Visit us off-season
and enjoy the Lakes at its best!

Groups visiting us off-season get an engaging and cost-effective outdoor experience that can be adapted to suit all weathers.

You don’t need great weather to have a great time at Brathay. In fact, many groups prefer to stay with us off-season to enjoy visiting the Lake District without the crowds.

And there's no need to worry about being too cold or wet! We serve hot meals daily and have all the drying rooms, warm dormitories, waterproof clothing, hiking boots, and technical equipment needed to keep our groups safe and warm whatever the weather.

We focus on:

VALUE: Personalised packages delivered at a great price
CHOICE: Alternative activities for all weathers
CHALLENGE: Memorable experiences from outside the comfort zone
TREATS: Toasted marshmallows, bonfires, team building in the snow
IMPACT: Build resilience and independence in a wild, winter landscape

Approach

Every off-season itinerary consists of a careful balance of indoor and outdoor experiences activities, most of which can be adapted to suit adverse weather conditions. While physical and mental challenges in the great outdoors are an important part of what we do, quality learning takes place indoors too - for example creative and reflective sessions in mask making, arts and crafts, drama, and navigation.

Many of our outdoor activities focus on teamwork and confidence building within the shelter and safety of our own grounds. Bad weather rarely stops play as we’re always within spitting distance (no pun intended!) of Brathay Hall and our guest accommodation.

Meanwhile, outdoor activities further afield are often enhanced during the cooler months. Gyhll scrambling can be thrilling when the water is running fast; canoeing on a quiet Autumnal lake is amazingly calming, and mountain walking on a crisp winter’s day gives extra clarity to those iconic Lakeland views.

Expect results:

Pupils return united and receptive to new learning
More self-confidence and self-awareness
The ability to reflect on what has been learnt
New friendship bonds
Memories and skills to be utilised within the curriculum
Equilibrium restored - ‘Wallflowers’ may thrive while the noisier ones calm down!
New practical skills learnt and shared
Empathy for others, especially when facing challenge