Lakeside YMCA - Land Based Activities

About

YMCA National Centre, Lakeside - hidden within 400 acres of private woodland along the south western shores of Lake Windermere.

As a centre of excellence in outdoor learning we’ve been here for more than 60 years and in that time, we’ve helped more than a million young people to build a better future.

Today, we’re one of the largest outdoor activity centres in Europe, delivering top quality outdoor learning from, in our opinion, the best location you could ask for.

Land Based Activities

Archery

What does the activity involve?
Learning basic archery skills in the outdoors and an introduction to using bows and arrows. Once the group has learned the basics there is opportunity for competitions and games.

What are the aims of this activity?
Personal skill development, potential for peer coaching and an opportunity to learn a new skill.

Bush Craft

What does the activity involve?
Use a wide range of outdoor skills including choosing a suitable site, building shelters, starting fires for cooking and warmth, preparing and cooking food, games and developing independence. Can include sleeping out; see Bivi.

What are the aims of this activity?
Bush Craft includes a mixture of activities including bush-craft, shelter building, bivi skills, fire lighting and outdoor food preparation and cooking. This requires both team and personal organisation. It provides a sense of achievement and an experience in an outdoor environment.

Orienteering

What does the activity involve?
Orienteering is 'cunning running'. It marries both running (or walking if you are feeling less energetic!) and navigation skills. Participants use maps to visit specific control points. Learn the skills then compete or work together to get as many controls in a set time.

What are the aims of this activity?
Introduce and develop the use of maps and navigation skills. A fun way to develop self-reliance, fitness and running skills across a variety of terrain and get to know the site.

Pioneering

What does the activity involve?
Learning and applying the basic skills necessary to build structures such as trebuchets and bridges. This develops the skills needed for raft building and is ideal programmed coupled together into a 3 hour activity.

What are the aims of this activity?
To teach knot tying skills to produce an end product whilst working as a team.