I received a message the other day and it made me smile from ear to ear!

Yes we do still get out on the water, not much in the winter though: too cold for the kids. We have clocked up plenty of hours since you taught us the basics. We have paddled north and south of Ireland, we paddled with Fungi the dolphin in Dingle bay the other year. We have taken our boats to France to paddle the Dordogne, the Ardeche and the Lot. To the lake district in England a couple of times. To Sweden to paddle Dalsland lakes. To Norway to paddle the fjords (with whales). Last year we were in Scotland paddling Lomond, Glen Affric and many others. Hopefully taking a ferry to Denmark this summer and spend some time paddling in Sweden again. We love to wild camp but you have to get away from here to get a bit of ‘wild’.

I guess you should feel a sense of pride that sharing your talents has brought many years of fun and satisfaction to our wee family. (wee in stature not wee in number: we have 4 kids now)

I will have to send you some photos of some of our trips. I will also send you some photos of our tree climbing.

Regards,

Ben

I had taken Ben and his wife Heather for some canoe lessons about 6 years ago – they wanted to learn some skills so they could take their kids canoeing.

I smiled about all the adventures they have enjoyed since and can think fondly of the places they have mentioned.  I have canoed on some of the rivers and lakes mentioned and others are still on my to do. 

I smiled even more when Ben mentioned the sense of pride I must feel knowing that I have brought many years of fun and satisfaction to Ben and his “wee family”.

Ben is right, I do feel proud and I am still smiling some 24 hours after reading this. 

I often talk about the positive impact I make on people through the activities I deliver.  I know this when I meet people on the street and they still remember my name and eagerly start recounting their adventures with me.  I know it when I receive emails like the one from Ben.  And I know it from how long it takes to say goodbye at the end of an adventure. especially when it is goodbye until the next time.

Yes, I love Adventure but I love seeing people challenging themselves, pushing the limits of their comfort zones, experiencing new activities, learning and having fun!  There is so much more to Adventure than meets the eye!

Hears to 2012 and many more positive experiences!

Stephen

“Bring a Da” Coasteering on Father’s Day with the Adventure Team – and any da will do! Your neighbours da, your friends da, some random da you don’t even know – just bring a da!

The da goes free for every child’s place booked and for Father’s Day we have no age limit for children!  You could be 45 and bring your mate (as long as he is a da) and you only have to pay £30 for yourself and “yer da” goes free!!!  Make sense?

NO???  Then give us a call on 08455213145 and we will explain it – just know you and “yer da” are getting a cracker deal!

Oh! Here’s a wee bit about coasteering…

Coasteering is an exhilarating combined rock and water activity that can be delivered to every individual level which makes this activity suitable for those with no fear of heights or water as well as those who may not be quite so confident.

During your Coasteering trip you will learn rock climbing and scrambling techniques as well as how to jump from great heights safely.

Wearing sturdy footwear, wetsuits, buoyancy aids and helmets, participants travel along a section of coastline; sometimes swimming in the sea, sometimes scrambling on rocks and jumping from rocks into the sea.

Morning and afternoon sessions are available!

Are you up for some Coasteering (with yer da)? Give us a call on 028 8164 8390 or emailinfo@theadventureteam.co.uk

The Coasteering Club is a great way to explore our coastline under your own steam and with the help of The Adventure Team.

The Coasteering Club meets on the 1^st Sunday of every month at various locations throughout Ireland – north and south!  We also run at least one trip a year to another location in the UK with Pembrokeshire high on the agenda for 2011.

Bronze Membership of the club costs £75 and includes:

• 3 coasteering trips over a 12 month period
• Insurance
• Experienced guides

Silver Membership of the club costs £120 and includes:

• 6 coasteering trips over a 12 month period
• Insurance
• Experienced guides
• Reduced equipment hire rates

Gold Membership of the club costs £180 and includes:

• 12 coasteering trips over a 12 month period
• Insurance
• Experienced guides
• Discounted training courses
• Discount rates for friends attending open events
• Reduced equipment hire and purchase rates

Member’s can also access any of the 30+ Coasteering events scheduled with The Adventure Team.

Members must be 17 years of age at time of joining

Northern Ireland Adventureland Weekend on 9th & 10th April will showcase the amazing range of outdoor activities available with a clever scheme offering everyone the opportunity to get outside and try something new – for less money and zero hassle. Moreover the Northern Ireland Adventureland Weekend marks the launch of a whole summer of fun in Northern Ireland.

