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Please scroll down to read about our climbing & abseiling options
Climbing Walls - open to all aged 6+ Helmets and climbing harnesses are provided and we can accommodate participants aged 6+ We do not offer abseiling or climbing on our quarry cliff face but we have a tunneling network, designed as an introduction to caving plus our 260ft aerial runway which goes from near our cliff top, across the lake and on to the tunnels offers a great view of the area on a clear day. Virtual Ice Walls - open to all aged 14+ The ice wall offers a variety of surfaces - vertical, rock to ice and over / under hangs. To use the ice walls you must bring along the correct walking boots (please ask for details when you contact us). If you have crampons and ice axes then you are welcome to bring these along as well, however we will provide adjustable crampons and ice axe at the centre. Unfortunately this activity is not suitable for groups of young people. For experienced climbers the new Dry Ice Wall offers the opportunity to practice 'figure 4's' and other wild moves without icy water running down your sleeve. Bouldering Chamber - Opportunities for all abilities The bouldering room is within the climbing wall itself. The challenge is to navigate the chamber without touching the floor - not as easy as it sounds. There are coloured routes as well for people to practice techniques. For young groups i.e. beavers, cubs and parties, the bouldering chamber can fit up to 15 people at a time and is great for warming up and stretching before attempting the outer climbing walls. Abseiling Chimney and Walls - opportunities for all Our facilities for abseiling include a short free fall built into the climbing wall and an abseiling chimney which allows participants to explore different techniques. We do not offer abseiling or climbing on our quarry cliff face but we have a tunneling network, designed as an introduction to caving plus our 260ft aerial runway which goes from near our cliff top, across the lake and on to the tunnels offers a great view of the area on a clear day. Tunnels - network of underground routes and caverns
The Castle Quarry 'Cave Trainer' is a tunnel system built using concrete pipes and block chambers. Not for the faint hearted, the tunnel system offers a challenge to old and young alike - an underground maze waiting to be explored. There are emergency exits built throughout the network with instructor access from above the caverns and three side entrances. Coloured routes identify one of three layers, the system is designed with caving in mind. Archery - indoor and outdoor ranges and bows for all
Castle Quarry boasts an indoor range beautifully decorated by a local artist, plus a recently developed outdoor range surrounded by woodland and rock face. Our instructors have the Grand National Archery Society approved qualification. All equipment is supplied and available in varying sizes and strengths to cater for each individual. Archery is known as a meditating sport and we will help you to understand the technique to become an accurate archer in the session. Rifle Shooting - indoor range only (outdoor range coming soon)
We have an indoor range, built for shooting .177 air rifles. All our instructors hold the NSRA Diploma having attended a course of instruction in the safe conduct and supervision of Air Rifle target shooting and NRSA pistal shooting with the National Small Bore Rifle Association under the "Youth Proficiency Scheme". Safety is paramount at all times and instructors will ensure groups in their charge understand the safety rules and requirements before encouraging young people to try out and improve their skills in this discipline. People have 10 shots each then swap around continuously for the duration of the activity. As you can see from Tony Spooner's (Instructor) score above, it's not easy. We are developing an outdoor underground range as well which will be available in the future. Team Challenge - indoor and outdoor activities
The Castle Quarry Challenge is a Team Building exercise incorporating various mental and physical tasks. 'The Challenge' is situated outdoors around the quarry, but in extremely bad weather many of the tasks can be carried out inside the activity hall. We aim to cover an average of seven challenges for every hour activity session, however some groups have time to try more. For companies, schools and groups, this is a good way to identify hidden talents and is a brilliant communication activity. If you are happy to get wet during the challenges then we can incorporate 'lake challenges' as well. Please give us advance notice if you would like to include the lake. Zip Wire - 260ft Aerial Runway with beautiful views
Designed and fitted by civil engineering professionals. Participants for the aerial runway are led up to the launch site. Wearing safety helmets and harnesses, individuals are clipped to the safety lines and then encouraged to step from the cliff into the unknown! Enjoy a bird's eye view as you travel high above the canoeing lake and land safely on top of our tunnelling network. Canoeing - Our lake has a maximum depth of 5ft.
The lake at Castle Quarry was purpose built, with support from the Hanson Environment Fund and opened in 2004. Using 'Canadian' Open Canoes, participants will have the opportunity to learn some basic paddling techniques as well as how to cope in a crisis! It is possible for those with previous experience to take a BCU 1* test during a two hour session. Paddle Power The Canoe England scheme for Young People
The Paddlepower Awards Paddlepower Explore Paddlepower Excel To book this or any other activity please navigate to our contact page or click here |