Activities

Activity sessions are 90 minutes long and charged per session. All equipment is provided, groups should dress appropriately for the conditions and activity and bring a change of clothes if required. Hautbois is located on the River Bure and has its own private cut providing the perfect location for a safe introduction to water sports or for more advanced trips up the river and back.

Abseiling
Our purpose built 30ft tower has two descent walls enabling all our participants to challenge themselves.

Climbing
The main goal of these sessions is to enable all our participants to reach their potential. Each participant is asked to challenge themselves to reach their top, be it the top of the climbing wall or the second hold up. We encourage group responsibility for each group member. Building confidence and communication skills are the key skills taken away from this session.

Aerial Runway
Feel the wind in your hair as you experience our 110 metre Aerial Runway with a pure rush of adrenaline as you descend into our woodland valley. A great test of anybody's nerve from any age group, building confidence and team building skills, this will have everyone talking about it for the rest of your stay.

Archery
Whether you are Robin Hood or Maid Marian there is a real sense of achievement on the Hautbois Archery range. One of our less physically demanding activities which allows different members of your group to shine, but still an enjoyable activity for all. Concentration and patience are just two of the skills that can be gained and improved on for this activity.

Kayaking
Water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink! Kayaking is aimed at stopping your boats from just turning around in circles and playing some games while we're at it. A thoroughly splashing time is to be had on our own private cut just of the River Bure, where personnel paddling skills will be learnt. Add in a bit of fun and some team games and an enjoyable session will be had by all.

Canoeing
A relaxed atmosphere follows our group of intrepid explorers as they travel up the River Bure in search of fun and mystery in a completely un spoilt and natural environment. Our Canoeing sessions are planned on a journey and using a mode of transport that some may not have had the opportunity to use before. Team work and communication skills are a big part of canoeing with pairs taking their boats and navigating them up the river.

Raft Build
Will it float or won't it? Knot tying is the skill of the day, and as they say "If you don't know knots tie lots!" It works for some people. We challenge you to make a raft, float it and navigate it to the islands in the Cut. Will you manage to design a raft that floats and tie the knots tight enough so it doesn't fall apart? Your helpful instructor is there to teach you all you need to know about the art of raft building, but it is you as a team that will be responsible for your craft, be it the Black Pearl or the Titanic. Team work and good listening skills are essential for your raft to work.

Orienteering
Map reading is the aim of the game here, asking our adventurers to complete one of our three courses. Are they good enough to find all 22 points around the Hautbois estate? The courses have been designed to be user friendly with the opportunity for all team members to benefit from a little more brains then brawn. Working in small groups, teams will be asked to find the points benefiting from listening to instructions and to each other.

Photo Orienteering
Designed for some of our younger guests, could you be the camera man or woman and discover the hidden word. Using your clue book of photos can you find where the pictures where taken from and find the letter that goes with the picture. A great introduction to finding your way round the Hautbois Estate and using those special skills enabling you to relate what you see on the page to what is in front of you.

Pioneering
Creating structures out of ropes and spars dates back years making gates, catapults or even chariots. We like to create climbing frames at Hautbois, where you get to enjoy what you build. Working together is the way to have fun on this activity and learning your knots is crucial.

Climbing Boulder
Any budding adventurer needs to start somewhere, and our Climbing Boulder aimed at younger clients lets them feel that they are achieving as much as their older counterparts. Looking out for each other is a big part of this session and responsibility for each other is a key skill for our climbers to learn.

Compass Course
From twenty degrees left and forty paces is the where the Hautbois compass course starts. A good step on from our Orienteering course the Compass Course challenges participants to learn how to read a compass and pace out a course. With clear instructions beginners to advanced can learn and have fun with this activity encouraging good communication skills and teamwork.

Obstacle Course
Adventure and fun rolled into one with the Hautbois Obstacle course designed to test the strongest marine. Opportunities for all to show their skills whether it be leading team mates blindfolded or carrying the precious cup of lifesaving water down the course. Team work, co-ordination and communication skills lead to a fun and enjoyable session.

Nightline
The Nightline's sole aim is to challenge people into exploring sensations that they possibly haven't focussed on before. Trusting not only themselves but their team mates in this fun and challenging team activity. Have the chance to lead your team mates round the course of obstacles or follow the nightline by yourself. Confidence building and trust are the key skills that will be learnt in our in the dark activity.

Environmental Studies
Furthering the nature/nurture debate is the aim of environmental studies. Using Hautbois' 28 acre estate, participants are invited to trawl through the long grass, hunt for mini beasts in the log piles and dip for newts in the pond. Understanding how to treat our environment is uppermost in these sessions, leading to a greater understanding of how our actions effects the surrounding environment. Copies of our Activity Risk Assessments can be obtained from the download section. Wheelchair users are able to take part in Archery and it is hoped that other activities will be made accessible to wheelchair users in the near future. Those with a visual impairment may take part in Canoeing, Climbing, Abseiling and Night Line.