Activities

You’ll find a description of each of our activities below, with an idea of running times, to help you to imagine your visit to us. Our expert instructors can advise on the best combination of activities as well as make suggestions to adapt each activity to suit the individual needs of the group.

If you would like to do something that isn’t on the list, please don’t hesitate to ask!

Aerial Activities

Braeside boasts a double sided 10 meter climbing wall with 4 auto belays, 3 ropes climbs an abseiling wall, a 115 meter zip wire and a 5 element high ropes course. Ideal for adrenaline activities designed to push participants to the limits of their physical and mental abilities.

We’ve designed a range of challenges demanding different combinations of team work and independent involvement. Through participation, individuals will also learn support roles such as belaying and equipment organisation.

Braeside
  • Climbing Wall

    A vertical climbing wall with 4 automatic belays which allow climbers to climb and descend independently 4 at a time.

    An angled climbing wall with peer-to-peer belaying to enable climbers with a wide spectrum of abilities to access the sport of climbing.

  • Zip Wire

    A 115 meter zip wire running from the top of our climbing wall across the Braeside grounds and pond.

  • Abseil

    A vertical abseil wall from the top of our climbing wall. Participants learn how to lower themselves safely to the ground.

  • Crate Stack

    Two participants working together to build a tower of crates against the clock while the rest of the team support from the ground in various roles, from passing crates to belaying.

  • Leap of Faith

    An individual challenge to climb up a single pole to the 10-meter high platform, where you leap out to hit the target of a hanging buoy.

  • Jacob's Ladder

    Four climbers work together to help each other up the six rungs of the ladder which get further apart the higher they climb. All other participants in the group help with belaying.

  • High All Aboard

    One at a time, climbers attempt to climb to the top on a single pole and onto a 50 x 50 cm platform. Once complete, they wait and help up to another 3 participants before a challenge will be set. All other participants in the group will be belaying for the climbers and encouraging their peers.

  • Parallel Poles

    A pairs challenge where two climbers start at opposite sides of the course. The aim is to complete the three levels of bridges, crossing in the middle of each bridge as they pass each other.

Canoeing

A great team activity launching at Devizes wharf in our 3-seater canoes. Basic skills are learned, and games played. This session can be run as a half day or a full day journey with a lunch stop.

Braeside

Archery - New in 2023!

Target archery involves shooting at stationary circular targets from set distances. Target archery is the kind played at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and is the type that most beginners or “Have a go” archery session participants try first. Archers shoot at a distance of 10 metres on our beautiful outdoor range with a stunning scenic backdrop

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Mountain Biking

Practice a range of biking skills before heading out on our mountain bike course around our site. An optional skills session on our ramps, drop off and sea-saws.

MTB; trail ride

Team Building & Problem Solving

Braeside
  • Problem Solving

    We have a range of different outside and inside activities for groups to take part in, all activities are designed to test the groups teamwork and critical thinking.

  • Low Ropes

    Our low ropes course consists of 7 elements and can be run in different ways to test the group, focusing on teamwork or individual challenges.

  • Bouldering Room

    A low-level traversing wall hidden away in the cellar of Braeside makes for a fun indoor alternative to our outside climbing wall.

  • Lifeline

    A rope trail though our steep woodland, heading under and over obstacles and up and down the steep banks. Blind folds can be added to really test the groups communication and teamwork.

  • Slacklining

    Testing your balance along a raised line. Can be an individual challenge or working as a team.

Offsite Activities

Full or Half Day activities based offsite exploring the beautiful local areas of Devizes.

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  • Roundway Hill

    A full days walking with a morning focusing on map & compass work and the afternoon looking at the historic ‘Oliver’s Castle’ and ‘Mother Anthony’s Well’.

  • Drew's Pond

    A full day themed around nature. A walk though Devizes to Drews pond nature reserve where pupils will participate in a stream study session involving pond dipping and velocity data collecting. A picnic lunch and an afternoon of natural art and crafts.

