Nature and Bushcraft Adventure Five Days

Spend quality time with your family and get back to nature in the great outdoors on our Nature and Bushcraft Adventure. It’s time to leave the tablets at home and see what Exmoor has to offer this summer.

Discover what it takes to survive in the wild by building fires and cooking a hearty meal under the evening sky. Learn to navigate the countryside by orienteering and keep an eye out for wonderful wild animals.

For a full list of activities, see our timetable below. Our activities are most suitable for children aged 6 – 12 however younger and older children are welcome to join in. Children should be accompanied by a guardian on all activities. Younger children are welcome, although activities might not be suitable for them.

If your child will be under the age of three on time of arrival, please select the ‘Infant’ booking option so they can attend for free!

Example Timetable

Day 1

Arrival 2pm - Participants will be greeted by their adventure leaders, shown to their rooms followed by a tour of the centre.

Welcome, Introductions and Art in Nature - You'll get the chance to familiarise yourself with your surroundings and get to know members of the group. You'll get to explore the beautiful grounds of Nettlecombe Court by going on a nature walk looking at the beautiful colours, textures and shapes found in the natural environment. Adventurers will search for natural materials to complete a nature colour pallet that they can take home with them.

Night Detectives - You'll spend the evening putting together small mammal hotels and put them out in an area of woodland in the Nettlecombe grounds.
Become bat detectives by taking a guided walk around the grounds using bat detectors to see if you can spot one of Nettlecombe’s many bat species.

Day 2

Night Detectives continued - We will open the small mammal hotels first thing in the morning, any small mammals caught will be released back into their woodland habitat.

Into the Wilderness - We will adventure to the woodland nearby Nettlecombe and learn what we need for survival in the wilderness. We’ll have a go at making shelters and learn how to use compasses on our very own orienteering course around the grounds.

Secret World of Rock Pools - We will visit Helwell Bay to explore the rock pools on this beautiful part of Somerset’s coastline. Adventurers will see what animals they can find in rock pools and learn about their amazing adaptations to a rocky shore environment. There will also be time to hunt for fossils along the beach.

Starry Night Campfire - Test your bushcraft skills by helping leaders make a fire in the campfire area for the evening using basic fire lighting tools. Enjoy roasting marshmallows on the campfire, under the starry night sky (weather dependent and may occur on the first night if the forecast is better)

Day 3

Free Day to explore the local area - You can use this free day to explore what the local area has to offer for you and your family. Your adventure leaders can provide you with information on the best activities and places to visit in the surrounding area.

Day 4

Crafty Conservation - We will travel to a beautiful site on the Quantock Hills, where we will meet a local Quantock Hills Wildlife Officer to help contribute to local conservation efforts. Activities TBC. Time permitting. Back at Nettlecombe, give nature a helping hand this year by creating some wildflower seed bombs and making bee hotels that you can take back home with you for your gardens or local green spaces.

Team Games - An exciting and challenging introduction to the concepts of working well together, using a wide variety of fun games and challenges designed to encourage problem solving and teamwork.

Day 5

Life in Freshwater - Take a visit to our local freshwater stream with your adventure leaders for a chance to get into the river and get stuck in with finding what lies beneath the water’s surface. Learn about life in freshwater by looking at what creatures might live in the stream and have a go at trying to identify creatures using ID guides, magnifying glasses and the knowledge of our leaders.

Depart 12.30pm