BIG Spring Camp 2019
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The marvellous marvel that is Big Spring Camp will be returning in 2019 for yet another weekend of OutdoorLads magic. Don't miss out on a place at our biggest event of the year!
A host of activities have been arranged in and around our beautiful campsite in Llanrwst, North Wales, for you to do as much (or as little) as you desire; whether you fancy hurtling head first down the side of a mountain, bouncing through underground caverns or sitting back on your camp chair with a cold drink, how you spend the weekend is up to you.
Alongside our setlist of daytime activities we also offer evening entertainment plus food and drink throughout the day.
EVENTS ON AT BIG SPRING CAMP 2019
Friday
“Fizz Glorious Fizz” – Sparkling Wine Tasting £20 (19:00 – 20:30)
Saturday - paid events - available to book now
Zip World Titan (Saturday Group 1) £49 (08:00 – 12:30)
Zip World Titan (Saturday Group 2) £49 (08:15 – 12:45) SOLD OUT!
Zip World Velocity (Saturday) £82 (08:15 – 12:30) SOLD OUT!
White Water Rafting £59 (08:45 – 14:00) SOLD OUT!
Coasteering Adventure Day £54 (09:00 – 16:30) SOLD OUT!
Sea Level Traverse £54 (09:00 – 16:00)
Canoe Journey Day £54 (09:00 – 16:00) SOLD OUT!
Sea Kayaking £64 (09:00 – 16:30) SOLD OUT!
Adventure Expedition £54 (09:00 – 16:30) SOLD OUT!
Mine Exploration £54 (09:00 – 16:30) SOLD OUT!
Bounce Below (Saturday Group 1) £27 (13:15 – 17:00)
Bounce Below (Saturday Group 2) £27 (13:30 – 17:15)
FForest Coaster (Saturday Group 1) £24 (14:00 – 17:00) SOLD OUT!
FForest Coaster (Saturday Group 2) £24 (15:00 – 18:00)
“Gin is the Mixer” – Gin Tasting £20 (18:45 – 20:15)
“Sake it to me, baby” – Sake Tasting £20 (20:30 – 10:00)
Sunday - paid events - available to book now
White Water Rafting (Sunday) £59 (08:45 – 14:00) SOLD OUT!
Coasteering Adventure Day (Sunday) £54 (09:00 – 16:30) SOLD OUT!
Sea Level Traverse (Sunday) £54 (09:00 – 16:00)
Canoe Journey Day (Sunday) £54 (09:00 – 16:30)
Sea Kayaking (Sunday) £64 (09:00 – 16:30) SOLD OUT!
Adventure Expedition (Sunday) £54 (09:00 – 16:30) SOLD OUT!
Mine Exploration (Sunday) £54 (09:00 – 16:30) SOLD OUT!
Zip World Velocity (Sunday) £82 (11:45 – 16:00)
FForest Coaster (Sunday Group 1) £24 (13:00 – 17:00) SOLD OUT!
Bounce Below (Sunday Group 1) £27 (13:45 – 17:00)
Saturday - free events - available to book from Thursday 18th April at 7:00pm
Carneddau High Level Circular Walk (09:15)
Beddgelert Forest Ramble (09:30)
Sport Climbing (09:30)
Fancy being an OutdoorLads Walk Leader? - morning (09:30)
Llech Ddu Spur Mountain Scramble (09:30)
Introduction to Trail Running (09:30)
Roman Bridge Day Walk (09:45)
110km Road Cycling (09:30)
Sarn Helen Mountain Bike Ride (10:00)
Lake Geirionydd and Llanrhychwyn Chapel Walk (10:00)
Beginners Mountain Biking (10:30)
Day at the Seaside (11:15)
Fancy being an OutdoorLads Walk Leader? - afternoon (14:00)
Zumba (17:00)
Sunday - free events - available to book from Thursday 18th April at 8:30pm
Snowdon from behind (08:30)
To Betws-y-Coed and Back - moderate day walk (10:00)
Fell Running: A few of the Welsh 3000's (10:00)
Nant Uchaf Viewpoint and Llyn Geirionydd walk (10:15)
Around the Orme day walk (10:15)
Conwy Mountain and Coast Walk (10:30)
40km Any Rider Any Bike Cycle to Conwy Castle (10:30)
Challenging Mountain Biking Marin Plus Extension (10:30)
Trad/Multipitch Climbing (9:30)
Grey Mare's Tail Walk & Sunday Lunch Llanrwst (11:00)
Zumba (17:00)
THE CLUB HOUSE AND MARQUEE
The OutdoorLads Charity Bar
The bar is a permanent fixture in the club house offering an indoor space to relax and eat during the day/early evening then later it become a lively space with entertainment into the early hours.
