Cumbria's finest school trip destinations
With a resident population of just under 500,000 people, the large English county of Cumbria, in the North West of the country, is one of the most sparsely populated. Much of the county is classed as rural, with lots of upland, moorland and mountainous areas. Cumbria contains several conservation areas including the Lake District National Park, the Solway Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and parts of the Yorkshire Dales National Park and the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
With such stunning natural landscapes and a long coastline, it is no wonder the area boasts so many outdoor education centres, offering everything from geographical field studies to adrenaline sports and outdoor residential activities. Attracting school groups from the major northern cities of Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool, the Cumbria is a fantastic place to take your class.
On the page below we highlight some of the best Cumbrian venues for learning outside the classroom. Click on any of the trips to read more about any that take your fancy. We add new venues on a regular basis, so feel free to bookmark the page for future reference.
Please click the following link for our full list of visit options in the North of England.

YMCA Lakeside
YMCA Lakeside is one of the largest outdoor education centres in Europe. Established in the 1960's we've welcomed over 1 million children and young people to a world of outdoor learning. Situated on the beautiful banks of Lake Windermere.




Making the most of the natural resources on our doorstep we offer nearly 50 land and water-based activities. Our adventures range from kayaking to fell walking, and archery to caving, all under the guidance of our expert instructors. Discover a fun way to learn! More and more education professionals are realising the huge benefits that school trips and outdoor learning can bring to give young people. At Lakeside YMCA we’ve known about these benefits for over 60 years. With more than one million young people visiting our centre during this time, we’ve seen how they blossom and grow, in mind, body and spirit in the outdoors. There are more than 50 activities on offer here at Lakeside, all with learning, education and personal development at their heart. We design programmes...
read more aboutYMCA Lakeside
Filter Cumbria Trips & Workshops

FSC Blencathra
Cumbria Geography, Human Geography, Physical Geography, Environmental Geography, Fieldstudies, Geology, Science, Biology, Physical Education, Wildlife, Bushcraft
FSC Blencathra occupies a dramatic setting at 300m up the south facing slope of Blencathra with an unparalleled panorama across the Lake District National Park. Visit for residential geography and biology trips at all ages. ...
FSC Blencathra
FSC Castle Head
Cumbria Geography, Human Geography, Physical Geography, Environmental Geography, Fieldstudies, Science, Biology, Physical Education, Wildlife, Bushcraft, Watersports
With easy access to both the coastline of Morecambe Bay, the glaciated uplands of the southern Lake District and the lakes of Windermere and Coniston, FSC Castle Head is ideally situated for a wide range of field studies and adventurous activities. ...
FSC Castle Head
Real Adventure - Lake District
Cumbria Citizenship, Geography, Fieldstudies, Physical Education, PSHE, SEN
Outdoor education makes lasting impressions on young people that instill skills for life through building strong relationships with peers & leaders, increase confidence, self-awareness & motivation which enhances their learning & outlook on life. ...
Real Adventure - Lake District
YMCA Lakeside
Cumbria Wildlife, Bushcraft, Watersports
YMCA Lakeside is one of the largest outdoor education centres in Europe. Established in the 1960's we've welcomed over 1 million children and young people to a world of outdoor learning. Situated on the beautiful banks of Lake Windermere. ...
YMCA Lakeside
Scout Adventures Great Tower
Cumbria Physical Education, Languages, Farm, Wildlife, Bushcraft, Watersports
Over 110 years of experience, and 4000 groups annually means you can trust Scout Adventures with your School residential. With both indoor accommodation and tented village options, our instructors can deliver an experience built around you. ...
Scout Adventures Great Tower

Carlisle Castle
Cumbria English, Geography, Human Geography, History, Romans, Medieval, Tudors
Discover the most besieged castle in England, on a free education visit to this unique site, or enhance learning with a hands-on learning workshop with our site experts. ...
Carlisle Castle