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MENDIP: IT'S EVERYONE'S ADVENTURE
Established in 1987, Mendip Adventure is a national activity, education and training provider setting the gold standard in adventure and training. Our flagship site is Mendip Activity Centre but there are several brands in our family.
Our goal is to inspire everyone, everywhere, to make time for adventure.
We do this by working with schools, families, individuals, groups and teams, and aim to inspire as many as possible.
We deliver high-quality and important outdoor education with professionalism and passion through the pillars of Adventure, Learning and Training.
Our values are simple:
Respect Risk: Go safely beyond the comfort zone
Respect Nature: Protect our playground
Respect Choice: Let everyone make their choice
THE MENDIP HILLS
“A WILD LAND READY FOR ADVENTURE”
Our main site is based in the Mendip Hills National Landscape, near Bristol and Weston-super-Mare. The Mendip Hills are one of the South West's most special and diverse landscapes.
The Mendip Hills are renowned for being a stunning landscape of steep slopes and undulating plateau punctuated by spectacular gorges, rocky outcrops and ancient monuments. Wander across our land and you’ll find a thick, ancient woodland full of diverse habitats and rare grasslands, host to beautiful flowers, butterflies, and insects.
This site is now home to an indoor residential centre, three canvas villages and Mendip Basecamp, a family adventure campsite. Our 165-metre snowsports and toboggan slopes are nestled into the hillside, while the rest of our site features one of the largest disc golf courses in the UK and covered, accessible target sports ranges.
Our limestone quarry, Sandford Quarry, is an adventure playground. First quarried over one hundred years ago, it was used by the Home Guard during WWII along with Sandford Levy, an onsite cave. A short drive away is our own private watersports site, Hewish.
Since 2022, we have raised more than £30,000 for the Mendip Hills Fund and to the Mendip Access Adventure Foundation, thanks to the generosity of our visitors donating when booking.
MENDIP'S HISTORY
1987: Jim founds Mendip Outdoor Pursuits
Having had a life-long passion for Outdoor Pursuits, Jim founded Mendip. At this point, it was called “Mendip Outdoor Pursuits” and operated from the spare bedroom in his terraced house in Yatton. Mendip’s first client was Redland High School in Bristol.
1990: Mendip grows
Within 3 years Mendip needed more space. The organisation moved to a large farmhouse near Banwell, where stables and out-buildings provided much-needed space for the growing business, as well as accommodation for the instructors.
1995 Tim joined Mendip as our first training instructor.
Training has always been an important part of who Mendip is and it’s a testament to the fact that Tim is still working for the company today. You’re just as likely to see him cutting down trees as you are leading a group on a Caving session.
1990s: Mendip becomes one of the first DofE providers
When the DofE introduced Approved Activity Providers, Mendip was the second ever organisation to gain their license. We’ve always been at the forefront of outdoor education.
2006: David Eddins takes over
After 16 years at the farmhouse with Jim and family, Mendip moved again to ‘The Barn’ in Congresbury. After 20 years of running the company, Jim stepped aside and David Eddins took on the organisation. We’re delighted that Jim didn’t disappear and kept involved with the organisation bringing his expertise in all things finance, orienteering and education.
2012: Mendip Moves to the Ski Centre
By 2012, Mendip’s growth had quickly accelerated and we were on the look out for somewhere new. Avon Ski Centre had been founded in 1978 as a Skiing and Pony Trekking centre. The opportunity to take on the site presented huge opportunities to ensure the organisation could grow and strengthen its position as a year-round outdoor activity provider. The organisation grew from a small team of full-time staff to over 30 employees.
2010s: Mendip Rebrands as Mendip Activity Centre
A decade of growth and development took place, bringing the ski centre site up to scratch, repurposing the onsite Mendip Lodge into a bunkhouse and building tented accommodation and facilities. Much of this work was funded and driven by a large contract we had delivering the National Citizenship Service (NCS) scheme to young people.
2020: Mendip Basecamp Launched
In 2020, at the height of the pandemic, we decided to open our campsite previously reserved for school groups to the public. We founded Mendip Basecamp, a family adventure campsite, and it was an overnight success. We haven’t looked back since and have gone on to win Best Campsite at the Bristol, Bath & Somerset Tourism Awards twice!
2021: Outdoor Instructor Training Course Introduced
Mendip Outdoor Instructor Training was formally founded and we introduced our Accelerated Outdoor Instructor Training (AOIT) course, filling the course during its first year with aspiring outdoor instructors looking to seek a life of adventure.
2024: YHA Cheddar Acquired
YHA Cheddar was put up for sale and Mendip decided to save this hostel from closure, formally completing on the sale in November 2024. James Blake, Chief Executive of YHA (England & Wales) said: “Partnering with businesses like Mendip Activity Centre enables young people and their families to continue to access the physical and mental health benefits of the outdoors in stunning locations like Cheddar, through the provision of affordable accommodation.”
2025: SUP Bristol Join the Mendip Brand
With a reputation for top-quality paddlesports instruction and community-driven experiences, SUP Bristol has been a leader in bringing adventure to the heart of Bristol’s waterfront since 2014. With a shared passion for adventure, learning, and community, Mendip and SUP Bristol to partner bring even more people into the world of paddlesports.
