Once the Earth Centre, now a buzzing hub of outdoor fun, Dearne Valley was transformed in 2012 into a state-of-the-art activity centre. Set in the stunning South Yorkshire countryside, it’s packed with indoor and outdoor facilities, a purpose-built water sports lake, and direct access to the River Don.
And when it comes to adventure, this centre does it right. Dearne Valley is one of the UK’s most eco-friendly centres, powered by one of Europe’s largest solar panels and its own water treatment plant.
Total Beds: 950
Dearne Valley, Denaby Main, Conisbrough, Doncaster DN12 4EA
Explore Dearne Valley
Centre Facilities at Dearne Valley
Dearne Valley has everything you need for an action-packed trip. Between activities, make use of our indoor and outdoor spaces including classrooms, sports facilities and gift shop. With leader lounges for adults, campfire areas for bonding, and accessible accommodation, Dearne Valley delivers adventure and learning in a comfortable and modern environment.
Accessible Bedrooms
Leader Lounge
Leader En suite
Leader Wi-Fi
Classrooms
Retail / Shop
Camp Fire
Car Park
Vending Machines
Table Tennis
Indoor Activity Zone
Sports Pitches/Courts
Drying Room
Sports Hall
Chill Out Zones
Adventure is hungry work
What’s on the menu?
At Dearne Valley, we make sure everyone is well fed with three delicious meals a day, lovingly prepared by our brilliant catering team.
Allergies, intolerances or dietary needs? No problem – we’re fully set up to cater for special diets and other requirements.
Accommodation at Dearne Valley
Big adventures deserve a great night’s sleep – and at Dearne Valley, we’ve got just the place to unwind. Our cosy, comfortable accommodation is designed to help every guest feel at home. From our dormitory-style rooms in the main building, modern Eco Pods, or get closer to the outdoors with our fun Safari Lodges.
Dormitory-style
Eco Pods
Safari Lodges
New for 2026 – even better stays!
We’ve upgraded all our accommodation to make your stay even more enjoyable, including; brand-new beds, mattresses and bedding, refreshed bathrooms, improved storage and room layouts, enhanced privacy and amenities in adult rooms and refurbished leader lounges.
Awe-inspiring programmes at Dearne Valley
Built by experts, loved by kids – all our programmes have been carefully created to bring out the best in every young person.
Find the perfect adventure for your group:
Multi-Activity
Our most popular multi-activity course. We pack so much into each day, it’ll be an outdoor learning experience they’ll never forget.
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Brownie Takeover Weekends
Weekends just for Brownies, developed in partnership with Girlguiding
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English as a Foreign Language
Three hours of mixed nationality English lessons each day combined with excursions and adventure activities. Courses run throughout the year.
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Multi-Activity Weekend Breaks
The best of PGL Multi-Activity for Group Adventures. 48hrs of non stop excitement, perfect for weekends and short breaks.
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REACH – GROW!
GROW! adventures provide secondary students with breakthroughs to boost CHARACTER-DEVELOPMENT!
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REACH – MASTER!
Brilliant outdoor skill adventures to help your Year 5 pupils solve real-life problems and master the great outdoors!
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REACH – PIONEER!
Let us guide your pupils through their first PGL experience, supporting them and building their confidence along the way.
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REACH – UNITE! for Year 6
The most thrilling way to begin Year 6? Bring everyone together with our new UNITE! outdoor adventure that builds relationships and boosts teamwork.
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REACH – UNITE! for Year 7
Especially designed to help your Year 7s strengthen RELATIONSHIPS through the power of adventure!
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Revision Weekends
A blend of teacher-led study time and adventure activities to help students remain motivated, focussed and engaged during some serious revision time
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Skills4Life
Build resilience. Raise aspirations. Learn skills for life. Our Skills4life programme is an outcome-driven adventure residential programme, designed to develop 21st century skills in a fun and accessible way.
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Venue Hire
Planning an event of your own? Use one of our centres for great value accommodation and facilities, plus a wide range of optional activities.
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REACH – THRIVE!
On our THRIVE! programme, your group will enjoy a mix of following wellbeing-boosting adventure activities.
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Amazing activities at Dearne Valley
Dearne Valley is packed with a huge variety of epic activities, exciting challenges and fun games to discover.