The Adventure Team along with another 23 outdoor activity providers from all over Northern Ireland are offering activity sessions for only £10 per person. With over 100 activity sessions to choose from you’ll be really spoilt for choice. Go it alone, with a friend or three or take the family – you don’t need a hefty group. Simply book online, go with the flow and see Northern Ireland from a completely different perspective.

If you fancy coming along to any of our events simply click on the links below and book online!

Saturday 9th April

Family Kayaking, 10.00am – 12.00pm

Family Archery and Orienteering, 1.00pm – 5.30pm

Adult Kayaking, 2.00pm – 4.00pm

Sunday 10th April

Family Kayaking, 10.00am – 12.00pm

Family Archery and Orienteering, 1.00pm – 5.30pm

Adult Kayaking, 2.00pm – 4.00pm

This is a brilliant opportunity and at a really attractive price!  Be sure to check out www.outdoorni.com to find out about all the other activities available across Northern Ireland!

Come and explore the Rivière Dumoine

“Part of the experience, to me, is flying in above the roads – to settle in quickly and quietly to the romance of the river; to camp a day or two in the calm before making the descent; to breathe deeply of the essence that defines these Quebec gems.” Hap Wilson

The Dumoine River, located at the border of the Témiscamingue and Outaouais regions and is considered one of the best white water rivers in Eastern Canada. It is known for its consistent flows and is more than adequate for white water throughout the summer. The river is mostly Grade 2 with some Grade 3′s thrown in to keep your attention. It also has some beautiful lakes to relax in.

Our pace will be leisurely to enjoy the wilderness and spectacular scenery. We’ll have free time for photography, swimming, sunning and relaxing, or for day hikes to the cliffs and waterfalls. 

We will provide 2 guides, transport, most meals and equipment – you will only be responsible for your personal equipment and sleeping bag.

DATES: 9^th July – 20^th July 2011

Cost: £850 per person

Itinerary:

Who is this trip suitable for?

This trip is suitable for people with no or limited canoeing experience as well as those with experience. You must be reasonably fit and prepared to spend 6 nights camping – sleeping mats are highly recommended.

Who else will be on this trip?

There will be no more than 10 people on this trip including the two guides. We strongly believe that small groups result in a better experience for all – more time with your guides, less waiting around and a reduced impact on the communities and environments visited.
Each group is generally made up of like-minded travellers – with singles, couples and friends all joining in together.

Will I get to meet the other participants before I go?

We will be organising a 1 day canoe trip in May where you can meet the other participants and learn more about this adventure.

What is the food like?

While canoeing, all meals are provided from supplies brought in the canoes. There is nowhere to buy food en route. Your guides will ensure that you get plenty to eat both at meal times and a supply of snacks during the day. You will almost certainly be pleasantly surprised by the quality and variety of food that it’s possible to create while camping in the wilds!

You will be responsible for your own meals when we are not canoeing although breakfast will be provided every day.

How can I pay?

A deposit of £200 is required at the time of booking and the balance is due before the end of May. Payment plans can be arranged by Direct Debit. Bookings made after May must be paid in full at the time of booking.

Will I be safe?

Most definitely! Your main guide has extensive experience of leading canoe trips in North America as well as various locations throughout Europe.

The Dumoine is a well used river with maintained campsites and access by forest roads in case of emergence; and we are always 100% focused on your safety.

Am I insured?

Our Insurance Policy automatically provides cover for all activities undertaken as part of this trip. However, it is an essential condition of joining this trip that you have a valid travel insurance policy, not only to cover the cost of medical treatment, but also to protect the value of your holiday in the event of cancellation.

What about flights?

Air Canada and Lufthansa offer direct flights from Dublin – currently just under £600 return. www.skysscanner.net is a very useful tool for sourcing the best deals.

More background on the Dumoine:

The Dumoine is one of seven wild rivers that flow into the Ottawa River off the southern edge of the Laurentian Highlands.  The Dumoine is an ideal river for learning and improving your white water skills. It is also considered one of the prettiest rivers of the Ottawa Valley so makes for a great camping trip. 

Falling 500 feet in 50 miles, the river descends from Lac Dumoine through an area dominated by a forest cover of black spruce, white and red pine, and pockets of white cedar and white and yellow birch.  As the Ottawa is approached on the southern reaches of the river, maples and ash become a more significant part of the forest.  The fauna of the Dumoine River Valley includes moose and black bear as well as a variety of smaller mammals such as beaver, muskrat and otter.  Fish, particularly pike and pickerel, can be caught along the river.  Bass, speckled trout and lake trout live in the deeper pools along the river or a few miles back in the tributaries.

