Adventure Course: Our exciting Adventure Course offers up to twelve challenging elements that will promote participation, communication and team building. Through the experience young people will be given the opportunity to build on their self confidence and skills.

Aerial Runway: Take an exhilarating ride on one of our Aerial Runways. Take off from a platform over 10 metres high and travel 100 metres at high speed before lowering yourself down and doing it all over again

All Terrain Boarding: Test your balance on our All Terrain Boards down 3 slopes of varying inclines. This progressive activity helps self confidence and is a great introduction to a new sport.

Archery: A great sport that everyone can take part in that helps to build confidence and improve co-ordination skills. With the care and guidance of our qualified Instructor team we enable participants to learn the basic skills to use the equipment correctly to maximise results. Sessions can be tailored to meet the experience of the group and can offer the opportunity for progression.

Bar-B-Q: Hire one of our Bar-B-Q stands to cook your lunch or evening meal during a residential or day visit. Otherwise you can hire them for cooking your own food between activities for your birthday party .

Big Screen Cinema: Use our big screen cinema to show a DVD, a good way to finish off a tiring day on activities out in the fresh air or to keep your group entertained between activities and lights out. Groups need to provide a DVD.

Bridge Build: This is a team activity for years 11 and above. Using equipment provided and skills taught in the session, groups build a bridge to enable them to cross the stream on the edge of the site. The session will develop skills including communication, working as a team and leadership.

Caving: Work your way through the tunnels of our caving course, try to avoid the dead ends and find the exit in the quickest time, helping your team mates as you go. This activity is suitable for those with or without a fear of closed spaces as the group will be encouraged to work together, everyone helping to find the quickest way through the maze. Testing co-operation, communication and general teamwork, this activity can be tailored to your groups needs with extra challenges if required.

Climbing Wall: A choice of 2 purpose built climbing towers, 7 climbing faces, approximately 350 square metres of climbing wall (maximum height 12m) and 3D features to add interest and challenge to those who are novice through to advanced climbers.

All the climbing is ‘top roping’ and with most groups the participants are involved in the belaying of their friends. There is the potential for belaying from above, which would generally be reserved for climbing courses.

Apart from the holds bolted onto the vertical faces there are large features with a natural ‘rock texture’ finish. These provide opportunities for using a variety of climbing techniques such as, laybacks, overhangs, hand, finger and foot jams, mantelshelves and chimney climbing.

A sloping slab provides opportunity for easy climbing as well as a place where wheel chair users can be hoisted to the first floor. From there they can transfer to the aerial runway for an exciting ride back down to ground level. One face is reserved for abseiling.

Day Trip Offsite: We can arrange for groups to participate in a variety of activity and cultural events offsite. We can arrange a variety of interesting outings from the site for groups to participate in which could include Colchester Castle, Colchester Zoo, Rollerworld, swimming and maybe going for a game of bowling at Megabowl. We can also offer a visit to local nature reserves and walks from the site to take in the local area.

Disco: Burn off your last bit of energy for the day dancing to the latest sounds or some classic tunes or finish off your visit with a disco on the last night ! We can organise a disco with DJ and full lights and music.

Environmental Studies: With prior notice we can arrange a trip to the Packing Shed, a former oyster packing hut on an island in the creek. Find out about the local industry as well as marine life. Coastal walks are also available.

First Aid: Sessions to suit all groups are delivered in an informative interesting way. First Aid learning is fun, useful and lifesaving. We can structure a course to meet the needs of groups and individuals with lots of hands on experiential training. In conjunction with the Essex Ambulance Trust we offer courses that can be certified or just for the experience. see First Aid courses

High Ropes: With 5 elements to choose from, take the challenge of walking along the catwalk 8 metres off the ground or maybe take the Leap of Faith for the trapeze. You can even work alongside your friends attempting the Jacobs ladder or the All aboard. The Vines finish off our set of High Ropes elements which help to build self confidence and self esteem.

