Our Activities and Educational Programmes

Here at Mount Cook, we use the spectacular natural environment of the Peak District to

bring you a variety of exciting, engaging and inspirational adventure activities and

educational workshops. Along the way you can also expect to develop your key social skills

and grow in self-confidence and belief. Our activities are a chance to go wild, and discover

new talents and strengths that you didn’t know you had!

Adventure activities

Mount Cook’s fantastic location is in close proximity to some of the Peak District’s best

natural outdoor facilities. With Black Rocks, Carsington Reservoir and the High Peak Trail

just on our doorstep, you can try your hand at a range of engaging and adventurous

activities without travelling further than a few minutes.

Here are the activities that we offer:

Rock climbing

Abseiling

High ropes

Zip-wire

Caving

Canoeing

Kayaking

Raft-Building

Mountaineering

Night walks

Orienteering

Educational programmes and workshops

For less physical and more educational activities, we take full advantage of the rich mining

heritage and fascinating geology evident on our site. We have our very own preserved

mine-shaft and set of post-medieval Q-pits at the Centre, used to bring the mining history of

the local area to life. A disused quarry just minutes from the Centre is the perfect location

for geology lessons, and discovering fossils of deep sea creatures from the remote past. We

also have a nature reserve where visitors can explore and uncover wildlife, and learn the art

of survival in the wilderness with our Bush Craft programme.

Here are the educational programmes that we offer:

Geology

History and heritage of mining

Map-reading

Star-gazing and astronomy

Bush craft and survival in the wilderness techniques

Exploring nature

Minutes away from Mount Cook is also the National Stone Centre, The Eco Centre and

Cromford Mill which complement our educational workshops perfectly.

Learning and developing new skills

When you join us on a Mount Cook adventure or learning experience, you are also

developing and improving your key social skills. We want our activities to help visitors face

new challenges with determination and courage, inspire and motivate them to learn new

skills, and discover new things about themselves and others.

Here are some key skills which you can develop through our activities and workshops:

All of the activities we offer

encourage team-work. The ability

to work successfully as part of a

team is important in school, work

and life in general.

Communicating effectively through

speaking and listening skills allows for

the expression of ideas, emotions and

the sharing of new information

through others.

The ability to face a new

challenge with positivity,

determination and

enthusiasm is important in

school and work

environments. Whilst

managing appropriate risk

taking and considering the

consequences of one’s actions

is also an important life skill.

To believe in yourself and the

decisions you make. We want you to

identify new strengths and skills that

you didn’t know you had!

Strategically looking at a situation,

considering the various options, and

confidently executing a

thought-through plan.

Sometimes making mistakes is the

best way to learn. We encourage

resilience in the face of set-backs and

failure, which is an important skill in

all aspects of life.

Using your communication and

problem-solving skills, how

confidently would you be able to lead

a group? This includes developing

positive relationships within a team

setting, and communicating ideas

effectively.

The ability to approach life and its

challenges with motivation and

enthusiasm. We also hope to

motivate and inspire our visitors to

learn new skills, and be the best

they can be.

Whether you’re 6 years old or 60

years old, it’s never too late to learn

a new skill. It could be learning how

to light a camp fire, or tying a safe

knot. We want to offer you the

opportunity to learn something new.

To develop an understanding of how human behaviour

and actions can positively and negatively affect the natural

world. Being aware of our carbon footprint and impact on

the environment is a core value at Mount Cook.

Safety first

It is important that everyone is given the opportunity to take risks and experience the thrill

of adventure sports and activities in a controlled and safe environment. Consideration for

your safety and security is inherent in everything we do. That’s why all our activity providers

are professionally trained and qualified, with full DBS checks, and First Aid certificates. Our

centre also undergoes regular risk assessments and health and safety checks, carried out

internally by our team and by external organisations to ensure we remain at the forefront of

good health and safety practice.

Special educational needs

Many of the activities we offer can facilitate those with disabilities. But before you make a

booking with us, please ensure you contact a member of our management team to discuss

your requirements.