Skern Lodge

What will students see and do?

Skern Lodge is an outdoor activity centre located on the North Devon coast, near the quiet coastal village of Appledore and on the shores of the Taw and Torridge estuary.

Established in 1976, Skern Lodge provides experiential learning and fun through adventure, all in a safe, relaxed and friendly environment – its name literally means ‘safe harbour’.

With the tidal waters and the Atlantic surf on its doorstep, Skern Lodge is in the perfect location for watersports. Visiting students can take part in bodyboarding, bridge/quay jumping, kayaking, powerboating, rafting, raft building, surfing and surf skiing.

On the land around the water and in the centre, students can look forward to abseiling, archery, climbing, coastal traversing, crabbing, crate stacking, high ropes, off-road bikes, orienteering, seashore trails, team assault courses, team-building challenges, tunnels and zip wire.

Skern Lodge also provides tailor-made geography and environmental fieldwork courses in North Devon. The centre is situated in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and is inside the internationally recognised UNESCO Biosphere of Braunton Burrows.

As a result, students can visit a great range of fieldwork locations, including Hartland Heritage Coast, Exmoor National Park, Northam Burrows, Taw and Torridge Estuary, Braunton Burrows, Brownsham Woods and Boscastle.

Alternatively, if Skern Lodge is too far to travel to, staff are willing to come to you to offer an outreach day of carefully designed programmes that promote the behaviours that are normally evidenced through a residential.

How does the trip link to the curriculum?

​There has been much research into the benefits of residential experiences for pupils and staff from both primary and secondary education, and the results all show that a residential experience has a positive impact on young people. It can improve attainment, engagement, relationships and – most significantly – confidence, as students are less likely to give up when they find things hard and are more inclined to try things they wouldn’t have done before.

Skern Lodge is an ideal environment for developing children’s personal and social skills in this way. The range of exciting adventure activities encourages team-building, problem-solving and communication, all while giving young people the best experience they can have.

The residential aspect only adds to this, as the time spent living and working together develops skills that are not only valuable in the classroom, playground and sports field, but also in the workplace in the future.

As mentioned, the centre also offers residential geography fieldwork courses with full tuition at all levels, from primary to A-Level. These can be enjoyed alone or in conjunction with adventure residentials – Skern Lodge will work with you to plan a programme that meets your needs and provides a life-enhancing experience for all participants.

Likewise, during outreach day visits to your school, staff can link your sessions with a current theme or topic you’re working on or offer activities that boost confidence and independence ready for the transition up to a new school or college.

Subjects covered

Details of risk assessment

Skern Lodge regularly assesses all activities, fire safety, kitchen hygiene, bunk beds, security, staircases and more. Get in contact to request risk assessment details.

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