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Group Leaders Guide February 2010 - 1 - GROUP LEADERS GUIDE Hampshire Mountain Centre This guide endeavours to provide information on the use of our centre to enable your visit to run smoothly. Priority is given to groups with young people and applicable to clients of Children’s Service Establishments, member of Youth Groups and to participants in Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in Hampshire. For groups from outside of Hampshire please contact the booking office for more detailed information on availability and safety requirements. This guide endeavours to provide information on the use of our centre to enable your visit to run smoothly. Priority is given to groups with young people and applicable to clients of Children’s Service Establishments, member of Youth Groups and to participants in Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in Hampshire. For groups from outside of Hampshire please contact the booking office for more detailed information on availability and safety requirements. Hampshire Mountain Centre The Hampshire Mountain Centre Booking Office address is: Argoed Lwyd, Libanus, Powys LD3 8EN. The combined telephone and fax number is 01874 622914. Telephone and leave a message during working hours including your office and home telephone numbers. Website address:- hampshiremountaincentre.co.uk. Office hours: Mon 9.30 – 4.00pm Tues 9.30 – 2.30pm Wed 9.30 – 2.30pm Thurs 9.30 - 2.30pm Fri 9.30 - 3.00pm At other times, leave a message on the answer machine, send a fax or an e-mail: [email protected] Booking Hampshire Mountain Centre is part of the Hampshire Outdoor Service and is managed by the Recreation and Heritage Department of Hampshire County Council. To make a booking Children’s Services users should: Group Leaders Guide February 2010 - 2 - 1. Contact the Centre by telephone or email to confirm availability and appropriate accommodation. 2. Proceed to the booking form and complete with all relevant information. 3. You will be asked to confirm that you have read and understood the Hampshire Mountain Centre Booking Conditions. 4. When we receive your booking we will send you an invoice for the £200.00 non- refundable deposit, unless you advise that you would prefer to pay by cheque. If you would prefer to pay without an invoice please mention this on your booking form and send payment immediately. 5. We will also confirm your booking by email, and put together your activity programme, if required. 6. Prior to your visit the relevant authorisation forms, as detailed in the terms and conditions, must be submitted to your governing body and a copy sent to the Centre. (Please note the Centre no longer arranges this on behalf of the groups) If you have any queries whilst completing your booking form and are unable to find the information please do contact us by email or telephone 01874 622914. Activities The Brecon Beacons National Park, apart from the natural beauty of a variety of mountainous country, is rich in history and legend. The area offers historic buildings, museums, nature reserves and a wide choice of field study projects. Some of the more popular activities include hill walking, mountain camping, expeditions, caving and pony trekking. Nearby facilities exist for canoeing on river, canal or lake; hiring of pleasure boats and fishing. There is some rock climbing in the area and there are indoor climbing centres at Llangors and Merthyr Tydfil. The Brecon Beacons and the Black Mountains are recognised at Wild Country areas for the Expedition Section of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. The area is suitable for a variety of geographical fieldwork, human and physical, and for creative arts projects, together with many aspects of the National Curriculum. See Appendix B for more details. The Centre is also suitable for residential courses for all ages and abilities, without involving any designated hazardous pursuits. The Director and his staff are qualified for all activities offered (Adventure Activities Licensing Regulations, registered number R0361) with thorough knowledge of the area. It is a condition of the Centre hire that instructions from our staff must be followed. Advice about the Centre can be obtained from the Hampshire Mountain Centre Booking Office. Assistance in programme planning can be obtained from the Hampshire Mountain Centre Director or the County Inspector for Outdoor Education. Group Leaders Guide February 2010 - 3 - Location The Hampshire Mountain Centre is situated in the picturesque Brecon Beacons Nation Park, South Wales. The two sites, Argoed Lywd and Birchgrove are six miles apart south west of the small town of Brecon, some 150 miles from Winchester. The most convenient route from Winchester is take A34 to the M4 junction and head west to Wales. Alternatively turn off A34 onto A303 to