• castle head exterior
  • castle head veranda
  • castle head classroom
  • castle head lounge
  • ch gym
  • ch twin bedroom
  • ch dorm room
  • ch entrance hall
  • river at castle head

FSC Castle Head provides outdoor adventure for everyone!

The centre offers a huge range of exciting outdoor adventure activities to suit all ages and abilities with rafting-building, canoeing, ghyll-scrambing, low and high ropes, mine exploration, an obstacle course and much much more.

The centre is located in beautiful south Cumbria between the coast of Morecambe Bay and the Lake District National Park. The Centre is easily accessible by both road and rail, being only 20 minutes from junction 36 of the M6 and an hour and a half drive from both Manchester and Liverpool.

With easy access to both the coastline of Morecambe Bay, the glaciated uplands of the southern Lake District and the lakes of Windermere and Coniston, Castle Head is ideally situated for a wide range of both field studies and adventurous activities.

Whilst FSC Castle Head isn’t open for teaching during the winter months, we can accommodate groups looking for a good value place to stay. The entire centre is available to hire on a self-catering basis.

Please contact us to see if we have space on your preferred dates, letting us know the size of your group and whether you would prefer to cook for yourselves, or be catered.

Facilities

  • Capacity: Castle Head has 33 rooms, which can hold up to 160 people. The accommodation available is all in one building and is spread across two different areas.
  • Car Parking: There are limited parking facilities available at the centre.
  • Children's Facilities: We are an Educational Centre and have games and activities on-site for children aged 8+; however, younger children are welcome.
  • Common Room: We have three common rooms; The Hillfoot Common Room, The Chapel (can accommodate 100+ with presentation facilities) and the Student Lounge (with TV)
  • Disabled Facilities: We have one twin disabled room with a wet room.
  • Hot and Cold Drinks: We have hot and cold drinks making facilities accessible around the centre.
  • Kitchen: Fully catered services for all dietary needs available, as well as packed lunch making services.
  • Linen: All bedding is provided
  • Lounge: We have an adult lounge area with comfy sofas.
  • Outdoor Clothing: You can hire walking boots, wellingtons, small rucksacks, waterproof trousers and coats
  • Outdoor Facilities: Extensive range of on-site and off-site activities.
  • Shop: Our shop sells water bottles, snacks and souvenirs as well as a selection of FSC publications.
  • WIFI: Free guest WIFI is available through-out the centre.

Food at our centres

For one day visits you are usually asked to bring a packed lunch unless it is specified otherwise.

Residential visits include freshly prepared seasonal meals, with a hot breakfast, packed lunch and choice of evening meal. Food is sourced locally wherever possible and we can cater for any dietary requirements. All of our residential centres have been awarded the Soil Association’s Food for Life Served Here Bronze Award which recognises organisations which go the extra mile to make sure visitors are receiving healthy, nutritious and sustainable meals.

FSC Accommodation

We want your stay to be as comfortable as possible. Our residential centres offer a range of room sizes and layouts from single and twin up to larger dormitories. Note: not all centres have single/twin rooms. All rooms are subject to availability. Some rooms are en suite and others have shower and toilet facilities close by. Please contact us if you want to discuss your room requirements.

Each centre also has places to relax during any free time such as a lounge, games room and outdoor space.

Explore the centre and surrounding area

River Eea
Named after it’s once abundance of eels in its lower course, the river Eea runs it’s course for 10km through the South Lakeland countryside. It’s length makes it possible to visit sites from source to mouth in a day, giving students a real impression of the changes that take place. Both natural and managed areas can be viewed and discussed. Perfect for students of all ages, to complete field work that tracks the changes of the river. From KS2s first field work experience to GCSE the River Eea is a perfect location. GCSE students will understand, use and critically evaluate a range of field work techniques.

Coniston Coppermines
Named after it’s rich mining history the Coppermines valley is an ideal place to study upland glacial features. Situated on the edge of Coniston both erosional features and human influences that have shaped the landscape can be discussed. The Coppermines can bring to life glaciation for all ages and provides a great location for A-level Geography fieldwork. Navigation, map work and field work techniques for all key stages can be completed here,

Morecambe
Visit the home of ‘The Bay’ a dynamic coastline where 10million has recently been spent on updating the sea defences and hopefully will soon be home to Eden of the North. If History interests you, then the ‘art deco’ Midland Hotel is an imposing building to view on the seafront. Morecambe’s redevelopment schemes are important in shaping it’s sense of place in the area. Morecambe provides and ideal location for GCSE and A-level field work whether focusing on coasts or human factors.

Sandscale Haws
Sandscale Haws is a special place for wildlife and is manged by the National Trust for this purpose. This dynamic landscape is home to nesting and migratory birds, Natterjack Toads and many species of plant. Students can investigate succession and how humans can have an impact on such a sensitive environment. A-level Geography and Biology projects and and field work can be completed here.

Furness Coast
From Bardsea to Roa Island, the Furness coastline is a little visited area which has great geography to be explored. From Coastal management, dynamic beaches and glacial deposition it is an interesting place to study. The Furness coast is a great introduction to the coastal environment and provides many places to practice coastal field work techniques.

Barrow-in-Furness
Historic ship building town, Barrows massive submarine hanger dwarfs the town as well as shore it up economically. Students can investigate human geography and experience the different environments of Barrow town centre and Vickers town on the nearby Walney Island. Barrow-in- Furness is a good location for GCSE human field work.

Bowness on Windermere
Bowness offers much to visiting school groups and tourists alike. The busy lake side town offers a host of human geography opportunities along with a chance to take a boat trip or launch canoes. Beatrix potter looms large as do the Windermere ferries and views up the lake to the mountains. A great place to study tourism, settlements, land use and contrasting locations.

Humphrey Head
The only sea cliff in Cumbria, Humphrey Head boasts nesting peregrine falcons, views over Morecambe Bay and opportunities to study coastal processes as well as being a great place to scramble for all age groups.

Grange-over-Sands
Although first mentioned in local priory records in the 15th century, Grange really hit its stride in the 1800’s when the rail line arrived disembarking day trippers and holiday makers. Today Grange is ideally situated for human geography techniques, a walk along the prom and the obligatory icecream. A-level geography skills and projects can be completed here as well as GCSE geography fieldwork, using, understanding and critically evaluating human fieldwork techniques.

Virtual tour Video tour of the area

Health and Safety

  • Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge
  • Carbon Trust Standard
  • Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALA) licence
  • Food Hygiene rating: 5*
  • Investors in People
  • Secondary Geography Quality Mark (Geographical Association)
  • Primary Geography Quality Mark (Geographical Association)
  • Green Tourism Award
  • Green Apple Environment Award
  • John Muir Award
  • Safety Shield Health and Safety Award (Moorepay) Gold

How to find us

Directions from Ulverston to FSC Castle Head Field Centre

By Car: Follow the B5271 to Lindale village.

By Rail: The nearest railway station to the Centre is one mile away at Grange over Sands.

By Bus: The X6 bus connects Ulverston with Lindale.

Directions from M6 to FSC Castle Head Field Centre

By Car: Exit the M6 at junction 36. Follow the A590 then the B5277.

By Rail: The nearest railway station to the Centre is one mile away at Grange over Sands.

By Bus: National Express coaches connect with many parts of the country.

What3words

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