We have a large number of draught/bottled beers, lagers and spirts as well as soft and hot drinks. For those real ale lovers that have been before you will remember the range of real ales that come from the brewery just a mile away.
The Bar is operated by our own OutdoorLads volunteers. The prices are kept low and all the profit made goes right back into supporting the charity.
The Marquee
Our marquee, located next to the club house is a quieter space from than the clubhouse bar, and we have some exciting developments for this space this year - watch out for further details nearer the time!
Outdoor Chill-out Area
Available to use anytime up to 11pm, the outdoor chill-out area with cosy fire pit is a quiet space where campers can relax.
CAMP SITE INFORMATION
The camp is in a fantastic spot near Betws-y-Coed in the Snowdonia National Park, North Wales. The site is easily accessible with good public transport links and next to some of the most amazing locations for all the outdoor pursuits the UK has to offer. This site is only used for camping by OutdoorLads, and we have exclusive use of the site and all its facilities.
Camp Facilities
- Licenced Bar
- Food served every day
- Hot, high pressure showers
- Toilets & wash rooms
- Changing areas
- Washing up area
- Drinking water taps
- Recycling area
- Camper van area
- Floodlit camping area on Friday evening
Camp Rules
- No glass policy. This is a rugby club with pitches - this rule will be strictly enforced
- You must respect other campers and their property
- Quiet camping between 23:00 and 07:00 - there are designated areas to socialise and talk away from peoples' tents
- Please pitch tents at least 6 feet / 2 metres apart. Any closer and it represents a fire risk
- Caravans, campervans and motorhomes only permitted if you have a booked and confirmed place at additional cost. Numbers are restricted. No awnings allowed. Note - these rules are imposed by the venue.
- No dogs on site - this is a rugby club with pitches.
- Open fires are not allowed - BBQs are okay, but must be raised off the ground
- You are responsible for keeping your camping area clean and tidy - please ensure it is left in the state you found it when you leave
GETTING HERE
The camp is situated on the B5106 between Llanrwst and Trefriw on the west side of the River Conwy at Llanrwst Rugby Club, Trefriw Road / Ffordd Trefriw (B5106), Llanrwst, Conwy, LL26 0PW.
From Conwy, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, & Scotland: Leave the A55 at junction 19 and take the A470 signposted Betws-y-Coed. This road eventually brings you into Llanrwst. At the junction with the B5106 turn right signposted Trefriw. Go over the narrow single lane bridge and follow the road round to the right. The campsite is then on the right hand side. Look out for the OutdoorLads signs.
From London, Birmingham, Bristol, the Midlands & the South: Leave the M54 at junction 7 and continue onto the A5 signposted Shrewsbury, then Oswestry and Llangollen. Once in Llangollen keep on the A5 signed to Corwen and Betws-y-Coed. Just before reaching Betws turn right onto the A470 signposted Llandudno & Conwy. Keep on this road entering Llanrwst. At the junction with the B5106 turn left signposted Trefriw. Go over the narrow single lane bridge and follow the road round to the right. The campsite is then on the right hand side. Look out for the OutdoorLads signs.
From Cardiff & South Wales: Leave the M4 at junction 32 and take the A470 main Mid Wales road north. Follow the road until eventually passing through Llanrwst. At the junction with the B5106 turn left signposted Trefriw. Go over the narrow single lane bridge and follow the road round to the right. The campsite is then on the right hand side. Look out for the OutdoorLads signs.
By public transport: Why not travel by train right up to our doorstep? There are regular trains from London Euston (3 hours) and Manchester Piccadilly (2 hours) to Llandudno Junction in North Wales. Due to ENGINEERING works you can now get a bus replacement service from Llandudno Junction to North Llanrwst. You can then make the short one mile walk or why not share a cab from Llandudno Junction right to the campsite? A taxi with Castle Cabs will cost £25 - give them a call on 01492 593398.
