Easter Escape: Adventures on the Devon Coast
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Come and join us for 3 nights (Good Friday to Easter Monday) splashing about in the ancient harbour town of Brixham this Easter.
Brixham has been around probably since Saxon times (6th-8th Century) and has had a colourful history - including Pirates and it was even where King William III landed when he invaded to conquer England in 1688.
Our home for the weekend is right on the quay with views across the harbour towards Torquay on the far side of the Bay. Nestled cosily on the water’s edge, the historic fishing port is only a 5 minute walk away along the promenade in one direction, with the beach a similar distance in the other way.
We'll be taking advantage of the location as well with additional options for Kayaking/Canoe, Caving, Abseiling and Coasteering during the weekend.
The Accommodation
We'll be staying in an Outdoor Education Centre on the seafront in Brixham. The dorms on the upper floors all have spectacular sea views and there is a nice lounge as well as a separate dining room for us to spread out in.
Itinerary
The following is all subject to change but should give you and idea of what to expect this Easter
Good Friday
You'll be able to arrive at the site from around 4pm on the Friday, and find the bed you've reserved (more details on this closer to the time). Once settled in, there is plenty of room to relax in the lounge or dining room with hot drinks available throughout the weekend. If your preference is for an alcoholic tipple you'll need to bring these yourself.
Friday evening will be the traditional OutdoorLads buffet. Bring along something to feed one or two people, and home-cooked is always preferred.
Once we've had a briefing over the plans for the weekend, we'll be looking for some volunteers to tidy up the kitchen and dining room, whilst the others can head back to relax in the lounge or dining room.
Easter Saturday
On Easter Saturday, we'll be looking at a range of activities you can sign up for.
Free Activity:
- There will be a hike arranged in the local area for those who want to explore.
Paid Activities:
Easter Sunday
Easter Sunday we'll have options of:
Free Activity:
- A gentle walk from the Centre along the coastal path to Berry Head, where we might bump into the Abseilers (see below) and then onwards to Man Sands. where, if the weather is good, you can spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing.
Paid Activities
Alternatively, Paignton is the home of Splashdown Quaywest - one of the largest waterparks in the UK and home of 'The Devils Drop', 'The Screamer' and 'Wild Kamikaze' water slides. So, if you want you can head there for the afternoon. It's about a 15 min drive to Splashdown Quaywest from Brixham.
Easter Monday
Start the day with breakfast and as much coffee as needed to recover from the night before, and then we'll spend an hour or so tidying up the venue and leaving it as clean, or even cleaner than we found it.
Good to Know....
Dogs
Sorry, this event is not suitable for dogs. Assistance animals are welcome, but please let us know at the time of booking if you will be bringing an assistance dog.
Car Sharing
If driving to the event please consider offering spare seats to other members heading the same way. Sign Up Here!
Want to Get Out More?
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OutdoorLads Foundation
Fancy coming along but having a difficult time of it (for whatever reason), and/or finding it hard to justify the expense? Apply for a place on this event through the OutdoorLads Foundation! Nobody apart from staff members will know and we don't need lots of financial info from you either. To apply through the Foundation, you'll need to complete a very short form, which can be found along with more information here.
Want to Pay By Instalments?
You can arrange to pay in instalments if that helps. Please contact the office on support@outdoorlads.com who will help you to secure a place and set up paying in instalments. The event must be fully paid up a week before the event takes place.
IMPORTANT! - Participation Statement
You MUST complete a Participation Statement, in addition to booking your event space before attending an OutdoorLads event. You only need to complete this Participation Statement once, not for each event you attend.
Photo Credits:
Photos 1-5 taken by OutdoorLads members and permission is granted to OutdoorLads for further use.
Photo 6 (Splashdown Quaywest) © Copyright Derek Harper and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
What to bring
HOSTEL LIST
Saturday Packed Lunch: You may end up hungry on a walk without one!
Medicines: if you have hay fever, diabetes, minor ailments etc.
Change of Clothes: You probably don't want to spend all weekend in your hiking socks.
Pyjamas: Even if you prefer to sleep naked, remember you will be sharing a room and the bathrooms are not ensuite, you'll need to be able to get to and from these.
Towel & Wash-kit: I'm hoping you will be using the shower at least once over the weekend.
Slippers: Its nice to have something to wear around the hostel
Board/Card Games: Completely optional but we may not have your favourite (unless its UNO)
DAY ACTIVTIES
Day rucksack: typically 20-30 litres, they are comfortable to wear and allow you to use your arms freely
Boots: waterproof and breathable and designed for hiking, if your taking the more gentle activities you may get away with trainers.
Gaiters: recommended for wet weather or boggy conditions
Socks: proper walking socks will keep your feet dry and help prevent blisters
Layered clothing: lets you quickly adapt to changes in the weather and body temperature. Go for a base layer (vest or t-shirt) and a mid layer (a micro fleece or shirt) and in cooler weather add an outer layer (a windproof jacket or thick fleece)
Trousers: ideally no jeans as they become heavy and cold in the rain, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry and on warm days shorts are OK
Waterproof jacket: essential when hiking in all but the calmest of weather, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry
Gloves: Windproof, or better still, waterproof gloves are the best choice, bring a spare pair if expecting rain
Hat or cap: stay warm in winter and shaded in summer
Sunglasses: for any sunny day, even in winter
Sun cream: can be useful even on cloudy and winter days
Snacks: bring biscuits, energy bars, gels, bananas, chocolate or dried fruit for example and put them somewhere easy to get hold of
Food & drink
Friday night: We will be doing the traditional ODL buffet. Everyone is asked to bring something for the buffet, enough to feed 1 to 2 people. Home cooked is always nice but store purchases are just as good!
Saturday breakfast: Included in the event fee.
Saturday lunch: Please bring a packed lunch. There are plenty of shops in the centre of Brixham to stock up in if you've forgotten anything.
Saturday dinner: 3 course meal included in the event fee.
Sunday breakfast: Included in the event fee,
Sunday dinner: Traditional Easter Roast (Lamb) is on the menu for tonight. (there will be a Vegan/Veggie alternative!) included in the event fee.
Monday breakfast: Included in the event fee
Tea, coffee, squash & hot chocolate: Included in the event fee and available throughout the weekend.
Other drinks: You will need to bring any other drinks you might want for the weekend.