HOLIDAY FAQS
1. Should I book my family holiday now? Is my money secure in the event of Covid restrictions?
We know that having a holiday to look forward to is more important than ever before and a family adventure holiday is the perfect remedy to lockdown. We all need a fun summer! But should you book it now and is your money safe?
Our promise to you:
Should your holiday have to be cancelled due to UK Government Covid travel restrictions at the time of your holiday, we will either transfer your holiday to another date or offer you a full refund. If you are unable to travel due to falling ill with Covid or having to self-isolate, we will also transfer or refund your holiday (on receipt of a doctor's note or positive test result).
With the vaccine process underway, we have every confidence that holidays and travel will resume and cannot wait to give you the summer holiday your family deserves. In the unlikely event your holiday has to be cancelled, your money is protected. Please email us if you have any further questions.
2. What age do my children need to be to do the activities?
Our holidays attract a great mix of ages and are best suited for children from the age of 5 upwards and attract both younger children, tweens and teenagers, with lots of fun activities included and other kids and teenagers to hang out with. Note that 4 year olds can join in too but may not be able to take part in every activity if the kit is too small (high ropes/climbing). If you have children under 4 and want to bring them along, they are very welcome. As we don't have a creche/nursery on-site, an adult in your party will need to take care of the younger child during activity sessions and we ask that you bring your own travel cot & high chair if required. Children 3 and under are able to stay free of charge.
3. What meals are included?
Our holidays are full board and so all of your meals during your stay are included. Your first meal on arrival day will be an evening meal and you'll depart after lunch on your day of departure. We aim to provide nutritious family friendly meals. Your meals will be served in our onsite canteen at breakfast and dinner time and we will provide packed lunch making materials each day. We will cater for any dietary requirement or allergy and have the experience to do so (please let us know in advance, on booking. Please note that we cannot guarantee an allergen free environment, please contact us directly if you have any concerns regarding this). View our sample menu here.
4. Do parents have to take part in all the activities?
It's your holiday and as a parent you can opt in and out of activities as you wish. All we ask is that at least one parent remains close by during the sessions.
Evening entertainment is provided each evening. On all but one of the evenings we ask that a parent remains onsite.
On Wednesday evening we put on a kids only evening to give parents a night off, leaving you free to relax and do your own thing until 10pm. This can include going to the local pub, if you wish. Children are required to be dropped off with our staff on this evening.
5. Do we have to do the activities everyday?
Whole families can opt out in order to do their own thing or take advantage of the sight seeing opportunities we offer on any of the three off-site days. Opting out allows you to create your own bespoke family experience within the framework of our activity programme. If opting out of an on-site activity you will simply have time to relax or explore the beautiful surrounding area, we can point you in the right direction of course but transport is down to you. If opting out of one of the three off site activity days we have options for you relating to that day as follows:
Cave & Dales Day:
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There are two options available and are great for those who like a potter!
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You can be dropped off in Settle and the brilliantly named Giggleswick https://www.visitsettle.co.uk/giggleswick.html
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Perfect for a taste of Yorkshire village life and all the fine fare on offer.
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Or come to the cave venue with the group as we drive through spectacular scenery and finish at the famous Ribblehead Viaduct where you can explore while we cave
Watersports Day:
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This off-site day is relatively local so affords the opportunity to explore the delights of Oakworth and Haworth.
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The Railway children was filmed in and around the area, Oakworth station is where you will be dropped off, from here you can take ‘the Railway Children’walk to Haworth or jump on the steam train, which runs between Keighley and Oxenhope, for one stop to Haworth.
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https://www.movie-locations.com/movies/r/Railway-Children.php
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Haworth is famously the home of the Bronte sisters and is like stepping back in time, walk the cobbles, visit the apothecary, sweet shop and the Bronte Parsonage Museum
Malham Cove & Goredale Scar day
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On this day we spend practically all the day in the same area, apart from the visit to Billy Bobs Ice Cream Parlour of course, so the opting out option for this day is to come with us but take off an explore on your own and meet for a lift home later or get dropped off in Skipton.
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Skipton is an ancient market town with a castle, plenty of shops, pubs and a canal system with short tours from the town.
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https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attractions-g209940-Activities-Skipton_North_Yorkshire_England.html
6. What do I need to pack?
We provide all of the kit & equipment you'll need to do activities such as buoyancy aids & helmets as well as water proofs where required (although you may prefer to use your own). As this is an outdoor activity holiday in the UK, we recommend coming prepared with layers so plenty of t-shirts, jumpers, shorts, trousers, trainers, walking shoes or trainers for walking, wet shoes (if you have some), a waterproof, wellies (hopefully you won't need them!), fleece, coat, socks, underwear, suncream, hat and a camera to capture all the fun! There are plugs for hairdryers if you want to bring one along and also bring towels as these aren't provided. Please visit the handy info main page for a full list.
7. What do families do in the evenings?
Our holidays include evening entertainment to keep you busy in the evenings, or if you prefer you can make use of the onsite bar and relax in the social areas. With plenty of other families on the holiday, evenings with us are a very social affair, where the kids can play and hang out happily and if you so wish, you can enjoy some adult conversation. On Wednesday evening (six night break) we put on a kids only evening to give parents a night off, leaving you free to relax and do your own thing until 10pm. This can include going to the local pub, if you wish. Children are required to be dropped off with our staff on this evening.
If you have younger children that need to go to bed earlier than 10pm, it's important to note that we don't provide a babysitting or listening service for children in bedrooms and we can only take responsibility for children who are dropped off at our evening entertainment sessions.
