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PGL and similar

18 replies

CaptainCabinetsTrappedInCabinets · 05/01/2025 15:07

Anyone used or worked for these kinds of companies for their kids and can make any recommendations/give tips?

I'm considering booking for the summer for a long weekend and for DH and I to holiday nearby. We have no childcare or family who can have them and we would so love a break away on our own at some point.

OP posts:
xmasdealhunter · 05/01/2025 15:28

My DC did Camp Wilderness at Castle Howard (near York) when they were younger, and loved it. They do 3 and 5 day camps and it's all focussed on bushcraft skills and being outdoors. Castle Howard | Camp Wilderness | Summer Kids Camps. There are several different locations if York doesn't suit

icebearforpresident · 05/01/2025 15:33

It was a trip with Guides but my daughter had a weekend at PGL in Perthshire towards the end of last year and absolutely loved it. She was really nervous going even though it was a guiding only weekend and she wasn’t the only girl in her unit going but as soon as she arrived she was kept busy until the second she got back on the bus to come home. She’s not really the outdoorsy type but enjoyed the bushcraft/camping type activities just as much as the stuff like abseiling and giant tree swing. If another opportunity came up to go she’d be there in a heartbeat.

CaptainCabinetsTrappedInCabinets · 05/01/2025 15:39

@xmasdealhunter what did you think of the team and company? Did your DC enjoy themselves? How old were they?

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HPandthelastwish · 05/01/2025 15:41

I used to work at Kingswood / Camp Beaumont.

Children always appeared to enjoy themselves and settled in fairly quickly. Obviously there was the odd bout of homesickness and it's better not to ring home as it makes it worse but they were mostly soon distracted. Generally the only children that had calls home were those there for multiple weeks or who could not be settled. Lots of children were there whilst parents holidayed elsewhere, were working or children from overseas sent for the full 6 weeks to learn English.

Each group had two group leaders who stayed with them during the activities, are with them at meal times and got them sorted at bedtime same as teachers did on a school trip. The group leaders stay in the ensuite room a the end of the corridor and female / male will supervise their own sex dorms. They will practise fire drill on the first night and if it goes off during the night group leaders do room checks and ensure they are clear during evacuations

Activities wise you need to look carefully at what is on offer some sites are better for older children others for Primary and the activities reflect that.

Most group leaders are taken on for the summer before Uni starts and are mostly 18 years olds or returners. Some will stay on and become an activity instructor doing an apprenticeship during a gap year. Activity instructors were also under 21, a mix of UK, Australia, New Zealand and South Africans when I was there.

Senior instructors, logistics coordinators, duty instructors likely 22-25 having stayed on after completing their apprenticeship.

Centre Manager, Chef, Estates management and Cleaning manager were all 'proper' adults. However although instructors are young most have held roles of responsibility in cadets or scouts and sports groups.

citychick · 05/01/2025 15:44

I used to drop DS off at PGL in Perthshire and spend the week with family in Scotland. DS had a great time. Children hand their phones in which caused a few raised eyebrows . Adults were delighted, kids not so much. They got them back for an hour or so in the evenings. Lots to do, and the people who worked there were all lovely. DS is too old now, sadly.

Summerdew · 05/01/2025 15:44

DDs (11 and 12) went on PGL horse riding camp last year, they loved it and are haranguing me about booking again for this summer (which we will but it’s a useful tool to pretend we might not!)
Sadly the only fully horse riding one is in Wales and we can’t use childcare vouchers. Me and DP did have a glorious long weekend in Hay on the Wye which we will be looking to repeat too.

boulevardofbrokendreamss · 05/01/2025 15:45

Are you thinking for a family break or a school residential? Wouldn't touch PGL with a barge pole, leave it to school. Shit accommodation, shit food, think Pontins. Fine for a school trip.

xmasdealhunter · 05/01/2025 15:46

CaptainCabinetsTrappedInCabinets · 05/01/2025 15:39

@xmasdealhunter what did you think of the team and company? Did your DC enjoy themselves? How old were they?

I thought the team/ company was fab, they got the kids settled in straight away and seemed very friendly. My DD was 10, I think, and my DS was 8. They loved it, it's all I heard about for weeks afterwards! DD is also not particularly outdoorsy but she got stuck right in to all the activities and I remember her raving about the night campfires. They did the 3 day camp.

LesMisSaigon · 05/01/2025 15:54

boulevardofbrokendreamss · 05/01/2025 15:45

Are you thinking for a family break or a school residential? Wouldn't touch PGL with a barge pole, leave it to school. Shit accommodation, shit food, think Pontins. Fine for a school trip.

When my DD was in Brownies she went on 3 PGL long weekends, different locations each time and she loved them all. She never complained about the food and she is quite picky. My nephew now works at one, and he says the food it okay.

TooManyNiblings · 05/01/2025 15:57

DD did one with Guides in October 24, she had an amazing time and said the food was lovely. It was the IOW one.

EveryOtherNameTaken · 05/01/2025 15:58

I did PGL when I was 11 for about 4 days.

Absolutely loved it!

Elsbetka · 05/01/2025 16:00

I'm interested in this - I think mine would benefit from a short residential during the hols. Has anyone used Eco Weeks? There's one reasonably near us in Derbyshire I think - they look a bit eccentric/hippyish, not sure whether that's justified or not 😁

mimiasovitch · 05/01/2025 16:05

When my kids were younger they did Superweeks, run by a charity (ATE). These are less specific activity based, not like
the rock climbing PGL one that one daughter went on. They are more focussed on play - lots of songs, crafts, games etc, and no screens! They both loved them and as soon as they were 17 went as the volunteer monitors who would look after groups of children. One of my daughters is now a doctor and goes if her rota allows as Matron. I can't recommend these enough. Im pretty sure I found them from a recommendation on here in fact.

twistyizzy · 05/01/2025 16:09

DD (13) and her friends did a 4 day PGL activity residential last summer and loved it so much they are doing a full week this summer.
We went as a family with DD for a few years prior so knew what to expect and were confident they would be well looked after.
Your kids will have an amazing time.

Madcats · 05/01/2025 16:57

DD(17) went to 2 PGL's, both times with a friend. I am guessing they would have been about 8-10 (certainly a year or so before Covid lockdowns). They had great fun, but were both outdoorsy types.

She had been on school residentials by that point, and her friend was in scouts/cubs who had also been away.

They went to Liddington (a former conference centre near Swindon) and a tiny place that has since closed down in the Wye Valley.

I'd like to think that it is helpful for many kids to learn how to make friends in unfamiliar situations, but appreciate that it wouldn't be for everybody.

tigerlily9 · 24/03/2025 22:51

Anyone been to marchants hill? Posted in another thread but see this is more recent

CaptainCabinetsTrappedInCabinets · 25/03/2025 18:21

I went for a PP suggestion of Camp Wilderness at Castle Howard in the end.

DH and I are camping less than 0.5 miles away on the castle howard campsite 😂😂

The boys are very excited!

OP posts:
xmasdealhunter · 30/03/2025 23:29

CaptainCabinetsTrappedInCabinets · 25/03/2025 18:21

I went for a PP suggestion of Camp Wilderness at Castle Howard in the end.

DH and I are camping less than 0.5 miles away on the castle howard campsite 😂😂

The boys are very excited!

Edited

Enjoy, you'll have a brilliant time! Send them with old clothes you don't mind getting ruined, we specifically went and got cheap hoodies and joggers from a charity shop. Send a notepad and pen too, so they can exchange contact details with their new friends (we set up an email address prior to the camp and wrote it down for them- which in turn was also a great way for them to practise sending proper emails!)

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