  • Food for Thought

    A practical morning, learning about the importance of a balanced diet and what safety concerns there are around food. We take groups to our local market, where they will need to buy ingredients, as a team, for lunch from the local merchants, taking in the consideration what they have learnt in the morning.  Lunch is then prepared and eaten back at Braeside and scored.

  • Caen Hill Lock Walk

    Take a trip down to Caen Hill Locks. A scenic, historic walk. Maps and activity sheets can be provided.

    Caen Hill Locks | Places to visit | Canal & River Trust (canalrivertrust.org.uk)

  • Lock Talk

    A talk on the locks and how they work and what they are used for, by a Kennet and Avon canal volunteer lock keeper.

  • Pond Dipping

    Walk to the top of Caen Hill locks and see what you can catch and identify in the Kennet and Avon Canal.

  • Floating Museum

    A visit to The Admiral floating museum, situated at lock 44 on Caen Hill Locks, with a Kennet and Avon canal volunteer lock keeper to guide you around.

  • Town Trail

    Fact finding mission. Find out about our local town and the history in it by navigated your group through the historic area of Devizes.

Survival Sessions

Several activity options available, all in our beautiful onsite survival area. A central fire pit is surrounded by a circular wooden bench and outdoor barn, for groups sessions. Wood for fires and shelters is collected from the Braeside woodlands.

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  • Fire Lighting

    Teaching groups the principles of fire lighting in a safe environment. Groups will build and maintain a fire and toast their own bread dough twists or marshmallows.

  • Shelter Building

    Groups are given a tarp and ropes and must work as a team to build a structure that can protect them from unpredictable English weather.

  • Willow Weaving

    Using a natural resource, we teach groups how use willow to create a natural fencing that can be seen and used around our site.

  • Outdoor Cookery - Cook your own lunch

    Teaching groups the principles of fire lighting in a safe environment. Groups will build and maintain a fire. They will then cook their lunch for the day.

     

Map Based Activities

Braeside
  • Compass Trail

    Learning about the importance of compasses in navigation and how they are used to navigate around our site.

  • Orienteering

    Teaching a group, the basic principles of maps and how to use them to locate markers around our site.

  • GPS Orienteering

    Using a more modern approach to navigation, an explanation into how GPS devices work, the importance of them and how they are used. The devices are then used to find specific locations around Braeside grounds.

  • Photo Search

    Can you identify the image? Multiple zoomed in photos of our site are used, working together as a group to try and locate the location and what the image might be of.

  • Rubbing Trail

    A map-based activity. To collect your answer, use chalk to take a rubbing of a wooden engraved plaque.

Evening Activities

After your evening meal, there are plenty of options for evening activities, before settling into bed.
Here’s just a list of our popular activities.
For a standard 2 night stay, one evening will include a Braeside instructor led activity, and one evening will be a school led activity.

Low ropes; activities; corporate team building
  • Night Line

    A ropes trail though our steep woodland heading under and over obstacles and up and down the steep banks, working together to navigate through the trees in the dark.

  • Wildlife Trail Cameras

    Look for evidence of wild animals around our grounds. Then, using our trail cameras, try to capture them on film in their natural environment.

  • Indoor Problem-solving Games

    We have a range of different inside activities for groups to take part in, all activities are designed to test the groups teamwork.

  • Camp Fire

    Bring the group together around a fire while singing songs and roasting marshmallows.

  • DT Challenge

    Competing teams are challenged to build a structure that can hold an object off the ground, using a limited supply of materials.

  • Pipe and Ball Challenge

    Can a group transport an object from one location to another only using pipe. Making sure to work together and encouraging communication to complete the challenge.

  • Waterslide

    Slide down our 20m outdoor water slide.

  • Talent Show

    Access to Braeside’s stage and sound system for a self-led talent show.

  • Cinema Room

    We have two rooms available with projectors or 50” tv. A DVD player or laptop can be available for playing films but own films, or logins will need to be brought with you.

  • Disco Room

    Disco lights and sound system set up and available for use in the evening. Own music will need to be provided.