What We Offer
What we provide
Tollymore National Outdoor Centre stands as a state of the art outdoor centre. It is located on the northern edge of the Mourne Mountains on the fringe of Tollymore Forest Park with direct access to the forest. It provides a wide range of skills and leadership courses in rockclimbing, hillwalking, canoeing and kayaking, mountain biking, mountaineering and orienteering to groups and individuals. If you are hoping to try an adventure sport for the first time or you are an experienced outdoor enthusiast, we will have a course to suit you.
On site facilities include high and low ropes courses, indoor and outdoor climbing walls, kayak rolling pool, and mountain bike skills course. The Centre also includes ensuite accommodation, a range of changing facilities to suit different organisations, excellent dining facilities, coffee lounge facilities, information on the Mournes, and a range of meeting and conference rooms.
Findings in a recent survey conducted in August 2014 found that participants rated quality and experience of instructional staff, quality of equipment, facilities and accommodation as being important factors when selecting a training provider. We are delighted to say that Tollymore National Outdoor Centre was ranked 5 out of 5 in these areas.
Our Staff
Our greatest resource… The instructors who will work with you are among the most experienced and active outdoor enthusiasts in Northern Ireland. They are involved in the development of many award schemes and spend much of their spare time climbing and kayaking. They want to see you develop skills and share experiences with others. All of our staff are committed to the ongoing development of the Centre.
Our Expertise
We have the expertise to provide a range of courses. It is one of only three National Centres approved to provide all canoesport courses up to and including Level 5 Assessment in all disciplines, and all hillwalking and rockclimbing courses up to and including Mountaineering Instructor Award Training and Assessment. Tollymore is the only Centre in Ireland approved to run such a wide range of courses at such a high level.
Our Range of Courses
We provide an extensive range of skills and leadership courses in an array of activities, from hillwalking and rambling, through to sea kayaking, whitewater skills and coaching courses. We also provide a full range of other courses, which are based on our skills, experience and location and can provide technical expertise to others as well. We will ensure that all courses provide you with a quality experience at exceptional value. View all the courses we have on offer.
Our Accommodation
Tollymore provides both residential and non residential facilities. All of our accommodation is in twin ensuite bedrooms, with extensive drying and storage areas for wet equipment. Please note some of our bedrooms are not suitable for very small children as the bed can only be accessed by climbing a steep ladder. All of our bedrooms have free tea and coffee making facilities. We have a range of meeting rooms and social areas, ranging from the ‘Poulaphuca’ recreational area, to the cosier ‘Brandy Pad’ lounge.
There are extensive changing and showering facilities for non residential groups, with secure lockers for storage of personal clothing when on activity.
We can offer additional nights’ accommodation either at the beginning or end of a course for an extra £26 per person. This is a great way to further enhance your time at Tollymore and savour the beautiful majestic setting that the Centre has to offer.
Our Catering
Most of our courses are fully catered, which is included in your course fee. If catering is not included, this will be made clear in the course notes. On weekend courses catering includes fully cooked breakfast on both days of your course, packed lunch on both days of your course, plus dinner on Saturday night. Catering for longer courses includes three meals each full day of your course. On courses where an element of expeditioning is involved, ‘camp food’ is provided. Our ‘One Day’ courses include a packed lunch, if you are away from the centre for the day, or a more formal meal, if you are based in the centre. Free tea and coffee making facilities are available in your bedroom on residential courses. We also have high quality tea and coffee vending machines in the Centre, for those who would like tea and coffee outside meal times. Some courses which are based away from Tollymore are provided on a self-catering basis. If you have specific catering needs, please inform us of this on your booking form.
Our Equipment
On all of our courses, you will have access to the most modern and ‘state of the art’ equipment available. As part of our commitment to improvement, you will now have access to new sea kayaks, white water boats and surf kayaks as well as a full range of new mountaineering equipment.
Our Transport
All ‘in-course’ transport is provided on your course. We have two 15 seater minibuses, a 14 seater minibus, plus a nine-seater people carrier, which we use to travel to course locations. We also have a range of trailers for various canoesport courses. Some courses are based away from Tollymore, but transport is generally available from Tollymore – please contact us in advance to let us know that you would like to travel from Tollymore.
Do we do a good job?
Well we think so! We continually strive to improve our standards. Tollymore was the first outdoor provider in the UK to be ISO 9001 approved for the quality system that it operates, and was also the first to be accredited under the new standard, ISO 9001:2000 (this standard is awarded for our commitment to continual improvement in the Centre). We are also an Adventuremark accredited provider.
However, we don’t want you to rely on the words of others – come to Tollymore, learn new skills, improve your standards or develop your coaching skills – whatever your ability.
Current situation
As you are probably aware the current advice from the Northern Ireland Executive, Health Promotion Agency NI and Health & Safety Executive NI, as well as our expert group within Sport NI is that we cannot deliver any face to face courses for our customers including use of the Hot Rock Climbing Wall.
We know that you and many others like minded folk are very keen to get back on track with your plans to attend and complete a range of personal skills training and qualifications in a range of disciplines.
Believe us when we say we are equally keen to get outside with you and help you reach your goals and complete that journey.
How do we know? Because every day we get emails and phone calls asking when will courses resume and with every NI Executive mention of easing of restrictions the emails and phone calls are more frequent……