Andover, A342 to Marlborough and onto M4 at Junction 17. Leave the M4 at Junction 24 and use the A449 to Raglan, the A40 to Brecon. Continue round Brecon on A40 then take A470, signposted Merthyr Tydfil and Cardiff. After 4.5 miles enter Libanus Village. For Argoed Lwyd (GR987262, Outdoor Leisure Sheet 12) turn right at a telephone box by the church. Drive slowly through the village and ascend a narrow winding mountain lane. Argoed Lwyd is at the end of the tarmac after half a mile. Drive slowly and take great care (10 mph) as there are many blind bends in this lane with few overtaking places. You may meet farm vehicles and pedestrians. The postal address of the Centre is Argoed Lwyd, Libanus, Powys LD3 8EN. The telephone numbers (payphones) are: Farmhouse 01874 611947, Longbarn 01874 623485 , Office 01874 622914. For Birchgrove, Heol Senni (GR927234 Outdoor Leisure Sheet 12) continue through Libanus on the A470 for half a mile then turn right onto A4215 signposted Defynnog. Follow signs to Heol Senni. The postal address is Birchgrove, Heol Senni, Sennybridge, Brecon Powys. LD3 8SU and the payphone number is 01874 636464 Location Map can be found on:- www.Hampshiremountaincentre.co.uk Accommodation Argoed Lwyd The Centre is a converted 19th century traditional stone built Welsh farmhouse with an attached Annexe and Longbarn. There is parking for five minibuses. There is accommodation for 46 people between the three units. The Centre at Argoed Lwyd is let in two separate self contained units. The Annexe is between the Farmhouse and the Longbarn and attached to both, so it can be let to either of the groups. Group Leaders Guide February 2010 - 4 - Room Sleeps Farmhouse 1 8* 2 2 3 4 4 4 5 4* Annexe 6 6* 7 4 Longbarn 8 2 9 4 10 8* * Suitable for a single folding bed The Centre has central heating throughout. Both kitchens are fully equipped with gas cookers, fridges and freezers, microwave, large toaster, electric kettle, hot water urn, crockery and cutlery. There is a landscaped garden. We have suggested designated areas which go with sole access to the users of the Longbarn or the Farmhouse. Access to the main garden and barbecue area can be arranged with our staff. This will depend on the type of use etc. There are orienteering and picture orienteering courses available. Disabled facilities There is wheelchair access to virtually all of the ground floor with a bedroom and en-suite bathroom available with prior notice. Please bear in mind when planning a programme Including a person with disabilities, whilst they can be catered for in the Centre, the nature of the adventurous activities and sites available make it extremely difficult and hazardous to access for wheelchair users. Use of Mynydd Illtyd Common – (Adjacent to National Park Visitor Centre) Mynydd Illtyd Common is situated to the north of the Centre and is convenient for Centre users, who are able to walk from Argoed Lwyd up the track to the Common. However, the use of the Common, by our groups and by members of the public, is a very sensitive issue. One of the planning conditions imposed on us when the National Park agreed to the opening of the new Centre was that the Common could only be used with permission from the Director of the National Park Visitor Centre. Obviously, we do not wish to jeopardise local relationships. To this end, we require that any group wishing to use the Common must inform Centre staff who will seek formal permission. Heol Senni (Birchgrove) There is accommodation for 18 people in four rooms. Group Leaders Guide February 2010 - 5 - Room Sleeps 1 6 2 6 3 4 4 2 All are bunk beds and the building is centrally heated. Showers, hand-basins and toilets are located upstairs and there is an additional toilet outside. The kitchen is fully equipped with a large cooker, fridge freezer, microwave, large toaster, hot water urn, crockery and cutlery. Camping There are flat areas of the garden which can be used for camping, either for D of E groups or additional accommodation for groups larger than 18. Charges Charges are per block, depending on the most suitable accommodation to suit the group’s need. Please note there is no longer a per person per night rate. There is a separate scale for the use of the Centre’s minibuses and for the hire of certain equipment. There is a 1:10 free ration for Hampshire group leaders. Up-to-date prices may be obtained from the Hampshire Mountain Centre Booking Office. You will be charged for the activity sessions requiring instructors according to the instructor ratios necessary for your booked numbers. It is in your interest to confirm these numbers early! (See the Programming section). Final Account Before departure from the centre please ensure that you sign a copy of your booking form which is your confirmation of group numbers, instructing staff and activities taken.

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