venue isn’t just about choosing a centre; it’s about choosing where to start your journey. That’s because your adventure will take place in the wild and wonderful environments that surround our centres. So whether you’d like to hit the beach, head for the hills or get out on the water, there’s an adventure just waiting for you to jump into. When you’re not camping out, you’ll stay in single-sex, dorm-style rooms of four to ten people your own age. Many rooms also have en-suite facilities. Coach transfer service:
A lifetime’s experience in just one week. Nicolas Markham
To make your journey to our centres even easier, we offer a coach transfer service during the summer months. You can book your transfer online or call us to arrange. For more information on pick up points, visit our website.
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Hit the beach at Aberdovey When it comes to seriously good surf and spectacular sands, Aberdovey doesn’t disappoint. The centre is located on the stunning Dyfi estuary – a UNESCO world biosphere reserve in North Wales. What’s more, with the Snowdonia National Park on your doorstep, you’re only a stone’s throw away from steep river gorges, waterfalls, windswept uplands and jagged peaks. Highlights: • • •
37km of gorgeous sandy coastline in Snowdonia Waterfront facilities and jetty A range of 800m+ peaks, including Snowdon
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Make a splash at Ullswater The Lake District doesn’t really need an introduction. As the original home of rock climbing, and with some of the most spectacular lakes in the UK, you can’t beat it for an all-round adventure. Our Lake District centre is uniquely based on the shores of Ullswater, so you can’t get much closer to the rafting and paddling action. And you’ll also have access to the Lake District’s most impressive mountains, including Helvellyn and its surrounding crags, giving you a chance to try your hand at an incredible gorge scramble. Highlights: • • •
England’s largest national park, covering over 1,400 km2 Ullswater is the Lake District’s second largest lake, considered by many to be the most beautiful Landscapes packed with wildlife including a few endangered species.
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Head for the hills of Loch Eil Forget the haggis and kilts. Scotland’s best feature is its world-class mountaineering venues. Choose Loch Eil for a full-throttle adventure, and prepare for an awesome challenge, because there are four 1,000m+ peaks right on your doorstep, ready and waiting for you to explore. Believe it or not, the Scottish west coast also offers the most jaw-dropping coastal scenery, with beautiful sandy shores and clear water lagoons. Highlights: • • •
Based near Ben Nevis, the UK’s highest mountain Fantastic wildlife, including red deer, eagles, seals and even basking sharks On the shore of one of Scotland’s most breathtaking lochs, making it ideally placed for canoeing
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We’ve got you covered
Incredible value for money Giving your kids the summer of a lifetime can sometimes be a tall order. So we’re here to lighten the load by including absolutely everything they’ll need for their adventure in just one simple price.
Our prices include fully comprehensive travel insurance cover for the duration of the trip, to cover all eventualities. The cover is door-to-door and includes personal accident, medical expenses, personal belongings, money and personal liability. Cancellation cover is also included once the booking has been made and first deposits paid. Please refer to our T&Cs for more info. They’re in safe hands
Our all-inclusive packages take care of all those easy-to-forget bits and pieces, so all they need to bring is a small amount of personal spending money. Better yet, every single activity they take part in is all part and parcel of the adventure, meaning no optional extras to fork out for.
With over 70 years’ experience taking young people on adventurous journeys into the wild, we’re considered to be industry leaders in managing all aspects of safety. Needless to say, we comply fully with all relevant legislation, and all of our centres are licensed under the Adventure Activities Licensing Service.
To give you an extra helping hand, we can now accept childcare vouchers as a form of payment for bookings, as we’re a registered Ofsted childcare provider.
On average, our instructors have worked with us for five years, meaning that they’re well versed in all sorts of pastoral issues and in making sure that young people feel safe in challenging new environments. Many of them are also part of local mountain rescue teams, so they’re experts in dealing with all manner of situations.
The part for parents What’s included: Waterproofs Rucksack Sleeping bag Walking boots All specialist equipment e.g. tents, climbing harness, etc. Fully-comprehensive insurance All meals and accommodation Bedding A highly qualified Outward Bound instructor
Most importantly of all, as with every member of staff in our centres, our instructors hold enhanced CRB checks and have been trained to the highest standards in child protection. Find out more about our safety procedures. Making it happen with the Adventure Fund Our aim as a charity is to give as many young people as possible the chance to get out there and enjoy an Outward Bound adventure. That’s why we’ve created the Adventure Fund, which could support you in covering up to 50% of the cost of your experience. The best bit? Providing you’re a UK resident, absolutely anyone is eligible to apply. To find out more about the Adventure Fund or to get some top tips on fundraising towards the cost of your adventure, visit our website. FAQs We’re sure you have plenty of questions. You’ll find everything you need to know, from travel arrangements to what to pack, in the FAQs section on our website.
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Book your adventure You can choose to book online and get your adventure sorted and paid for in just a couple of minutes. Alternatively, print out our booking form and return it with your deposit to reserve a place. Don’t forget to include your Adventure Fund application form too. And if you need any help along the way, you can always call one of our friendly team for a bit of advice.
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