The river has played an important role as a north-south transportation corridor in the economic history of early groups of Canadians.  The Hurons and other central Ontario tribes who wished to avoid paying the toll which the Allumette Natives charged for portaging across the island used the Dumoine as an alternate route to the Ottawa River on their way to Montreal.  This also allowed the agriculturally oriented Hurons to trade their products with the nomadic Algonquins who inhabited theKipawa and La Verendrye region to the north but who rarely came south for fear of encountering the Iroquois.

During the French domination of the Ottawa Valley trade routes, a French fort was built at the mouth of the river.  Undoubtedly the Dumoine Fort was deserted by 1701, when Alexander Henry Sr. passed by on his journey west.  The river remained a fast route out of the fur country, despite the demise of the French establishment.

Sheerway, halfway down the river, is the site of a number of buildings begun as early as the early nineteenth century when the Hawkesbury Lumber Company began cutting and driving timber on the Dumoine.  By 1870 there were 11 ‘stations’ – a station being anything from a dam to a slide way on the river.  Evidence of this prosperous and colourful lumbering activity includes the Sheerway buildings, the dam and log chute at the head of the Dumoine gorge, and the numerous huge white pine stumps along the river.  After 1890, the peak of the lumbering in the Dumoine valley passed.  In 1918, the Dumoine Rod and Gun Club was established at the Sheerway site, using many of the Hawkesbury company buildings.  The main structure, once combination hotel, post office, and homestead became the main lodge of the club.

The set of rapids directly above Sheerway, the "Big Steel", was the scene of lively competition in the heyday of the timber trade.  The entire run from the top of Big Steel to the bridge at Sheerway was known as the "horserace."  The name originated with a challenge between the lumbermen and the Indians.  The lumberjacks would race the natives to the bridge from the top of the run, driving their wagons and horse teams while the natives paddled their canoes.  History does not record the results.

Further downstream the massive Dumoine Gorge drops more than 150ft in less than a mile as the river plunges through a series of falls and canyons.  At the beginning of the 20th century the log chute that descended the gorge was still operational, though deteriorating.  The top still exists today upstream of the dam and road and if you walk the scenic gorge trail you can still see remnants of it in other locations.  A story is told of a lumberman who was sent on a special mission from Lac Dumoine to the Ottawa River given only two days and one guide to do it.  Upon reaching the gorge the lumberman was less than enthusiastic about portaging the rough shore trail and welcomed the guide’s suggestion to run the chute instead.  He claimed to have done it several years before with a barrel of pork in his canoe.  The first portion was relatively flat, but then the drop off was soon reached.  The chute took several turns in the course of its descent.  As the two approached, the Indian guide turned to his companion, and pale with fear, advised the lumberman to hook his paddle over the right side and "hold on for dear life".  The next turn had no real left wall and if they could not ride the "right rail" they would be thrown out into the gorge below.  Hurtling past this hazard, they reached the bottom, only to have their canoe severely damaged as they exited the chute into mid air a number of feet above the water.  The aftermath of the event was an afternoon of canoe repair and late reaching of their destination.

The scenic lower reaches of the river include the "Bald Eagle Rock" a massive formation that springs from the edge of the river and towers 600ft up to a pin -crowned summit.  There is one final scenic falls before the Dumoine empties into the Ottawa River.  Because of the Dams on the Ottawa at Des Joachims the river is backed up in this section forming a large lake which flooded the lower few km of the Dumoine and allows boats to reach the bottom of the final small falls.

Drop us an email to info@theadventureteam.co.uk if you would like to reserve your place

The Adventure Team has grown from strength to strength since we opened our doors on the 1^st January 2008 – and that’s all down to you.

So we have been considering different ways that we can thank our customers and thought it would be best to get your input.  This short survey will help us get a better picture of what you would like and help you get a better idea of what we think.  And as a wee treat everyone who enters it will be entered in to a draw to win a £100 Adventure Voucher!

Click here to complete the survey

Thank you for your time – now cross your fingers and hope you win

An adventure for you and the kids!

Are you tired of trying to find something new and exciting for you and the kids?

Are you fed up with doing the same old things and having to drag the kids away from their X-box’s and Play Stations?

Have you reached the stage where you think Northern Ireland has nothing else for you and the family?

Do you want to do something that is fun and exciting and guaranteed to be a great day out?

If you have answered yes to any of the above then you will be pleased to know that we may have the perfect Family Adventure package for you!!!

Under the care of our experienced and qualified instructors you will get to try archery, river scrambling and an orienteering-style treasure hunt.

This is a tried and tested activity session modelled on our very successful school’s programmes.

