Castleshaw Centre

02/06/2026

Do any of our lovely followers happen to own a fence tensioner they would be happy to lend us? It should only be for a day or two and it would be stored securely.

12/01/2026

Just a little post to thank our wonderful volunteer Sean for all his support with our winter project! He was such a huge help and a great presence on these sessions.

Are you interested in joining our team as a volunteer at the Castleshaw Centre?

We have a very limited number of volunteering positions available and are particularly interested to hear from people that are interested in working outdoors and available during school holidays and weekends.

Please send us an email to [email protected] or a message on Facebook to find out more.

05/01/2026

A few more years photographs from our Christmas holiday winter sessions. Our group prepared a Christmas dinner together then headed off into the hills for a stream scramble, returning to the smell of roast potatoes! A really positive few days and so nice to sit and share a meal together. Good times! Happy new year everyone!

22/12/2025

Brilliant day today with our lovely group. Caving, pizza making workshop and a bit of Lego to finish the day! Perfect! 👌

19/12/2025

3 metre dragon flies in the Peak District! What a thought!

Another book recommendation today, perhaps a last minute Christmas gift for those that are interested in the Peak District landscape and history. It’s a Rock Trails book on the Peak District by Paul Gannon that provides ‘A hillwalkers guide to the geology and scenery’.

http://www.paulgannonbooks.co.uk/styled-8/

One really interesting fact I always share from this book is that around 300 million years ago there was a much higher level of oxygen in the atmosphere and this meant that creatures that today are limited in size could grow much larger, for example dragon flies would have had wingspans of 2-3 metres!

18/12/2025

Just 3 places left for our winter Holiday Activities and Food sessions on Monday! Caving, stream scrambling, festive pizza and more!

For Oldham children aged 9-12 that are eligible for free school meals.

Pick up from Derker. See the link for all the details.

https://eequ.org/book/winter-haf-at-the-castleshaw-centre-with-castleshaw-centre-21190?fbclid=IwY2xjawOwcaNleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeb61F9Wtpp8xOZo5t0V0LAZvQ_L3x-gj6cwJM9RaAKHLMNuKZmJpCqeWcOD8_aem_e9pR-VWd4_5DKpcu8AuysA

Outdoor Learning and Adventures

11/12/2025

'Power of Youth Work Finally Recognised by Government’s National Youth Strategy' (UK Youth).

Today the Government has published Youth Matters: Your National Youth Strategy – a long-awaited, ten-year plan shaped by more than 14,000 young people.  For youth workers and organisations across the country, this is a pivotal moment. Following fifteen years of devastating cuts, the Government ha...

10/12/2025

Ancient oak woodland, one of our favourite landscapes to explore. A wonderful example can be found at Padley Gorge, and according to the National Trust it's 'one of the best examples of the old oak-birch woodland that once covered much of the Peak District. It's rich in wildlife and is carefully managed by the rangers.’

We did this walk a few years ago. It's described as moderate, we'd agree with that. Expect rocky and uneven footpaths in places, particularly along the gorge/woodland section. There's also a very short section along the road and some walking in moorland terrain.

Take care and enjoy!

This beautiful train station walk is a real treat, go through ancient woodland and wild open moorland for breathtaking views – all in less than 5 miles.

05/12/2025