Activities - Ford Castle - Residential Schools Activity Centre

From Breakfast to Bedtime, Everyone Has a Great Time! Let Us Entertain You…

Children love having fun and where better to find it than the activities at Ford Castle?! Every child is encouraged to have a go… and it works!

Please note that Abseiling, Rock Climbing, Canoing and Kayaks are delivered by trusted partners who are registered with the Adventure Activities Licensing Service (AALA). Contact us for more details and we’ll be happy to help!

Click on the activities for more detail:

Abseiling

A classic outdoor challenge to test your resolve as you step backwards and descend from either the bridge or a local crag. Great for confidence-building and conquering fears. Children learn about the equipment and learn about themselves, too

High All-Aboard

A teamwork exercise and great confidence-builder, All-Aboard requires a team to get as many members as possible onto a small platform. For added challenge, the platform happens to be rather small and rather high up

Archery

This sport is excellent for teaching hand-eye co-ordination. You don’t need to be a fantastic athlete, either: a steady hand and good aim are required to hit the target. Robin Hood had better watch out…

Beach Games

Learn to sculp the sand in the best Sand-Castle building competition you’ll ever have. If more castles are not needed, you could always play beach cricket, football or Kite-Flying!

Bouldering

Climbing is not really about height, it’s about skill. Bouldering removes the height element and focuses on balance, skill, strength and co-ordination. A good way of getting your confidence up before trying the crag or our wall

Kayaks

Teaches confidence and independence, requiring balance and co-ordination. An exciting way to “go solo” on the River and explore its meandering route with our instructors.

Canoes

A great team-building exercise from carrying the canoes to negotiating the harder parts of the river. Good for confidence-building and learning a new skill

Circus Stars

Far from just clowning around, this will test your skills and co-ordination with Juggling balls, skittles, Diabolos, Spinning Plates and much more. Fancy walking the tightrope?

Climbing

A great all –round challenge for everybody, building confidence and testing resolve. Choose from a local crag or our purpose-built wall.

Crate-Stacking

Test your balance and head for heights as you climb and build at once! Position the crates for maximum stability, while you are standing on top of them…

Eco-Trail – Coast

An opportunity to discover and learn about the flora, fauna, geology and issues affecting the Northumberland Coastline. Use it to support field-study work or as the basis for a project. You can’t fail to be impressed by the desolate beauty of these beaches

Eco-Trail – Field

Immerse yourself in the local ecology to discover woodland, field or river habitats, their flora and wildlife. What might we learn? What might we find? How is this beautiful mileu affected by the way we live at home?

Enigma

Crack the code, stop the clock or get very messy

Fencing

The art of swordfighting – grace, balance, co-ordination and passion. Learn how to attack and defend then take on your friends (and teachers…?) to find the last Knight standing

Initiative Exercises

This is about brains, not brawn. You’ll need to think hard, communicate effectively and work well as a team to solve this set of physical challenges and problems. Negotiate your way through Charlotte’s Web

CSI Ford

Was it Lancelot in the King James bedroom or Galahad in the Kitchen? Follow the clues and solve the crime!

Jacob’s Ladder

An exciting climb up a large ladder, except the rungs keep getting further apart…! Try to get up either in teams or on your own – just don’t let go!

Knights’ Quest

Solve the riddle, cross the river, win the prize!

Nightline

A favourite activity – how well can you work as a team when deprived of your sight? Feel your way forward through the mud and communicate with people in front and behind to navigate your way around the obstacles!

Obstacle Course

A set of fun challenges to test everything – your brains, your nerves, your strength, skill, agility and ability to stay clean and dry. We suspect the latter is the hardest to achieve!

Potions Class

Turn your teacher into a toad!

Horcrux Hunt

Follow the clues to find the Horcruxes…

Siege

Giant Hide and Seek, Capture the Flag, Orienteering and 40/40 – a great way to burn off energy and learn some survival skills.

Team Games

Choose from our selection of team sports, from the everyday to the less well known. Lacrosse, anyone?