Interested?  Want to know more?

We hope so

Super Sunday is available every Sunday during June, July and August from 1.00pm – 4.00pm.  It costs £20 per child and £25 per adult or £20 per person for families of 4 or more.  And if you book more than 2 weeks in advance we will give you a further 10% discount!

Can it get any better?

Yes it can!

We have excellent indoor facilities if you want to have your lunch before we start.

We will provide you with some photos of your adventure before you go

And…

Booking is easy! Call us on 028 8164 8390 or email info@theadventureteam.co.uk

Every Adventure should be a perfect Adventure and a perfect Adventure is one that is full of fun, learning and excitement and leaves lasting memories. This is only achievable with proper thought and consideration; and we are here to help.

Have you ever heard of the 4 P’s and an A? – Proper Planning Produces Perfect Adventures… Don’t worry if you haven’t, we made it up! That said, this simple acronym can go a long way to help you achieve your goals.

To get the ball rolling have a look over these considerations as they are all crucial in planning the perfect Adventure:

1. Do you have a date in mind?

2. Will you want to a ½ day, full day or longer?

3. How many people will be in the group?

4. Have any of the group tried an Adventure activity before?

5. If so where? What? And did they enjoy it?

6. Are there additional goals to be achieved such as Bonding? Team Building? Personal Development? Social Development? Skills?

7. Do you have a budget in mind?

8. Do you want an indoor or outdoor Adventure? Or a combination of both?

9. If more than 1 day will you need some ideas for evening entertainment/activities?

10. Do you want to self-cater or be catered for?

11. Would you like your Adventure to take place at our base or do you have another venue in mind?

In addition to this we provide a Free No Obligation Consultation to anyone who wishes to organise an Adventure, whether that’s for you, family and friends, work colleagues, school or youth group, business or charity.

Contact us today and we will help you plan an unforgettable adventure…

I have to admit that if I was sitting in my office right now listening to the howling wind and driving rain I would not be overly excited about going outside to deliver a Team Building Event. Indeed, I am sure anyone driving to that Team Building Event would be asking themselves “what on earth am I doing here today? It’s going to be cold, wet and miserable…”

Geographically we are very lucky – we have plenty of rain, the lakes and rivers are rarely dry and we have lush green countryside. That’s why we have so many visitors from around the globe. But that doesn’t make the idea of going outside in the pouring cold rain for Team Building any more attractive.

That’s why we have indoor facilities at our base in Gortin! We know that you don’t want to be wet and cold (equals miserable); we don’t want to be either! We know that the weather can affect each and everyone of us so we have almost 20 indoor events! With many more on the way!!!

People learn at times when they are under pressure and while adverse weather provides this we believe that Team Building Events can do this regardless of the weather. Hence our efforts in providing indoor Team Building Events that will promote fun, learning and camaraderie!

Did you know?

We organise alternative venues close to you to save you time travelling!          

We have developed indoor activities that can last as little as 30 minutes!

We can provide events anywhere in Ireland, North or South!

We provide a complimentary CD of images after every event!

The 5 most popular indoor events of 2009, so far:

Archery – Get on target and try your hand at this age old sport

The Apprentice: “You’re hired!” – Undertake a range of Team Challenges to see “who’s fired” and “who’s hired!”

When in Rome – Pit your wits against the Senators in a bid to build the greatest Roman Empire ever

School Sports Days – Take a walk down memory lane and enjoy what had to be the best day of the school year!

Team Drum – Beat out new energy, new learning and new life!

The Fashion Fiasco ­- Form your own “Fashion House” and put on “a show to remember…”

If you are interested in finding out more about our indoor Team Building Events for businesses, schools and youth organisation then please call us on 028 8164 8390 or email info@theadventureteam.co.uk

Today a local Gaelic Athletic Association brought all 45 of their under 13’s for a reward at the end of a very busy season!

Over the course of the day the kids, aged 6 – 13, all got to try River Scrambling (see the video), Archery and Team Games.  They were split in to three groups and each group got just over an hour on each activity making it a very energetic morning.  The leaders of the group had also arranged to borrow our BBQ and had a feast of burgers and hotdogs waiting for the kids finishing their activities.

For many of these kids it was their first time experiencing activities of this nature; indeed, two of the group were heard excitedly discussing how this was the best thing they had ever done in their lives!  Which proves that it is very easy to provide life long memories just by combining a little bit of imagination with some freedom and adventure…

This fantastic adventure only costs £15 per person and can be delivered at any time of the year as we have indoor facilities for Archery and Team Games and when it comes to River Scrambling nobody minds a little rain!