Approved Activity Provider

Harbour Challenge is an outdoor education centre delivering high quality training and training and educational programmes including the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

We were the first outdoor education centre to gain the Learning Outside The Classroom Mark in the South West Region.

We work closely with Groups, Schools,Organisation and Individuals undertaking their DofE Programme, as a centre we work hard to assist young people in achieving their objectives and developing new skills. Throughout their training and expedition modules participants are encouraged to accept real ownership of their DofE programme and continue this until completion of their Award. Activities currently take place in  Poole Harbour for the watersports and The New Forest and the Purbeck’s. We also provide a wide range of activities for the Gold Residential section of the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

Participants will be required to plan, train for and complete a walking, kayaking or sailing expedition over 2 days & 1 night (Bronze), 3 days & 2 nights (Silver) or 4 days & 3 nights (Gold). The training will develop participants’ skills in the various aspects of a walking, kayaking or sailing expedition. Kayaking and sailing expeditions will be run in various areas of Poole harbour ensuring increasing levels of difficulty to create the appropriate level of challenge for each of the Awards. Poole harbour covers an area of 14 sq. miles and offers a varied and interesting environment both geographically and historically for exploration and learning. Walking expeditions take place in the New Forest Hampshire, in the Purbeck’s (South West Coastal Path) and around the shores of Poole Harbour (water based) for Bronze and Silver Awards. Training will include areas such as first aid and emergency procedures, awareness of risk and health/safety issues, navigation and route planning, camp craft, equipment and hygiene, food and cooking, country, highway and water sports codes, observation, recording and presentation, team building and proficiency in the mode of travel. Participants will also undertake supervised practice expeditions over an appropriate number of days and nights for all Award levels. An appropriate time gap will then be provided for the group participants to collectively plan the qualifying expedition route and prepare a route card. The expedition itself will take place over the appropriate number of days and nights depending on the award level and is supervised remotely by qualified Harbour Challenge staff.

There are great opportunities to travel elsewhere in the U.K as we have our own transport (Extra costs may be incurred).

There are many options to choose from – either on land or water based (canoe, kayak or sailing).  All the technical equipment can be provided on the training and expedition days.(Extra charges may apply)