Abseiling
The tower is over 10 metres high. The task – to walk backwards off the top, gradually working back towards ground level, suspended only on a rope. It’s all about trust, courage and confidence. It’s also a very dynamic way to learn calculating and controlling risk. Some children deal with heights more easily than others, but the support and encouragement of the rest of the group is important for each individual’s success and will help strengthen peer relationships.
Aeroball / Airball
A cross between trampolining, basketball and volleyball - it’s an exhilarating, high-energy sport. Four players learn the basics required - then spring into action! The aim is to get the ball in the opposing player's net. As well as being lots of fun, your group will develop team tactics and improve communication skills along the way.
All Aboard
All aboard is all about building trust and strengthening peer relationships – at the top of a 6 metre pole! Teams of up to four pupils scale the pole to reach the small platform at the top. Balancing on the platform becomes more difficult as more team members arrive to share the space. The challenge is to cooperate and support each other. The task is complete when all four team members successfully stand together at the top of the pole. Weight limit: 150kg
Archery
Our Archery sessions offer the chance for every pupil to experience success. Accuracy, control and a steady hand are vital for achieving the best results and many children discover a talent for a new skill. Handling bows and arrows may be a brand new experience for your group and presents a variety of new challenges! We encourage safety awareness from the outset and teach the basic skills on an indoor or outdoor range.
Buggy Building
A fantastic opportunity to work as a team and encourage some lateral thinking! Each team designs and builds a moving buggy that will carry team members and complete a series of challenges, using just the materials provided. Creativity, communication and perseverance all come into play throughout this interactive and fun challenge.
Canoeing
Canoeing is exciting, challenging and fun. It’s also a great opportunity for students to learn new skills such as paddling and steering in order to control their craft effectively. Communication skills also play a part as students work together and encourage each other.
Climbing
Your pupils will need to combine different skills including perseverance, strength, an ability to deal with heights – as well as trust in their belay partner and equipment. Those who have never tried it before will find it an exhilarating experience. Climbing at PGL may take place on indoor walls or outdoor climbing towers; whichever it is, we always use a top-rope belay for safety. Weight limit: 140kg
Crate Climb
The crate challenge is a test of innovative thinking, construction, balance, courage – and above all effective teamwork. Your pupils’ activity group is divided into two teams that compete against each other to build the tallest tower of crates. With two pupils standing on top as the tower grows, each team has to come up with ever more innovative ways of getting more crates to the top, as the pair on top become more and more precariously balanced! Weight limit: 150kg
Fencing
Fencing is a great workout for both body and brain. It’s challenging, exciting and involves good eye-to-hand coordination, fast footwork, lightning reflexes and even quicker decision-making. It’s a sport that offers huge potential for the enthusiast to learn more and progress at club level, but it’s also accessible and great fun for beginners too. Our qualified instructors will teach your pupils the basic principles and safety procedures before they progress onto outwitting their opponent in this great Olympic sport.
Jacob’s Ladder
It’s an exercise in teamwork and friendly cooperation. Your group’s objective, in teams of three, is to climb to the top of a suspended ladder of logs. The gaps between each log become wider, the higher you go. Pushing up, pulling up, standing on shoulders – it’s all about working together to achieve a joint purpose. The activity promotes friendship, communication, discussion, leadership and decision-making as each team progresses to the top. Weight limit: 150kg
Matrix
The Matrix is an indoor activity, exclusive to PGL Little Canada, on the Isle of Wight. The Matrix tests your pupils’ physical and mental agility as they step through secret gateways to solve puzzles, tasks and take part in other inspiring activities. It’s a challenge that will improve your pupils’ communication skills as well as their ability to cooperate and work effectively as a team.
Orienteering
Orienteering makes an excellent introduction to practical map-reading and is an exciting way to get to know your surroundings on centre. Pupils work in small teams or in pairs to locate control points across the grounds of the centre. As it’s essentially a competitive activity, the idea is for your group to find all the controls more quickly than the others. The activity helps them to improve decision-making, map reading and correctly judging distances.
Quick Jump
Attached to a harness, step into the air and enjoy the adrenaline rush of free falling until a giant fan sweeps you into flying mode, bringing you gently to land!
