Contents
Top Tips
Make sure your parents know which group they belong to. Lots of parents visit the shop asking for directions to the ‘Beavers’, but don’t know which Beaver group they are with.
Send out the directions to Woodhouse Park – the postcode normally takes you to the estate further down Fernhill.
Direct parents to park in the main car park and arrange a meeting point nearby – the area outside reception makes a great choice with lots of seating and some games.
To keep costs low, we do not provide waste collection on centre, we recommend asking some parents to help by taking some rubbish or recycling home with them.
If your leaders are getting tired, remember the site shop sells a variety of hot drinks, including fresh-ground coffee.
If you can, let us know when you plan to visit the site shop, so we can ensure one of our team is available, and it doesn’t clash with other groups. Please make sure a leader is present when young people are in the shop and try to limit the number inside at a time.
Please remember most of our team are volunteers, giving up their free time to make sure you have a great experience. Be nice to them, and treat them with the respect you would ask for.
Got some unexpected free time? Why not hire one of our activities in a box – these can be booked on the day, and collected from reception.
Our team does their best to keep the centre clean and tidy, and toilets well stocked, but we rely on users to help. Please use the supplies in each building if they could use a sweep and wipe down.
Booking
We now offer an online availability checker for all of our accommodation and activities. Press the Book button on the accommodation or activity page.
You can modify your booking using the link in your booking confirmation email, or you can contact our bookings team.
Please note package bookings with a price per head rate must be modified by the bookings team.
Cancellations & reductions in numbers are subject to our terms & conditions.
We welcome all potential visitors to visit the centre before they book. Please contact us to arrange a time to suit you and we will give you a tour and answer any questions.
We now offer the ability to book accommodation and activities online. This is the quickest and easiest way to book, with instant confirmation of your booking.
Please note some activities can only be booked by contacting our bookings team, including tower activities.
You can contact us if you have any questions or a large booking.
The easiest way to pay is to book online using a debit or credit card. If you have a large booking we accept bank transfers – if you would like to pay by bank transfer, please make your booking online, and complete the checkout process until you are asked for you card details and then contact our bookings team.
Unfortunately, we cannot accept cheques.
If you do not have online banking for you group account, most banks will make a bank transfer if you go into a branch.
You can download all our price lists from here. You can also book online and this will work out the correct price.
Yes, Woodhouse Park Activity Centre is open to the general public. We do however priorities bookings from youth organisations with the same values as The Scouts. All customers are required to follow the Scouts Safeguarding yellow card.
Activities
All parents will need to park in the car park by Reception and wait outside Reception to be collected by a leader. This reduces the amount of traffic on the site and reduces the risk of an accident.
Please make sure a leader is waiting to meet parents and young people.
Leaders may drive through the site to drop of equipment, but please ensure the gate is closed if you open it.
For large events and busy time we may open another car park or exit gate, please follow the direction signs.
Participants must:
- have empty pockets
- wear comfortable clothing suitable for climbing – preferably trousers or long shorts and no bare midriffs.
- wear sensible footwear – trainers are ideal, no flip flops/crocs or open toed shoes
- remove jewellery.
- tie back long hair.
There is a maximum weight of 115 kilos or 18 stone for any harnessed activity, and a minimum height of 1.2m for the ariel trek.
We have recommended ages groups for each activity that we think will will gain a quality experience. This is generally based on size of the participant and the complexity of the activity. For example a Beaver might be too small to fully enjoy an activity, or an Explorer Scout might find the activity too easy.
Please get in touch with our team to discuss providing your own instructor. Please note Woodhouse Park may allocate a member of staff to observe some or all of your session, and some activities require a familiarisation session.
Activities using external providers must follow the centre’s standard operating procedures and risk assessments.
Our activities can operate in all weathers, except for extreme winds and lightning, so please ensure your group has suitable clothing.
We cannot provide storage for valuables or personal belongings, and recommend leaving them at home, or leaving them with a leader or friend who is not taking part in the activity.
Any participants taking part in Ait Rifle Shooting or Crossbow Shooting must present a shooting permission form to the instructor at the start of the activity. This can be found on our documents page, or you can pick up spare paper copies at reception.
This is a legal document – any participant without a signed form will not be able to take part. Please note that the form cannot be signed by the group leader, or any party other than the appropriate parent/guardian.
