Residential Trip to North Devon

Head to North Devon for your next residential adventure and you'll be heading towards the opportunity to have a go at surfing (in one of Britain's safest surfing spots), challenge yourselves (and your teamwork) on high ropes and assault courses, and spend a few days learning outdoors in probably the most spectacular outdoors classroom in the UK.

You'll stay at Skern Lodge, a purpose-built residential centre that's perfectly set up for school groups. The accommodation is arranged to make supervision and safeguarding easier for accompanying staff, plus you'll have access to meeting areas and classrooms, and the on-site dining will mean you're all well fuelled for all the exciting activities you'll be taking part in. The activity facilities here are first-class, as are the instructors who are all fully-qualified and will make sure your group have loads of fun learning outdoors (while staying safe, obviously).

Residential Trip to North Devon

From

£468^PP

4 days, 3 nights

Wooden climbing apparatus with high ropes and balancing logs

Leafy green trees along a cycle path on the Tarka Trail

Long view of clear sandy beach under a blue sky

Suggested Itinerary

Day 1

Morning

Meet at school and board your private coach for the journey to Devon

Arrive at Skern Lodge and receive a very warm welcome from the centre staff, who'll give you a short site orientation, before checking you into your rooms and giving you some time to settle in

Afternoon

Start the first day as you mean to go on, with an action-packed assault course - a brilliant first taste of the teamwork, resilience and fun that the trip is all about

Evening

Enjoy your evening meal at the accommodation

You've taken on a physical challenge, now it's time for a mental challenge, with a lively team quiz

Day 2

Morning

Breakfast at your accommodation

Head to the beach for an exciting session of surfing and bodyboarding

Afternoon

Return to your accommodation for lunch

Got a head for heights? It's time to take on the high ropes course - climb, balance and push yourself to new heights as you navigate exciting challenges high above the ground, all with the support of your teammates

Evening

Evening meal at your accommodation

Take part in a lively team-building evening, full of fun activities designed to test problem-solving, teamwork and communication

Day 3

Morning

Breakfast at your accommodation

Enjoy an unforgettable bike ride along the Tarka Trail, taking in the stunning Devon countryside and coastline

Afternoon

Return to your accommodation for lunch

Take on the tunnels and zipwire challenge - climb, crawl and whoosg your way through exciting obstacles that test nerve and teamwork

Evening

Enjoy your evening meal at the accommodation, before ending the trip on a high with a campfire under the stars

Day 4

Morning

Breakfast at your accommodation

Take aim in an exciting archery lesson - learn new skills, focus your aim and enjoy some friendly competition

Afternoon

Return to your accommodation for lunch

Check out of your accommodation and get ready to head home

Board your private coach for the return journey

Evening

Travel back to school

3 nights' full-board accommodation
Return coach transfers
Free staff place ratio 1:8
Itinerary planning service
Detailed final information pack
Vamoos travel app - giving you access to all your trip documents on your phone or tablet
VAT at current rates to tour operators

Accommodation

Skern Lodge

Skern Lodge is so much more than a residential centre. The whole ethos here is built around experiential learning and adventure.

A great base for geography and environmental science trips around the North Devon coast, the centre also offers an incredible variety of activities, from high ropes and climbing to kayaking and surfing.

But unlike other centres, the team always brings the focus back to the educational impact all this fun is having on the students. And, because it’s been purpose-built to host school and youth groups, the centre is ideally set up to ensure both you and your students have a safe, enjoyable stay.

More about Skern Lodge

Location: Skern Lodge is ideally located on a tranquil 22-acre site within the UNESCO Biosphere of Braunton Burrows. Just a short stroll away is the quaint village of Appledore.

Features: The centre boasts incredible activity facilities, from a high ropes course to a heated outdoor swimming pool. There’s also a dining room that seats 110, where fresh, locally-sourced food is served to ensure your group are properly fuelled, as well as a disco room where you can celebrate the end of a successful trip.

There’s free WiFi throughout the centre, as well as several meeting rooms, classrooms and social areas (in fact, each accommodation block benefits from a communal area that can be used for activities, as a classroom, or even simply as a useful meeting point before heading out on your next adventure).

Bedrooms: The four separate accommodation areas all boast drying rooms and central heating throughout. Students will stay in multi-bedded rooms with shared bathrooms, while accompanying staff will be accommodated in en-suite rooms close to their group, making supervision easier.

Ground-floor bedrooms with wet rooms are available on request. And (unlike many residential centres) your beds will be made up for you before you arrive, so you can get stuck straight into the activities.

Ultimate Adventure Centre

The Ultimate Adventure Centre is a purpose-built activity centre nestled within the picturesque North Devon countryside, close to Bideford.

Combining purpose-built youth accommodation with an incredible variety of on-site activities (including high ropes, mountain boarding, assault course and archery), this is the perfect setting in which to make lifelong memories with your group.

More about Ultimate Adventure Centre

Location: Set in the scenic North Devon countryside just 1.5 miles from Bideford town and surrounded by outdoor attractions like The Big Sheep theme park, Westward Ho! beach, and the Tarka Trail, the centre combines a safe, friendly stay with easy access to the natural adventure—making it a wonderful, practical base for an unforgettable school residential.

Features: Facilities include modern toilet and shower blocks, a washing‑up area, an onsite café and camp shop, Wi‑Fi zones, 24‑hour reception (perfect for late arrivals), and spacious social areas—great for gatherings and relaxation.

Bedrooms: The centre offers a mix of private and hostel-style rooms with beds pre‑made (linen included) for a hassle‑free arrival. Your group will stay in blocks, with students sleeping in dormitory-style rooms with shared bathrooms, and accompanying staff in twins with en-suite bathroom facilities (within the same block as your group to ease supervision and safeguarding).

Educational Activities

Assault Course in North Devon

Test your resilience and teamwork skills by taking on the assault course at Skern Lodge.

High Ropes Course in North Devon

Gear up for an exhilarating experience on Skern Lodge's high ropes course.

Cycling on the Tarka Trail

Enjoy the best of North Devon's stunning coastal scenery on a bike ride along the Tarka Trail.

Surfing in North Devon

A group of young people in a surfing lesson

Ready to see the joy on your students' faces as they catch their first wave.

Bodyboarding in North Devon

Experience the thrill of the surf on bodyboards.

Supporting you every step of the way

Creating your perfect trip

Your quote will be put together by an experienced Tour Adviser who’ll be an expert in the subject area and will know the destination really well too. They’ll work with you to create a trip to suit your group’s needs and meet your learning objectives.

Launching your trip to parents and students

The next step is to get your trip approved and then get students signed up to it. Our ‘Trip Launch Pack’ will help you with this step. This is full of resources (all free to download) designed to make your life easier at this crucial point in the trip planning process.

After you’ve booked

Once you’ve booked, your dedicated Itinerary Coordinator will start work on the finer details. They’ll make sure your itinerary makes the most of your time and they’ll take on most of the admin tasks for your trip (freeing you up to do what you do best – teach).

Support while you’re away

From lost property to properly lost, we’ll always be on the end of the phone while you’re out on the trip. You’ll get a final info pack before you go, as well as access to all your trip documents via the Vamoos app.

After your trip

We’ll ask you for feedback, so we can improve our service. Let’s start planning your next trip too, so parents have plenty of time to pay (and so it’s less stressful for you). And don’t forget to head to our resources hub to continue the learning back in the classroom.