Raft Building
Down to the water’s edge and your pupils’ challenge is to design and build a robust and working raft. There’ll be a number of components available, including large plastic barrels, ropes and poles. Our staff can give as much or as little support as you’d like but it’s a great teamwork exercise and will help your pupils improve their communication, problem-solving and decision-making. Once rafts are ready to launch, the fun begins on the water!
Sensory Trail
The sensory trail is a challenge in more ways than one. During the activity your pupils will negotiate a series of obstacles – blindfolded – with the other members of their group for guidance. It’s a challenge, which raises questions about our abilities and assumptions, and demands mutual trust, self belief, and effective communication to complete the course successfully.
Stand Up Paddleboard
SUP is a fun and relaxing way for kids to enjoy the water, build confidence on a board, and learn a new skill - this activity has quickly become a favourite!
Survivor
Once the ‘wilderness’ scenario is set, your pupils need to develop effective teamwork to build their shelter. Basic navigational skills and meteorological skills help them decide the layout of the site. They will have to identify and share out the key responsibilities for getting each task completed, and communicate well to get the most from the project. Work as a team to build a wilderness shelter on centre, and learn how to stay warm and dry using whatever you can find. You’ll need to plan your camp taking into account the prevailing weather and then share out the tasks to get the shelter built before time runs out...
Trapeze
Each stage of the trapeze counts as a success and requires courage and determination. The challenge starts with a climb to the top of a 6 metre pole. Next, a climb onto the small platform will require balance as pupils stand to make that leap for the trapeze! It’s an exhilarating and heart-pounding activity that will bring your pupils together in their support for each other. It also gives each participant a very real sense of personal achievement. Weight limit: 150kg
Traverse elements
An activity to test skills any cat would find easy! For your pupils, though, there are some thrilling challenges involved to test balance, skill and courage. After a climb to the top of a telegraph pole, individuals will need determination to tackle the series of beams and wires that lie ahead. For those watching, they’ll offer support and encouragement from the ground as they grow stronger as a team and learn to appreciate each other’s efforts.
Zip Wire
Once at the top of the zip wire platform, pupils are securely attached to the overhead wire before making their flight across the sky! Their route may take them through a forest or even over a lake. It’s a hugely exhilarating experience that requires personal courage and determination – it pushes most children beyond their natural comfort zone. It’s also a chance for the rest of the group to offer support and encouragement. Weight limit: 90-120kg (varies by location)
Archery Tag
Let the battle commence! Archery with a twist - you are aiming for each other! In this game of skill and teamwork you are equipped with foam-tipped arrows to battle it out in action packed games. You will do some basic skills training before entering the arena to see who comes out victorious! Available March to September
Campfire
The ultimate way to enjoy the great outdoors as a group! Enjoy a campfire tailored to your requirements. Get hands-on constructing your campfire during the day, and it will be lit ready for you to enjoy in the evening. If your group loves to sing or simply relax with some games around the campfire, our team can cater for all ages in the idyllic settings of our campfires.
Laser Tag
The wide-open landscapes at our adventure centres offer the ultimate backdrop to a team laser tag battle. Working in teams, your group will head off equipped with their own laser tagger and vest. They'll develop team tactics, communication skills, and a steady hand as they duel to come out the triumphant team!
Quiz
In teams, guests are set a Q & A style challenges to engage their brains & increase their general knowledge.
Silent Disco
Party the night away without the noise of a disco. Every guest has their own set of headphones, where guests can select music from a number of channels to find the tunes they enjoy. Then spend the evening dancing away with friends or trying to guess what song your friends are listening to.
Explore nearby locations
Lancashire – Winmarleigh Hall
Winmarleigh Hall is a 19th Century country house set in 50 acres of gardens, parkland and woodland with a large, purpose-built lake. Close to the historic city of Lancaster and the Forest of Bowland, this centre is crammed with activites and things to do.
Explore Winmarleigh Hall
North Yorkshire – Newby Wiske Hall
Newby by name, Newby by nature! Previously a police training centre, this historic 17th century country house opened its doors as a PGL activity centre in 2023 after a huge transformation. The centre is surrounded by beautiful North Yorkshire countryside, known for its rolling hills, lush green landscapes and scenic beauty.
Explore Newby Wiske Hall
View all locations
Adventure is never far away! Our amazing activity centres span across England, Scotland and even France.
