Experience – Clophill Eco Lodges

EXPERIENCE | Scheduled events

Guided activities and events. Click on the themed tabs and follow the hyperlinks to find out what’s on offer.

We have a range of activities running throughout the year – please see our What’s on when page for a full calendar of events. Early booking is recommended as each event has limited spaces. Once you have chosen your events please go to the Book & buy page or email us to book.

Of course, if nothing on the calendar takes your fancy then please get in touch – we are more than happy to create bespoke packages tailored to your taste and requirements.

Art and photography

Clophill Eco Lodges and St. Mary’s Old Church enjoy an elevated position in an area of natural beauty, affording them stunning, panoramic views; you can see what has drawn people to the site for hundreds of years.

Through the monument and lodges, set amongst an old oak copse, ancient and contemporary architectures are brought together creating the perfect, tranquil yet intriguing venue for artists – the perfect setting for inspiring landscapes, still life, wildlife photography, sculpture and more.

Come and try your hand at one of the many media available.

Artist in residence (min. 4 hours)
Introduction to wildlife photography (min. 4 hours)

Climb the tower

The newly-restored observation tower at St. Mary’s Old Church opened to the public in July 2014. Climb the ancient spiral stairs and enjoy spectacular 360-degree views across the Bedfordshire countryside.

General admission

Adult	£3
Child*	£2
.

*Please note that anyone under the age of 18yrs must be accompanied by a fee-paying adult.

Crafting

Mid Bedfordshire and the Greensand Ridge area in particular have a hugely colourful and wide-ranging history of traditional local crafting and tradesmanship.

At Clophill Eco Lodges, we aim to provide a taster into as many of these activities as possible – why not browse our selection of courses and see what takes your fancy:

Applique and sewing (1 day)
Hat-making (1 day)
Jam-making (1 day)
Quilting (1 day)
Weaving (1 day)

cycling_1 — Hit the local trails for some ‘fast and furious’ pedal-action!

Cycling

The Clophill Eco Lodges are situated in an area with a great network of quiet and attractive country roads and tracks as well as a nearby woodland designed for mountain biking. The site’s strategic position at the heart of the new Greensand Ridge Cycleway also makes it the perfect cycling destination for:

Family ‘picnic rides’ – guided adventure suitable for all ages (2-3 hours)
Weekend mountain biking course – off-road skills and tricks workshops (2 days)

Food and drink

We love great local produce! And where better to ‘savour the flavour’ than outside in the fresh air, amidst the stunning Bedfordshire countryside.

Join us for one of our ‘fab foodie’ events and discover the wealth of tantalising tastes the Greensand Ridge has to offer.

Bedfordshire wine discovery weekend (2 days)
Cider press rules weekend (2 days)
Real ale weekend (2 days)

Geology

The Greensand Ridge has generated a wealth of geological forms and a landscape which has shaped the region over million of years.

Join one of our guided trails to learn how the area received make-up minerals from Europe, gave rise to a successful international brick industry and created a wealth of clay and sand pits and quarries.

Geology trails (min. 3hrs)
Rocks beneath your feet (min. 3hrs)

Health and well-being

We’re keen to provide a full and balanced complement of ‘stay away’ courses and bootcamps, all designed to promote optimised health and well-being, both physical and spiritual.

Courses are provided at beginner, right through to advanced levels, for mixed groups of all ages, women only, men only and (in the near future) children and teenagers’ groups too. Click below for more details, including cost and date options. Alternatively please contact us to discuss your individual requirements.

A packed programme of serious stamina-building! – bootcamp weekend (3 days)
Sports and remedial massage courses (min. 2 hours)

Heritage building skills

Learn traditional construction methods from skilled stone and brick masons, for use at home or on behalf of your charity or organisation. Have fun ‘making your mark’ with some traditional carving, perhaps as an unusual stag, hen or birthday party, followed by private dining at Clophill Eco Lodges.

Stone or brick masonry courses (1 day)
Option to include overnight stay at Clophill Eco Lodges

Where to start? What are the signs to look out for? Are there any quick fixes? What options / approaches are appropriate and how should I choose between them? Learn how to assess your listed building, heritage site or home – what to do versus pitfalls to avoid.

An introduction to basic heritage building skills and scenarios (2 days)

History beckons

We have a wealth of educational activities from archaeology to timeline work, all of which are focused outdoors and designed to meet and advance curriculum requirements.

Whether learning the region’s history for fun or as part of formal education, our engaging and accessible activities will be perfect for you.

Clophill heritage trail (self-led)
National timeline (min. 3hrs)
Spies and coders weekend (2 days)

Nature

We love the great outdoors! What’s more, we’re in a fantastic position to share this enjoyment with you given the beautiful, rural location of the Clophill Eco Lodges’ site.

There’s certainly plenty to choose from. Classes include learning how to build your own bush camp, woodland exploration, seed-collecting, identification of flora and fauna, bug-hunting and conservation.

Explorers’ nature encounter (1 day)

Sustainability

Oops! We’ve not quite finished writing this section…

‘Watch this space’ or contact us for further detail.

caption — “Twenty miles down, ‘just’ the same again to go” – nearing the end of Day 1, Greensand Ridge challenge walk, March 2014.

Walking

nordic_walking — Nordic walking – a versatile work-out, perfect for building cardio-vascular strength or toning up those hard-to-reach muscle groups during a gentle stroll!

Try out Bedfordshire’s long distance trail across the beautiful Greensand Ridge.

You can walk this 40 mile route as a sponsored challenge for charity, a corporate team builder or as trek or marathon practice.

Starting at Leighton Buzzard (accessible by train from Euston Station) with a stopover at the Clophill Eco Lodge and ending at the Ecohub in Gamlingay (nearby Sandy accessible from Kings Cross Station).

‘Weekend Challenge’ walk (2 days)

Nordic Walking

Nordic walking is becoming increasingly popular and the Clophill Eco Lodges provide the perfect meeting point for walks heading out into the local country side.

Try one of our Nordic walking courses:

Ultimate Nordic Circuits – Ski Fit course (2 days)
Ultimate Nordic Circuits – Trek Fit course (2 days)

Note: Participants do not have to know how to Nordic walk to be able to join our courses. Please contact us for more details.

Upcoming events

Infant massage – 29/02/2016 at 11:00 - 12:30
Infant massage – 07/03/2016 at 11:00 - 12:30

See our What’s on when page for a full calendar of events.