Supporting access to the outdoors since 1959
Our Mission
To provide and maintain group accommodation that is an ideal base for outdoor activities in wild
country at the lowest possible cost.
To subsidise the cost of the accommodation and provide support to other charities and organisations
that provide support to families and young people.
To create opportunities
Through a combination of outdoor activities and the inherent benefits
of attending a residential centre, we believe young people are given a greater opportunity to improve
their physical, mental, social and interpersonal wellbeing and help them realise their true potential.
To provide accessibility
We also believe that young people, regardless of background, should be able to experience the great outdoors
and communal living as it is extremely beneficial to improving their confidence, developing life skills,
becoming more determined, and create positive relationships with their peers.
Our Strategy
To promote the accommodation to schools, youth groups and organisations that work with young
people and to promote the use of the accommodation to adult groups at a higher cost to subsidise
the cost to youth.
To raise funds through sponsored events and challenges to enable us to offer
the use of the centre to selected qualifying organisation at zero cost.
Our History
In 1959 a group of enthusiasts got together and rented a small barn at Capel Curig, North Wales, calling themselves The Barn Committee.
The building provided the most basic accommodation which, at that time, was acceptable. Due to the death of the farmer in 1981, the lease
was foreclosed and the building reverted back to farming use.
Over the years we then become increasingly aware of the need for a more permanent establishment to ensure that future generations of young people will have access to this type of facility.
We were also aware that young peoples expectations of the standards of accommodation has progressively become greater.
The cottage
We continued to raise funds and seek suitable accommodation. In May 1984 we leased a derelict slabbed floor cottage from a farmer near Llanberis, North Wales.
The committee of unpaid volunteers worked very hard to renovate the building and completely modernised the interior to form two kitchens, washing,
showering and toilet facilities, a lounge and two dormitories. We used the cottage until 1998.
Woodlands opened in 2002
In the late nineties we then applied to the Lottery Fund for help and we were awarded funding to find, purchase and renovate a new facility.
As we have been so highly successful in the North Wales we searched for many years for something suitable as we did not want to consider anywhere else.
We opened the centre in 2002 and we are now operating with a
Warden, and thus ensuring full and proper control at all times.
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