Adventures in the Scottish Islands (West)

Our young people residentials deliver a wide-ranging, enriching experience and give you the chance to develop a range of transferable skills. This can be great to include in higher education and job applications.

Around core themes of nature and landscapes, active learning, and personal and social skills, our courses promote nature connection, environmental understanding and responsibility, health and wellbeing, working well with others, resilience and curiosity.

If you are a Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award participant, this course is also an ideal way to complete the Residential section of the award.

See our Residential FAQs page if you’d like to know the answers to our most frequently asked questions.

If these course dates do not suit you, we run similar courses at many of our other centres.

As an Approved Activity Provider for DofE, our opportunities meet all the requirements for DofE. We do however always recommend checking suitability with your DofE assessor before booking a Duke of Edinburgh Gold Residential.

Example Timetable

Day 1
Arrive-1200
Team building, ice-breaker and Island walk - After getting to know one another, we will set out to explore the Isle of Cumbrae, practicing navigational skills and looking out across the spectacular views of the Firth of Clyde, discovering its history, geology and wildlife along the way.

Rock Climbing - In the evening there will be a rock climbing activity on our onsite crag.

Day 2
Snorkelling – During this session we will discover the world below the waves. In this introductory session, you will learn how to clear your snorkel, use fins and keep an eye out for some wildlife.
Raft Building - We will travel to Kames Bay and learn knot tying skills to build improvised rafts that will (hopefully) keep the whole team afloat!

Conservation work - There will be an evening walk down to Pottery Bay to participate in a beach clean.
We will then prepare for our camping trip the next day, packing rucksacks and looking at route plans and risk assessments.

Day 3
Travel to the Isle of Arran - An early start will see us set off for the Isle of Arran, the longer ferry ride providing opportunities for marine mammal and seabird spotting across the Firth of Clyde. Once landed in Brodick, we will walk to the campsite and set up our tents for the night.
Glen Rosa Walk - After lunch, we will set out on the stunning valley of Loch Rosa, under the imposing presence of Goat Fell. The walk will be around 10 – 15km.

Campfire - After dinner, we will build a fire and toast marshmellows before turning in to our tents for the night.

Day 4
Return to Millport via PS Waverley - After breaking camp, we will head back to Brodick, this time catching the historical and last remaining paddle steamer in the world, the PS Waverley, to transport us back to Cumbrae, with fantastic views of the islands en route! Time for a well-earned rest!

Mammal Trapping - What terrestrial wildlife can we find on the Isle of Cumbrae? Using a variety of humane traps, we will investigate the nocturnal inhabitants of the woodlands surrounding the Centre.

Day 5
Snorkelling - We will head down to one of our local snorkel spots and put our newfound snorkelling skills to the test, to discover the incredible marine life of the Clyde.
Archery - As the final activity, we will learn a new skill with bows and arrows, trying to hit the target and fine-tune our accuracy skills with games and challenges.

Depart 3pm 

Please note: to ensure safe and quality learning experiences for participants, the timetable may alter depending on weather conditions and local factors at centres.

• 
  Expert Tuition
• 
  Free Wi-Fi
• 
  Full Board Accommodation
• 
  Hot and Cold Drinks
• 
  In Course Transport
• 
  Lunch

This residential is only open to young people who will be aged 16 - 18 years old at the time of attending.   

We want to ensure participants get to share their experience with those of a similar age. Please consider what age the attendee will be on the course date you choose and check they fit in the age category for that date when booking. (Please see each individual course at the bottom of this page for age ranges).

When you book, it is essential that you enter the age and attendees name in the Order Notes at the checkout.  If the attendee is under 18, the booking must be made by a parent/guardian.

When attending the residential dates which welcome 16-18 year olds, all participants will be expected to follow the behaviour and conduct rules which will be in place to safeguard young people.

Prior to the course, you will receive the following:

• A full kit list. Any technical equipment required will be provided so you will just need typical kit for a residential stay and being outdoors.
• An introduction to the staff delivering the course and information about the centre so you know what to expect on arrival.
• A detailed itinerary for the course, including arrival and departure instructions. On some courses there may be the opportunity to book a train station pick up and/or drop off.
• A link to an online photo consent form.
• The expectations of young people attending our courses.
• A form to share any specific dietary or medical needs.
• Please read and fill out the fit to snorkel form before attending