Activity options

Activity Choices

Primary schools are sent an activity booking form to put down their choice of activities. These are a mix of full and half day activities

Croeso

This is a mixture of ‘ice breaker’ activities., team challenges, and a local walk to meet the local wildlife. A chance to reflect on how it is different to where the students have come from

Orienteering

Use your brain and your legs to navigate your way around the course. We have a variety of courses to suit all abilities. In the garden, in Pendarren Park and indoors for the wet evenings.

Local area walks

Our local area has many walks from the centre. We can take the students for walks along the river, into woods and forests and into the local villages

Bushcraft

Build your own shelter. Light a fire without matches. Discover wild food. Learn how to safely use a knife. Cook food over an open fire.

Minibeasts

A journey of discovery onsite at Pendarren investigating creepy crawlies and their habitats. Pupils can identify and record the various habitats (ponds, rivers, woods, grassland). Then observe and collect the invertebrates and insects they find. They can use simple dichotomous keys and data sheets to identify their bugs. Draw simple food chains and pyramids and identify adaptations to the environment.

Mountain Walk (half and full day options)

The Bannau Brycheiniog, Brecon Beacons, National Park was created to protect the mountain scenery. We are ideally positioned to explore this National Park. Our local hills include Sugarloaf, Table Mountain, Blorenge and Skirrid. Pupils get a great sense of achievement no matter which one they climb.

They will travel through woodland, farmland and over mountain and moorland. They will see springs, streams, rivers, wildlife and plenty of sheep (in summer anyway). There are opportunities for simple map reading/route finding. As well as learning opportunities in geography (e.g. land use, geology). Science (e.g. habitats, rocks) and history (old hill forts and changing ways of life).

Primary students can undertake a half day walk or a full day walk.

Canoeing (half and full day options)

Primary groups usually use canoes on the Brecon-Monmouthshire canal for a half-day session. During the session students will learn some of the skills required to manoeuvre their canoe. Then they will set off on a journey and take part in some challenging games.

The canoes (also called open or Canadian canoes) are typically paddled by a team of two people using paddles with a blade on one end.

Although stable the student’s enthusiasm may cause the canoe to capsize. All paddlers, whether they can swim or not, are equipped with safety equipment. The canal is shallow, and the water is fed from the River Usk.

Full day sessions can be booked. This can either be a river trip or venturing onto open water on one of the larger reservoirs in the National Park. It could also be a journey on the canal which links in with another activity such as a walk or bushcraft.

Adventure Journey

Leaving the footpaths we head off into the forest following the stream wherever it takes us. You will get wet! For primary students the venues used are typically those with shallow water.

Climb

Primary groups use our 13m high tower for a half-day session. They attempt to reach the top of the various climbs. Pupils will learn about the equipment they will use allowing them to safeguard each other. To learn about trust, responsibilities, and how to encourage each other.

Zipline

Enjoy an exhilarating slide down our 300m zipline across the fields at Pendarren House. The pupils work as team to return the zipliner to the start. This is usually done as part of the climbing session

Coast

A day visit to visit Caswell Bay on the unspoilt Gower Coast. There is usually a short clifftop walk to the sandy beach. Opportunities to observe various coastal landforms and their specialised plant life, and sometimes seals bobbing about in the sea. On the beach the children investigate the wide variety of shore and rock pool life such as crabs and starfish. Weather permitting, there will be opportunity for beach games and a swim/paddle in the sea

River Study (includes some caving)

A popular day for schools due to the variety of activities and the mix of environmental education and adventure. The River Study Day includes a visit to the cave of Porth yr Ogof. There will be a briefing at Pendarren and then group will investigate the river Mellte. Following the river see how it changes as it flows down the mountain from the source. They will see geographical river features they have learned about such as meanders, erosion, tributaries. They will follow the river into the cave Porth yr Ogof and explore the underground passages. See the fossils of creatures that were alive before the dinosaurs and have an opportunity to experience total darkness. From there they will move downstream to where the river tumbles over a large waterfall and have yet another opportunity to get wet.

As with all studies Pendarren House is open to ideas from visiting teachers if they would like to modify the activity:

• Geography and Science focus – this is the day we have run for many years, bringing the water cycle to life, using theories and predictions then testing them, experiencing real geology and geography.

• Maths focus – using the river environment to collect real data to use back in the classroom at school or Pendarren.

• Adventure focus – experiencing and exploring the cave for longer to develop their adventurous side finishing with the waterfall experience.

Caving

There is a full day Caving option. The caving option has a stronger focus on adventure and personal development. Students will spend longer in the cave and develop their caving abilities. 

Big Pit Mining Museum

Big Pit closed as a working deep mine in 1981 and reopened as a tourist attraction. A visit includes an underground tour led by one of the entertaining miners. An audio-visual simulation of mining techniques and a museum. Ninety meters below ground, visitors equipped with safety helmets and cap-lamps will see what life was really like for generations of South Wales’s miners

Horse Riding (additional charge)

Horse riding can be arranged through another provider, there is an extra charge for this which is payable in advance. Over the 2-hour session students are shown how to care for and prepare their pony, and how to control their pony. Each activity group must be accompanied by a visiting member of staff who is required to ride. Please note there are restrictions on who can ride – currently anyone over 15 stone and 6 foot will be unable to ride. Visiting staff might therefore need to swop around on activities to ensure the duty of care to their group is maintained.  Please note students have to wear helmets for this activity and certain hairstyles e.g. Topknot, may result in the stables being unable to correctly fit a helmet, and you will be unable to participate.