About/ The Pendarren Experience

Based in the heart of the Brecon Beacons in Wales, we are fortunate to be surrounded by some of the best locations for outdoor adventure in the UK.

We are proud to be an outdoor education centre that uses the real outdoors in our programmes. We give you the opportunity to experience great adventures using the natural countryside around us. Although we do have some activities onsite, our real passion is to take you offsite into our world and show you the amazing locations the UK has to offer.

Well maintained Facilities

Campsite

There is a small campsite suitable for DofE expedition groups that can accommodate up to 16 people.

There is a covered cooking area and toilets are within a short distance from the campsite.

Advance boking is required

Grounds

Pendarren House sits within 16 acres of land where you can find a variety of wildlife habitats such as ponds, pasture and woodland.

The large open space and facilities at Pendarren House provides the ideal location for group challenge activities such as team building activities, bushcraft and orienteering courses. Sport activities include football, table football and table tennis,

Transport

We keep a fleet of well maintained minibuses, including a 17 seat minibus that can be adapted to carry one wheelchair

Resources

Teaching resources include whiteboards; smartboards; laptops and cameras.

We provide all-terrain wheelchairs when required

The story of Pendarren House

Pendarren House was built by its first owner John Andrew Doyle in 1876. He was a wealthy man whose father had been the editor of the morning Chronicle, a newspaper which was a rival to the Times. Doyle was keen on many country pursuits, hunting, shooting and fishing, all of which he could do from Pendarren House.

The house was very grand with large rooms for entertaining. You can still see the marvellous marble fireplaces and huge gilt mirrors in the main house. The end of the house where the showers are now located used to be the servants quarters. The Grieg Annexe used to be the stable block. The lower floor was used to store feed and hay. Doyle employed groomsmen and gardeners, as well as maids and cooks and a butler.

In 1905 the house was taken over by Colonel Rees a Mining Engineer from Aberdare. He maintained the house in much the same way as Doyle, although he didn't have quite as many servants. However, one of his servants an under gardener called Wilf Whiting would eventually become the next owner of Pendarren.

Wilf Whiting started his working life as an under gardener at Pendarren but soon started up in business on his own. He was successful and owned several businesses including a haulage company and a lemonade factory. He bought Pendarren House in 1950 and lived in it until 1962 when he sold it to a partnership that turned it into a country house hotel and country club.

The country club was successful for a few years but business fell away and by 1970 the property was once more up for sale. Haringey Council was on the look out for a suitable place to start an Outdoor Education Center. Eric Brown and John Powell from the Education Department came to visit, recommended the purchase and in 1971 Pendarren House Outdoor Education Centre came in to existence. Since then tens of thousands of children from Haringey have enjoyed the Pendarren Experience.