Forest Camps
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Are you looking for a healthy outdoor activities during the holidays? Since 2021 we have offered camps for 5 to 12 year olds at Culduthel Community Woods & Dunain Community Woods.
Dates available
Select the date for date specific details and to make a booking.
General information
Let's go to the woods and play! Give your children the experience of a traditional holiday spent outdoors with their friends. We spend the whole day outside, usually cooking a delicious outdoor snack on the fire. We work in small groups, but we do also encourage independent play. This means that your child will be given the freedom to play an appropriate distance away from the leader at times. Our outdoor leaders and assistants have a wealth of experience within Forest School and outdoor education. It's great for friends & family groups too: we often have siblings, cousins & school friends all coming back together for repeat camps.
Best of all, we're a social enterprise - this means that 100% of the profit from our camps is reinvested in our registered Scottish charity, providing life-changing outdoor activities through our £1/day outdoor youth clubs.
| 2024 Forest Camp Prices | |
|---|---|
| Full week (Monday to Friday 10.00am to 4.00pm) | £180 |
| Single Day (10.00am to 4.00pm) | £40 |
| Sibling discount | 10% |
| Add on early drop-off 9.00am to 10.00am | £5 |
Where do the camps take place?
- Week-long forest camps at Easter, Summer & October holidays: Green Drive Hall, 36 Green Dr, Inverness IV2 4EU
- In-service day camps: Craig Dunain Duck Pond, Forester's Way, Inverness IV3 8LP
We're very fortunate to have not one but two volunteer-run community woodlands in Inverness. We use both, so make sure you come to the right one! Full details are sent out in your booking emails.
When is drop-off & pickup?
Drop-off is at 9am (early drop-off option) or 10am and pickup is at 4pm.
What does my child need to bring?
Please provide a packed lunch and water for the day. Please also make sure to bring along;
- A substantial packed lunch and plenty of water
- Waterproof Trousers
- Warm Jacket
- Warm Layers
- Wellies or Boots
- Gloves and Hat
All packed into a rucksack.
If any of these items present a barrier to your child attending, please ask as we have plenty of spares in our stores.
Who will be looking after my child?
We have 3 leaders looking after 18 children per day (1:6 ratio). The same small team has been running the camps for several years. Our Outdoor Programme Leader Nele Adler is in charge of the programme. Emma Swann & Liz Jones are our two qualified Forest School Leaders. Tia Zuccon-Cubrilo has come up through our youth club & DofE system and is now an Assistant Leader.
Will my child be safe in the woods?
Our camps have an excellent safety record. Àban is a Highland Council Quality Assured Provider, licensed by the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority and is fully insured through Activities Industry Mutual. All our Outdoor Leaders are highly qualified & experienced, First Aid trained and PVG checked.
These camps involve a wide range of children's forest activities. These include exploring, walking, fire building, treasure hunts, bug hunting, woodland games, shelter making, den building, tree climbing, rope swings, use of various tools including saws, mallets, potato peelers, knives, participating in cooking on fires. All activities will be managed by experienced outdoor practitioners and carefully risk assessed. We work in small groups, but we do also encourage independent play. This means that your child will be given the freedom to play an appropriate distance away from the leader at times. A full copy of our Safety Policy & Operating Guidelines is available on request.
Your child might get muddy, a little cold and probably wet! They might also get some small scratches & bumps during the course of the day. More serious injuries are thankfully very rare but can never be ruled out completely.
Info about inclusion & Additional Support Needs
Our camps are a popular option for children with Additional Support Needs. The forest environment can be very nurturing in contrast to many indoor settings. If your child has more complex needs, we recommend a phone call or email before booking to ensure that we can adapt our programme to suit your child. Our booking system also allows you to enter detailed information which is then discussed confidentially with the staff team beforehand.
Are there any subsidised places available for these camps?
If eligible, you can apply to the Highland Children's Trust for a grant which can cover up to the cost of a full week. See their website at this link for more details.
Parent Feedback
"I can't thank your team enough for the camp in the woods - My kids have loved it, especially the campfires and the hammocks, the sense of freedom but also the relationships with the staff. I've been thoroughly educated on how to make a campfire at home, the bunk beds are covered in pinecone dream catchers and the kids now respond to owl hoots when its dinner time!
My son was very sad this morning as it was his last day at camp, and he wished they could go all the time, and have school there!
They have already asked if they can go back in the summer!"
Sarah Fielding
"My son and daughter both attended two days of holiday camp at Culduthel Woods [...]. The leaders were friendly and welcoming, and it sounded like there was a fun range of activities and plenty to keep them interested and engaged throughout the day. My son said he would go every day from now on if he could!
It's not always easy to find activities in the holidays that also work for the parents when we have work commitments etc so this was a great opportunity to give them something fun and outdoors in nature for the whole day while we were working..."
Catriona Hopkins
"My two kids had an absolute ball at the camp - they were in such high spirits when I picked them up at the end of the day. They learnt so much and loved all of the different activities. Totally worth it - will be back again next year :)"
Carla Kemp