Shooting forms are not required for archery, laser tag, or tomahawk throwing.
Camping & Accommodation
Each camping pitch can accommodate up to 50 people. Please note this does not include space for marquees or mess tents. Large groups of more than 40 may want to book two pitches.
Both accommodation buildings include a full set of catering equipment, including:
- Large and small pots and pans
- Oven trays
- Cutlery & crockery
- Jugs & glasses
- Chopping boards, knives, and various cooking utensils
- Several kettles
- Fridge/freezer
- Large oven & stove
- Large sink
The Training Centre has enough equipment to cater 60, and the Lovell Centre has enough equipment to cater 50. Additional equipment is available upon request.
A member of our team will always be on site, and accessible through our duty phone, which is posted throughout the centre.
We ask groups to be considerate of other visitors between 10pm and 7am, with generators and music turned off, and all group members back at your campsite or accomodation.
Groups are welcome to put tents up before their booking, and leave them up to dry if needed, but this must be arranged in advance with our booking team.
Groups can check in from 4pm on the day of arrival and check out by 12pm on the day of departure.
Depending on availability, you may be able to request an alternative time – please contact us to discuss this.
Larger groups may benefit from booking camping adjacent to a residential building.
The Trym field is conveniently located next to the Training centre and can be booked online. The Lovell centre has a field inside its boundary, which can be booked for camping by contacting the bookings team.
No off site vehicles/persons are generally allowed to drive onto the camping areas. If weather conditions permit and a staff member is present to ask, you may be able to.
We welcome all potential visitors to visit the centre before they book. Please contact us to arrange a time to suit you and we will give you a tour and answer any questions.
All parents will need to park in the car park by Reception and wait outside Reception to be collected by a leader. This reduces the amount of traffic on the site and reduces the risk of an accident.
Please make sure a leader is waiting to meet parents and young people.
Leaders may drive through the site to drop of equipment, but please ensure the gate is closed if you open it.
For large events and busy time we may open another car park or exit gate, please follow the direction signs.
Woodhouse is now a zero waste centre so we encourage you to take all your waste home with you, However we accept that this may cause some difficulties, please speak to a member of our volunteer team who can advise you.
Yes, all groups are required to leave the buildings clean and tidy, ready for the next group with any waste taken away. This helps us to keep the cost of the buildings as low as possible.
Please note that there is an additional charge of £50 where the accommodation is not left in a clean and tidy state.
Southmead Hospital – Southmead Road, Bristol, BS10 5NB (0117 950 5050)
Children’s Hospital – Upper Maudlin Street, Bristol, BS2 8BJ (0117 923 0000)
Facilities
We allow open fires, but these must be contained at least 50cm off the ground, or in one of our designated campfire circles, or fire pits.
Altar fires are available for hire, which include a grate which can be used for cooking.
The shop is open everyday during 9-5 and whenever we have volunteers and staff on site. It can also be opened by appointment. Please contact the Reception to arrange a time that suits your group.
We accept cash & card, and sell toys, games, snacks, Woodhouse Park memorabilia, hot and cold drinks, pasties, and more!
We cannot provide storage for valuables or personal belongings, and recommend leaving them at home, or leaving them with a leader or friend who is not taking part in the activity.
There is a guest wi-fi throughout our accommodation buildings. Please note this is for use by leaders and is not designed for use by large groups at one time.
The wi-fi code is available from reception, and in the group leader’s folder in the kitchen in each building.
Woodhouse is now a zero waste centre so we encourage you to take all your waste home with you, However we accept that this may cause some difficulties, please speak to a member of our volunteer team who can advise you.
Equipment Hire
The majority of our camping equipment, such as tables or altar fires, will be delivered to your campsite, accommodation, or activity location before your arrival.
Self-led kit should be collected from reception.
Some specialist equipment, such as the silent disco, will need to be collected from reception. Please get in touch to arrange a suitable time.
If you discover you need to hire additional equipment, please pop down to reception and we’ll let you know if any more is available.
The majority of our equipment bookings are available at day-rate only, with the exception of the pizza oven and BBQ.
Please get in touch to discuss the hire of equipment for use off site, as this will vary depending on the equipment and availability.
Equipment being used off-site must be collected and returned from the site shop. We are unable to offer delivery/collection services.