Outline Information

Red Ridge has been one of the country's leading outdoor pursuits centres since 1978. We specialise in providing residential activity courses for Colleges and Schools and are one of the most experienced centres in the country providing outdoor activities to persons with learning disabilities. We are a founder member of 'Adventure for All', a group of outdoor education centres committed to providing outdoor experiences to those with learning or physical disabilities. A careful balance between outdoor pursuits and classroom based work enhances our Management Training programme. Personal Development courses for all types of groups are becoming increasingly popular. The Centre is accredited by the Wales Tourist Board and licensed through the Adventure Activity Licensing Authority, and therefore inspected twice each year.

Set in the beautiful countryside of Mid Wales, the Centre is ideally situated for all types of outdoor pursuits, many of which take place on site or in the immediate vicinity. Other activities take place a convenient drive away from the Centre and provide the opportunity to experience a wider range of outdoor environments.

Activities
We offer our residential guest an exciting variety of adventurous activities and outdoor education programmes. Activities are available on a day basis to non-residential visitors.

Activities include:

Rock Climbing and Abseiling
These two allied sports are extremely popular and offer a safe exciting challenge right across the ability and age range. The rock climbing and abseiling area is ideal for all abilities and ages and offers basic rock scrambling as well as challenging climbs and abseils for the more able. We have several abseils of over 40 metres for the more daring.

Caving
Within a few hundred metres of our rock climbing area are a series of natural limestone caves, somewhat extended by the Romans in their search for copper. The system offers a safe exciting experience to groups of varying ability. There are no water hazards and a mining engineer checks the system at appropriate intervals.

Canadian Canoeing
The River Severn or the Montgomeryshire Canal, both running close to Welshpool, offer a beautiful and appropriate environment for Canadian Canoeing. For the younger, the less confident, or the less able of our clients the four man open canoes can be rafted in pairs to provide total security and stability, enabling instructors to focus their attention on individuals, without affecting the continuity and enjoyment of the activity by the rest of the group.

Kayaking and Raft Building
For primary schools and disability groups both activities take place on our purpose built shallow lake. In addition to our normal kayaks we have some specialist kayaks purchased with assistance from the 'Children in Need' Appeal. These are extremely stable and their open deck design makes it impossible to become trapped in the event of capsize. Older or more experienced groups are able to kayak on the River Severn. Raft building brings together design and construction skills, as well as teamwork, to create a floating vessel, which can then be launched and navigated around the lake.

Archery
This activity takes place outdoors at Red Ridge using our purpose built archery area. The sport requires complex manipulative skills and co-ordination. It is a rewarding and popular activity with our clients.

Small Ropes Course
The small ropes course has proved to be an invaluable part of our confidence building programme. Persons unstable on their feet, and normally confined to wheelchairs, put many of us to shame as they swing around on the walk ways and rope bridges, making use of the rope handrails. Climbing harnesses are provided and the facility is only used under close supervision of Red Ridge staff.

Team work and Leadership
In 2005 we introduced a new range of exciting Team activities which make up a half day module of activities for those of school age and beyond. The emphasis is very much on 'working together'.

Zip Wire
This exciting activity is available to the complete ability range, including people in wheelchairs. The overhead cable is 80 metres long with a vertical drop of 12 metres. Those with physical disabilities, including wheelchair users, or those lacking in confidence required to go from the top are able to start at the bottom, using a special harness.

Single Rope Technique
Single rope technique is a way of 'ascending a cliff face or wall when it is too difficult to climb. Cavers often use such a system if they abseil into a cave and cannot climb back out. It is a challenging activity in which the participant has to make their way up a caving ladder or single rope, suspended from a high bar. As they make their way up various one way devices prevent them sliding back down again, thus ensuring total safety. When the participant has reached the top, or has had enough, the instructor will lower the entire rope back to ground level. The activity is appropriate to all ages and abilities and can be adapted for use by wheelchair users. It is a great confidence building activity for all ages and abilities.

Hill Walking
Situated 1,000ft above sea level, the Centre is at the heart of an excellent unspoilt walking area, amongst rolling hills, forests, streams ands lakes. The surrounding hills rise to 1,500ft, and a walk on Garreg Hir allows our less able groups to experience, in safety, something of the views and exposure to weather that others enjoy on more remote mountains such as Cadair Idris.

Management Training
In today's highly competitive market place companies are only too well aware of the need to maximise efficiency and effectiveness. Red Ridge offers a range of courses which are focused upon Key Management Issues, including:

Planning
Decision Making
Communication
Problem Solving
Leadership
Team Building
Motivation
Consequences
All of our management courses can be tailored to meet your individual corporate aims and objectives to ensure that the courses we provide are compatible with your own in-house training agendas.

Schools
Our standard multi-activity residential courses are easily adapted to support the school curriculum if required. Subjects such as geography, history, science and design technology can all be explored through the medium of outdoor education. Personal skills such as problem solving, team work and motivation can be examined and developed. Worksheets and question and answers sessions, together with experiential learning, can be used to cover learning outcomes not easily embraced in the classroom.

Specialist Provision for those with Learning Disabilities
Working through the medium of outdoor pursuits, Red Ridge has been one of the country's leading centres offering specialist and integrated courses to those with learning disabilities since 1978. The courses and holidays are designed to encourage participation in adventure activities and so widen the breadth of experience and the sense of achievement for all.

Personal Development
Throughout all our courses we encourage individuals to raise their levels of expectation, supporting and helping them to achieve their full potential, whilst giving top priority to safety and enjoyment at all times. Outdoor pursuits are used as a medium to develop self confidence within all our clients. Continuous evaluation of course content and individual abilities ensures that all of our clients 'succeed'.

Instructors
All of our instructors are well qualified and experienced, and are First Aid trained, including CPR and Defibrillation. Most of them have been with us for many years. Our high staffing ratios allow for maximum security and safety during activities. The Centre has resident instructors with at least one instructor on duty during the evening and a 24 hour emergency call service is available for any problems.

Insurance
Whilst we carry Public and Product Liability insurance of £5m, to cover any claims arising through the negligence of ourselves or our staff, we are under no liability whatsoever in respect of personal injury or loss which may be incurred by those attending the Centre. You may wish to consider taking out your own Personal Accident Insurance.

Security
The fire protection system offers fire detection in every bedroom and over 30 emergency lights, enable easier evacuation during a power cut. Our Centre is regularly inspected by the Fire Brigade to ensure that it meets fire safety standards. Our security system, utilising coded digital locks, protects against unauthorised access to the Centre. Safes with digital locks are available in many of the rooms.

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