It's a Knockout: It's bouncy, wet and loads of fun. Providing every group with an excellent ice breaker activity or an even better finale to their camp with us. For day visitors a change of clothes is essential! A range of up to 10 games emphasise teamwork skills with lots of fun elements mixed in. Try and conquer the water tower, or reach the top of the slippery slide. Test your combat skills on the gladiators or pillow fight! The whole event is run by enthusiastic instructors who will ensure that your whole group get involved and have a great time. Leaders may be required to assist in the running of activities but don't worry - it's the perfect opportunity to get your own back!! The event can be run just for fun or as a competition and can cater for all group sizes from 20 to 200. Don't forget - a change of clothes is essential - YOU WILL GET WET!

Kayaking: Depending on tide and weather this can be on the sea off the beach or from West Mersea. This activity is supervised by British Canoe Union qualified staff. Groups will be provided with all the relevant safety equipment and a safety induction before taking to the water. All watersports will be subject to weather and tidal conditions on the day, in accordance with the centre's Code of Practice. We also offer longer progression courses where participants can be examined for the BCU Star Awards. More advanced Sea Kayaking also available.

Low Ropes: With a new course opened in 2009 this continues to be a great activity to promote teamwork skills whilst having a fun experience. Involving a series of ropes and wires close to the ground, the aim is to move around the course as a team without touching the ground with the support of each other. A great activity for the development of teamwork skills whilst having fun!

Mountain Bikes: We can offer the opportunity for groups to try Mountain Biking either on site or off. There are many cross country routes as well as beaches to ride on which offer stunning views and places of interest along the way. We can also offer the more advanced groups the opportunity to go off road in woodlands near Colchester which is a more challenging but fun experience.

Orienteering: Learn basic map reading skills and find your way round the site, locating markers to solve the puzzles set by our Instructor. Run on a large area of the site, participants work in small groups to find letters, numbers or pictures using simple maps and grid references. After a quick lesson from our Instructor, participants learn the skill of relating map to ground, the sense of a maps scale and the use of four or six figure grid references while working in teams to complete challenges together. This activity can be tailored to the age and ability of the group and with prior notice can be expanded to go off site with proper supervision.

Pioneering: An activity for groups of all years, the group works to create two ballistas from equipment provided. The session finishes with the ballistas used to fire balls onto a target. A great team building activity, group members learn new skills including communication and working together in a group.

Sea Kayaking: Our qualified and experienced kayak coaches can offer a range of sea kayak experiences, from novice to advanced level. Choose from half-day introductory sessions, to full-day trips using the local coastline and estuaries, including open crossings between Mersea and Bradwell. Alternatively opt for a trip around Mersea Island, spending the night on East Mersea Stone; or an exploration of the Walton Backwaters, including a circumnavigation of Horsey Island, with the option of an overnight camp! Multi-day trips along other parts of the UK coastline are also available.

Speedboat & Crabbing: Ride the waves on our 21ft Rigid Inflatable Boat and fish for crabs in West Mersea. An activity to fill a whole morning or afternoon for up to 20 people, we take our 21ft Rigid Inflatable Boat out into the Estuary to provide the group with the experience of travelling across the water at speed, trying to catch the waves. With a maximum of 8 passengers, the boat can be used from West Mersea at any state of the tide, or off the beach at the Centre. Speak to our staff to find out what's best for you. While waiting for a ride, the rest of your group can go crab fishing off the pontoon at West Mersea, feeding the local crab population and competing to get the biggest or most crustaceans. This activity can be for fun or as part of a lesson in local marine life. Whether fishing or on the boat, participants are provided with a buoyancy aid and are supervised by a team of our Instructors who will drive the boat and dish out the bait. Down at West Mersea Hard there is a shop where group members can buy drinks and sweets, a fishmonger with displays of the local catch, the inshore lifeboat station and hundreds of boats of all shapes and sizes. Visits to these are under the supervision of the Group Leaders. Toilet facilities are also nearby.

Swimming Pool: Since May 2009 the pool is now properly heated enabling use whatever the weather. Our 25m long, 1 metre deep pool can be hired for a swim or with our pool games for a fun session. All sessions are supervised by a qualified Lifeguard.

Team Challenge: A wide range of challenging activities that promote team work and communication. The activities not only offer the opportunity for groups to go through a developmental process but also to have fun as well. We can work with you to put together a programme that is appropriate to your group and the outcomes required. Larger problem solve activities include Bridge Building and Cogs and Pulleys, while our smaller activities can be grouped together for a problem solve session.

For further information:

Call 01206 383226

E-mail info@merseaoutdoors.com

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