School and Group Activities

Bring learning to life with Herts Young Mariners Base. With over 50 years of experience, we specialise in delivering fun, educational, and unforgettable outdoor adventures for school groups. 

Whether you’re planning a GCSE course, an enrichment activity, or an exciting team-building day, our expert instructors will create a programme that’s engaging, safe, and perfectly suited to your students’ needs. 
Choose from 1½-hour sessions, full-day experiences, or multi-day residentials packed with adventure, teamwork, and personal growth opportunities. All Activities are 8+ years. 

Enquire today to find out how we can help your students learn new skills, build confidence, and make memories that last a lifetime! 

Water-Based Activities

Kayaking  
A kayak is a boat that you sit in with your legs out in front, and you move the boat with a double-bladed Paddle. Kayaking is great fun. You will learn how to move forwards, backwards, turn and what to do if it capsizes.  

Open Canoeing  
An open Canoe which can be paddled by one person or two. Most of the time as two persons with a group. To paddle an Open canoe, you traditionally Kneel in the Boat and move it with a single-bladed paddle.  
Open Canoeing is great for teamwork and encourages good communication. You will learn how to move forwards, backwards, turn the boat as a team and what to do if it capsizes.  

Bell Boating  
Bell boating is like two Open Canoes with a walkway between them. It can take up to 10 persons and is a great platform if you have nervous participants in the group. It is also great for teamwork, races and games out on the lake.  

Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP)  
SUP is like a large inflatable surfboard which you stand on and move with a long single-bladed paddle. SUP is great for balance and for water confidence with the use of games and challenges set by the instructors. 

Jumbo SUP 
Jumbo Sup is very similar to SUP, but it can take between 6 and 10 persons depending on the participant’s size. It encourages Teamwork, Balance and water confidence with the use of games and challenges. 

Sailing  
Sailing uses a sailboat takes up to four people depending on the type of boat and has a mast and sails to catch the wind to make it move.  
You steer the boat with a rudder at the rear.  

Rafted Open Canoes  
These are two open canoes joined together. This is a great platform for SEN groups and others to work with and are very stable.  
Rafted open canoes encourages teamwork, communication and water confidence.  

Raft Building  
In Raft building you will work as a team to plan and build a boat using wooden poles, Barrels and rope and then to launch it on to the water and paddle it.  
Raft building is a great team building activity and encourages teamwork, listening skills, hand eye coordination, Water confidence and can also be used as a problem solving or budgeting exercise with the use of games and challenges. 

Land-Based Activities

Climbing
Using our purpose-built outdoor climbing wall with various levels of difficulties encourages teamwork, hand eye feat coordination and self-confidence.  
Session usually starts with moving around the wall just off the floor then progresses to climbing the easy sides and then gradually increase the Difficulty of the climbs.  
Climbing can also be used for school to do GCSE. 

Caving
Using our purpose-built cave system, we can lead the group around various size chambers and passages, learning about cave features, how caves are formed and looking for Fossils and cave paintings.  
Caving encourages teamwork, listening skills, self-confidence and leadership skills.  

Archery
Using 30m archery range you will learn about the safety of archery and how to shoot a Bow and Arrow.  
Archery encourages hand eye coordination, listening skills, teamwork and maths with the use of various games and challenges.  

Fencing
Fencing uses a type of sword called Foils. You will learn about safety, Different positions, how to use a sword and how to Duel.  
Fencing encourages Listening skills, Hand eye coordination, balance and self-confidence.  

Bushcraft 
During Bushcraft you will learn about the environment, how to build shelters, knife skills, splitting wood and fire lighting.  
Bushcraft encourages listening skills, Teamwork, knowledge about the environment you’re in and hand eye coordination.  

Problem solving 
Using various pieces of equipment at different bases we set 20-minute challenges/problems for the groups to solve.  
Problem Solving encourages Planning, Doing and Reviewing, Teamwork, Listening skills, communication skills, self-confidence and leadership skills.  

Adventure Games
Adventure games involve using various pieces of equipment to solve a set adventurous puzzle. Each activity last about 40 minutes.  
Adventure games encourage close teamwork, Leadership skills, communication skills.  

Orienteering
Orienteering is about how to use a map correctly and to find their way around the site to certain check points. There are several courses available like an animal course where they must look for plaques with animals on and to identify them in a set order and against the clock.  
There are also word courses and a code breaking course that involves using two-way radios.  
Orienteering encourages map reading skills, Teamwork, leadership skills and communication skills.  
Orienteering can be done on the water as well. 

Group Programme Examples

To discuss your school / group booking in more detail, please email us HYMB@gll.org and we will be in touch

FAQs

What to bring?

Please bring a change of clothes if you are doing a combination of land-based and water-based activities a towel and a bag to put wet & muddy clothes in. You are required to wear footwear at all times, and they need to be enclosed. Please do not wear FLIP FLOPS or CROCS. Some activities like Caving require you to wear long sleeved tops and trousers. Please also bring any medication that is required and sun cream for those sunny and hot days.

Safety

All staff are DBS checked All Instructors are first aid trained. All Instructors are qualified for the activities that they will be running. All participants will be supplied, fitted and checked with the relevant safety equipment. While on or near the water all participants and helpers will need to wear Buoyancy aids or Lifejackets. While Climbing you will be issued with Helmets and Harnesses. While Caving you will be issued with Helmets. You will be required to wear long sleaved tops and trousers.

Accessibility?

There is easy access to the centre. There are hoists in the 2 disability rooms and a waterside hoist to assist participants on to the water if required.

Is there accommodation?

We do not have any indoor Accommodation but there is the Lee Valley YHA next doors that groups use. There is Camping facilities on site if of interest for groups doing DofE expeditions or youth groups camping.

How do I contact you in an emergency?

If you need to contact HYMB between the hours of 9am and 5pm you can call the office on 01992 628 403 If you are camping on site and you require assistance while out of hours, you will be provided with a mobile number to contact us for assistance.

Can I participate if I have a Medical conditions?

We encourage all participant to take part in the activities and we can adapt the activity to suit the groups abilities or requirements. We do ask that you make sure that our staff are aware of any special needs that the members of the group have before the visit. This is so we can make sure everything is in place for the day.

What happens if there is bad weather?

The majority of activities are unaffected by the weather. If the instructor in charge feels that activity is unsuitable for those conditions, then we can change to something more suitable following a discussion with the group leader. If there is thunder and lighting all participants will be bought indoors until it has passed. If you have any concerns about the weather, please contact the office 01992 628 403

How do you maintain safety?

At HYMB we regularly monitor staff on sessions to maintain the highest standards of safety and provide extra training if Required. All safety equipment is checked on a regular basis and before each session, and that is fits the Participant correctly. HYMB is inspected annually by AALA (Adventure Activity Licencing Authority) and the RYA (Royal Yachting Association).

Is food provided?

Food is not provided. We suggest that if you are here for the whole day that you bring a packed lunch and plenty to drink.