FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
If you book your 2024 adventure by 30 September 2023, you only need to pay a low deposit of £50. A further payment of £100 will be required by 31 December 2023 to secure your place. After 30 September, the deposit will be £150.
All our 5-day, 7-day and 14-day adventures start at 2pm on the first day and finish at 1pm on the last day.
Our 19-day adventures start at 5:30pm on the first day and finishes at 9am on the last day.
Unfortunately, teaching in another language is not in our instructors' skillset. So if you’re going away with us in the summer, it’s important that you can already speak fluent English.
As a guide, we recommend the following or equivalent qualifications: Cambridge First Certificate, Trinity College Level 7 or above or any examination equivalent to CEFR level B2.
Yes. Your instructor, who will be with you from start to finish, will be fully qualified. In fact, Outward Bound instructors are some of the most qualified in the industry. For more info see our instructors and safety page.
If you are joining our 5 Day Basecamp or 7-day Ridge Adventure, we don't offer a laundry service, except in emergencies.
If you are joining our 14 Day Summit Adventure, there is an opportunity for laundry at each centre. There will be a small charge of approx. £2.50.
If you are joining our 19 Day Pinnacle Adventure, as you aren't based at a centre, laundry opportunities are limited. However, there will be one or two washes of clothes available with a small charge of approx. £2.50.
Out in the wild, there are no toilets, so be prepared to go back to basics. Your instructor will advise you on the best ways to manage your personal hygiene before you set off on an expedition.
Your Outward Bound experience will be both physically and mentally challenging, with our longer adventures offering the highest level of challenge. Each summer adventure information page will provide you with a simple outline of the level of experience we expect you to have. For those that involve an exciting mountain expedition, you'll be carrying your personal and group equipment in a rucksack, which is provided by the centre. Having a reasonable level of fitness means that you'll enjoy your experience more and will have the confidence to try new things. However, having plenty of enthusiasm is equally as important.
If you're looking for ideas to help build up your fitness ahead of a summer adventure, our instructors have put together some guidance.
If you feel you need to improve your fitness in preparation for the course, we also recommend using fitness apps like Nike+, Workout Trainer, Strava, Ease into 5K or even Zombies, Run!
An Outward Bound summer adventure is an opportunity to make new friends, often friends for life! However we appreciate there are nerves about coming away on your own and also wanting to share some amazing experiences with your good friends. With that in mind we aim to limit friendships to 2 per group of 12.
Please let us know in advance if you wish to be in a group with a friend or sibling, as we'll be unable to change groups on arrival.
So that all participants and groups can operate effectively and in harmony we have a simple set of house rules, called our Community Code.
If you’re traveling by plane, we recommend that you fly to one of these airports.
Aberdovey, Wales: Birmingham Airport – 125 miles from centre
Ogwen, Wales: Manchester Airport - 97 miles from centre
Loch Eil, Scotland: Glasgow Airport – 140 miles away and Edinburgh Airport 146 miles from centre
Ullswater, England: Manchester Airport – 120 miles from centre
If you’re traveling by train, we recommend you aim for one of these stations.
Aberdovey, Wales: Aberdovey – 1.5 miles from centre
Ogwen, Wales: Bangor 11.6 miles or Betws-y-Coed 10.7 miles from Centre
Loch Eil, Scotland: Loch Eil Outward Bound and Fort William – 0.3 and 6 miles from centre, respectively
Ullswater, England: Penrith – 8 miles from centre