8. Do I need insurance?
As with any holiday it's wise to get travel insurance at the time of booking your holiday to cover you for any unforseen eventualities. When buying insurance, please remember to make sure it covers you for the activities you'll be doing on your holiday and that you've declared any pre-existing medical conditions.
9. Will I need my car whilst I am there?
Our activities are either onsite or if offsite, we take you there by mini-bus, so it's unlikely you will need to use your car during your stay (unless you want to of course!) There is parking available at our centre.
10. How fit do I need to be?
Our holidays are geared up for families and every activity can be taken at your own pace so don't worry, you don't have to start running and getting into shape before coming on our holidays. There will be some walking involved, so as long as you like getting your trainers on (and using them for what they're designed for!) you'll be ok. Our holidays are ideal for families who like to be active and enjoy the great outdoors or who are seeking an introduction to this fantastic way of life :)
11. Do you cater for special diets?
We are very experienced at catering for special diets and happy to do so. All we ask is that you let us know in advance (ideally at the point of booking so we can prepare in advance)
12. What's included?
Pretty much is included in the price of our family activity holidays, making this a brilliant choice for families that want to plan and budget without any hassle or any hidden surprises. See our What's included page for the full breakdown.
13. Is there a bar on-site?
A holiday without a bar? Not on our watch. We have it all covered and there is a bar onsite for you to relax and enjoy a glass of wine or two in the evenings if you wish.
14. What time is check-in & Check out?
Check in time is from 3pm, giving you time to unpack, have a tour and relax before dinner at 6pm and evening entertainment. Check out is after a morning activity session & lunch (around 1pm)
15. What are the rooms like?
Our private family rooms are set across two buildings within our Outdoor Adventure Centre and each room has either twin beds or bunk beds, with different layouts and sizes. Each room will have storage and a few extra comforts to make your stay enjoyable. Some rooms are en-suite and some have a shared bathroom, depending on your budget & preference.
Our accommodation is exclusive to families with children age 17 and under so this is a safe, relaxed space for your family to enjoy. There are lots of communal areas to socialise and relax in. Outdoors there's a campfire area (where we host a campfire evening), perfect for toasting marshmallows and enjoying a drink or two.
16. Where do the activities take place?
Two of your days will be spent onsite enjoying all that our Adventure Centre has to offer. There are also three off site days in the Yorkshire Dales involving caving, canoeing, trekking, stand up paddle boarding and exploring the epic Malham Cove. When travelling off-site we offer a complimentary mini-bus service so there's no need to use your car. How great is that!
17. What do you do if it rains?
It's always sunny in Yorkshire of course...! In our experience, visitors often have just as good a time when it is raining as long as they are well looked after. You are advised to bring warm clothing, suitable footwear and we supply waterproofs where necessary. All of our outdoor activities are designed for a variety of conditions with high quality equipment that can withstand the elements.
18. Is there wi-fi?
There is wi-fi available for you to use during your stay (should you find the time!)
19. How do I get to you? (directions)?
We are ideally located on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales with excellent road links. We're 5 miles from Skipton & Keighley in Cowling, North Yorkshire. It is roughly a 1 hour drive from both Leeds and Manchester. The nearest train station is Steeton & Silsden and this station is just a 5-10 minute taxi ride (and connects via Leeds)
Our address is:
High Adventure, 233 Keighley Road, Cowling, North Yorkshire, BD22 0AA
20. Can I bring my dog/s?
We have a selection of dog friendly rooms available within a designated part of our centre and we welcome well-behaved dogs :) We know that many active families have pet dogs and as dog owners ourselves, we welcome your dogs on our holidays. There are just a few things you need to know in advance. Our holidays include a range of outdoor activities each day. Some are on-site and some are off-site. Dogs can't participate in the activities but they are welcome to tag along if someone is able to take responsibility for them during the activities. When off-site, dogs are welcome to come along with you in our mini-buses and we will provide a doggy seat belt. How cool is that?! The water sports day will enable you to take it in turns with someone to take care of your dog and so you all still get to have a go on the day. On the caving day, there are some lovely dog walks if one of you would rather go for a stroll with the dog and there are also parts of the cave where you could swap over and take it in turns. Again, this means you still get to join in on the activity and there is flexibility.
The main thing to say is that your dog will be your responsibility throughout your holiday and so it's your decision whether you think your furry friend will fit in on this type of holiday or better left with a friend/neighbour. We would definitely like to meet them if they like adventures! We apply a small extra charge for dogs, as it pretty standard and there is a park 5 minutes away from our centre, perfect for exercising your dog during your stay. For more information about bringing dogs on our holidays, please don't hesitate to email us.
21. Travelling with younger children
Our holidays are best suited to age 5 plus. Kit and equipment for activities like climbing and high ropes is size dependant and some younger children may be too small to join in on harnessed activities but can fully participate in everything else.
It's your holiday and as a parent you can opt in and out of activities as you wish. All we ask is that at least one parent remains close by during the sessions.
Evening entertainment is provided each evening. On all but one of the evenings we ask that a parent remains onsite.
On Wednesday evening we put on a kids only evening to give parents a night off, leaving you free to relax and do your own thing until 10pm. This can include going to the local pub, if you wish. Children are required to be dropped off with our staff on this evening.
If you have younger children that need to go to bed earlier than 10pm, it's important to note that we don't provide a babysitting or listening service for children in bedrooms and we can only take responsibility for children who are dropped off at our evening entertainment sessions.
22. How do I book?
All you have to do is complete our online booking form and pay a deposit of £200, securely, via Squareup. All debit and major credit cards are accepted. To book please visit our Online Booking Page.