View all locations
We go above and beyond to protect the safety and wellbeing of everyone in our care.
Our long-standing dedication to safety has led to us holding over 15 governing and safety accreditations, and we voluntarily apply for Ofsted inspections to be on the Childcare Register.
Everything we do is built on five protective pillars:
Safe People
Safe People People are at the heart of all we do. From our ‘safer recruitment’ process (including enhanced DBS for all centre colleagues) to our in-depth training programmes, continuous development and supervision, we go the extra mile to ensure our guests are in the safest of hands.
Safe Places
Our centres are continuously monitored, maintained and risk-assessed by dedicated teams to ensure our places are safe and secure, always. What’s more, ongoing investment in our locations is powering breakthroughs in guest comfort and satisfaction.
Safe Spaces
We believe adventure is for everyone. We’ve developed our spaces with SEND, accessibility and inclusivity in mind, and can make further adjustments for guests’ individual needs wherever possible – our goal is to deliver enriching experiences for all.
Safeguarding
As the leader in our industry, we are committed to ensuring the safety and welfare of children, young people and adults in our care. Our teams are trained to recognise and report safeguarding concerns and aware of their responsibilities to safeguard guests.
Safe Travels
Our travel partners are carefully vetted to ensure they meet our high standards and are able to demonstrate effective safety management systems – providing transport that is safe, reliable, suitable for children and adaptable to the needs of our guests.
PGL Dearne Valley Residential Trips FAQs
What kind of groups do you cater for?
At Dearne Valley, we cater for a range of different groups, including:
Primary Schools
What’s included in the cost of the PGL trip?
With PGL, the cost of camp includes accommodations, activities, equipment, food and drinks! So there’s nothing else for you to worry about since everything is covered in the price per person.
What happens in the evenings?
In the evening the fun continues! We have a fantastic entertainment programme for the evenings where we’ve got discos, campfires, quizzes and more! If you want more singing around the campfire, then just let us know and we can plan that into your itinerary. We’re here to create the perfect schedule for you and your group.
What should I pack for my child's overnight stay?
Some essential items that you should make sure are packed in your child’s bag are:
• Tops/t-shirts (for daily adventure activities)
• Trousers/leggings (for daily adventure activities)
• Sports kit (for sports teams and sports activities)
• Evening clothes (for discos, quizzes, evening games and more)
• Towels
• Toiletries
For an extensive list of what to pack, see our packing guide!
Does my child need waterproofs for their residential trip?
We strongly recommend that your child brings waterproofs to Dearne Valley. You never know what the weather is going to be like, so by bringing a waterproof jacket you can be sure that your child is staying as dry as possible when taking part in our exhilarating outdoor activities!
Does my child need to bring money?
Your child doesn’t need to bring money, but they can if they wish to buy a souvenir from the on-site gift shop. We have lots of PGL goodies to choose from including caps, mugs, pens, teddy bears, t-shirts and more! We even have a uniformed group badge to let everyone know that your child has visited PGL with their unit.
Can I contact my child during their camp stay?
Of course! If you should need to contact your child please do so through the designated teacher/adult that is accompanying them on their trip – your school/group should have provided a mobile number for parents. If you’re still struggling to reach your child, then please call us – we can either get a message to your child or arrange a call for you to speak with them. Our biggest centres span over 240 acres, so bear with us… it might take a little time to get hold of them on their adventures!
Do you cater for special dietary requirements?
We’re able to cater for a variety of dietary requirements at all of our locations, please visit our Menus and Mealtimes page for further information.
What safety measures are in place?
We have a huge emphasis on safety, starting with the recruitment of our staff and continuing through to all of our activities. As a founder member of BAPA (British Activity Providers Association) and a licence holder for activities in scope of AALA (Adventure Activities Licencing Authority) regulations, we make safety our priority.
A risk assessment has also been carried out at Grosvenor Hall, with risks being outlined and managed. The risk assessment covers the grounds of Grosvenor Hall, as well as all of the activities available at the centre.
Our Activity Instructors are experts in their area, trained and assessed both in-house and by external assessors. They’ll be there during every activity to make sure they’re completed safely and correctly.
New staff complete a comprehensive induction and job specific training followed by regular observations, feedback, reviews and assessments.
Is there parking available?
Yes, there is on-site parking available.