Alternatively, you can catch the 19 bus from Llandudno which goes right past the campsite. The official bus stop is a few hundred metres along the road but if you ask nicely the driver may stop at the rugby club for you.
What to bring
If you haven’t been camping since you were in the Scouts here is what you need. If it’s your first trip you are likely to want to get away with the bare minimum.
- Tents start off relatively cheap but as they say you get what you pay for. These tend to start from £10 upwards (‘festival tents’) that are light and do the job – but only just. You may find that they leak, break or blow away.
- A thin foam ‘carry mat’ is good to sleep on (under £10) and you can use your clothes to make a pillow. Or if you have the room places like Tesco often sell air beds that cost as little as a fiver.
- Don’t forget you will need something to sleep in. You can buy a sleeping bag from as little as a tenner. This will tend to be thin but will do the job at most summer camps. At camps later in the year you will want something warmer though.
- Some places such as Argos/ASDA sell camping sets where you can buy a tent, sleeping bag, sleeping mat and a lamp for approx. £50-£60.
- If you have friends that camp you may find it beneficial to talk to them first and they may even lend you some kit.
- You can easily beg a cup of tea from more seasoned campers – but it helps if you have a cup, and don’t forget a plastic glass if you like your wine! If you are coming by car, a folding chair (£10) is great. As you may be sitting outside late into the evening. Some proper warm clothing always comes in handy – even in the summer. Don’t forget a torch, or you may never make it back to your tent. Finally, ear plugs are always a great idea.
Once you have been once or twice you will know what kit you need to be able to cook a full English breakfast and host a party for 8 in your tent. Until then the above basics will see you right.
The above information will help you with the camp its self, depending on the activities you choose to do you may need to bring further kit. However its worth noting that any of the activities where special kit is need it will be provided, in most cases all you will need is walking boots, clothes, and a small back-pack (bring a few changes of clothes and footwear).
WE WANT YOUR VIDEO!
After the event we'll be putting together a video showing off the best of BIG Spring Camp and what OutdoorLads get up to and we need your help. Throughout the weekend, please use your GoPro, iPhone or video camera to capture the fun and then email your clips to support@outdoorlads.com - if your files are too large, you can upload them to a file sharing website and email us the link.
Food & drink
Just to let you know that we have some great food options now available for you to book for BIG Spring Camp. We’re taking orders from now until midnight next Tuesday, 21st May, so please book early! There will be very limited “on the day” availability on these options, so it’s important to book in advance.
On Saturday, it’s the return of the OutdoorLads Curry Night! The Little Food Hut will be on site preparing tasty and fresh curries using locally produced ingredients, and served in biodegradable containers. Choose from Welsh Mutton Curry served with rice and peas, or Sweet Potato, Butternut Squash and Red Pepper Curry(vegetarian) served with rice and naan bread.
On Sunday, we’ll have locally reared, Slow Cooked Pulled Pork, in a locally baked brioche bun, and served with a tempting selection of fresh salads. Mushroom and Halloumi burgers are also available, also served with the Little Food Hut’s speciality salads.
All the above options are available at just £8.00, and we’re delighted to be working with the Little Food Hut again, after their successful (and very tasty!) visit last year! These options will be availab! le from 5:30pm until 9:00pm each day, so no rush to get there!
We will also be making life easier by supplying Packed Lunches for you too – at £10 for a packed lunch on both Saturday AND Sunday, it’s a great way to ensure you have a decent lunch whilst out on your activities and save yourself some hassle too! Sign up on the website so we know numbers, and then just collect your packed lunch between 7am and 10am from the clubhouse each day.
All of the above are live on the website now and links embedded above will take you straight to the relevant pages.
Of course, we will again be running the OutdoorLads catering service in the kitchen. We will have a full range of breakfasts (regular and BIG – and vegetarian versions too) alongside porridge, toast, cereals, egg / ! beans on toast, etc, so something for everyone.
Throughout the day the bar will be open for snacks and drinks, and from 5pm we’ll also be serving our evening menu of burgers (beef, chicken, vegetable), pies, chilli, and lasagne (including vegetarian options). No need to go hungry! We’ve worked hard to keep prices reasonable whilst ensuring good quality ingredients, and any money made goes straight back into OutdoorLads, so please use the bar and catering service and support the organisation!