Lorne Estate boasts excellent indoor and outdoor facilities making us the ideal choice of venue for your next event. Conveniently located just 6 miles from Belfast, we welcome all types of groups from youth organisations to churches, schools and corporate events. This guide contains lots of useful information regarding the facilities available and how to book. Please feel free to call us on 028 9042 5212 to discuss your requirements.

A very warm welcome to Lorne Estate!

Accommodation.......................... Pages 4-5

Camping...................................... Page 6

Activities...................................... Pages 7-8

On-site Facilities.......................... Page 9

Health and Safety........................ Pages 10-11

Booking Process......................... Page 12

How to find us............................. Page 13

Terms and Conditions................. Page 14

Lorne Estate has a wide range of buildings so you are sure to find something to suit your group.

Lorne House is a beautiful period property built in 1875 which sleeps 29 people over two storeys. The rooms are a range of single, twin, three, four and five bedrooms. There are three shower rooms and one single ensuite room. The property has retained many the features of the original owners. If you book Lorne House you will have exclusive use of the building and this can be on a fully

catered or self catered basis. You will also have use of the session room and drawing room as well as a dining room and board room for your meetings with the opportunity to relax in the solarium.

The Marion Greeves Centre is a more modern purpose building offering accommodation on one level for 38 people. There is a range of sleeping accommodation patterns - with twin, three, four and five bed rooms. There is disabled access and rooms with wet rooms if required. The centre lends itself to self catering, with a fully equipped kitchen and dining area as well as a room for craft or indoor activities. The building opens directly out onto the Brownie playground so leaders can supervise with ease. The leaders can make use of a lounge with soft furnishings for a relaxing evening. The large conference centre may be available if not in use.

Marion Greeves Brownie House

Lorne House

The Coach House is a converted stable block, and is a versatile self contained unit providing excellent accommodation, suitable for a variety of uses. The property sleeps 12 over two storeys and all rooms are ensuite - offering single and twin accommodation. There is a dining / living room where you can eat and relax in the evenings, together with a fully fitted kitchen making the Coach House ideal for self catered groups..

If you are staying in Lorne House, Marion Greeves Brownie House or The Coach House all bed linen is provided.

Guests must remake their beds before departure.

The Ranger Cottage is situated on the Glen Road side of the estate and has been recently rebuilt. It offers accommodation on a smaller scale with dormitory style bunk bed accommodation for 10 and a separate ensuite twin room for the leaders. There is a fully fitted kitchen, lounge, dining area allowing you to be totally self contained. The outdoor patio area has two picnic tables for those balmy evening al fresco opportunities! The building also contains a large screen TV and WIFI for your convenience. All bed linen is provided for the leaders room. Pillows are provided in the dormitory and guests should bring their own sleeping bags and pillow cases.

The Coach House

Ranger Cottage

We have four sites spread throughout the estate which are exceptionally well equipped with stocked site huts, two outdoor buildings Lorne Lodge and Glen Lodge, permanent altar fire places and access to toilet and shower facilities. Groups have the option to hire our camping facilities under three categories; fully equipped, equipped with own tents and unequipped.

Fully Equipped Sites Include: Site hut or outdoor building

with benches, tables and chairs

Access to toilet and shower facilities

Gas boiler and stove Pots and pans Cooking utensils Fire equipment Altar fireplace and wood Fridge and freezer External lighting PLUS A choice of Canvas or

lightweight tents .

Equipped with own tents include: Site hut or outdoor building with

benches, tables and chairs Access to toilet and shower

facilities Gas boiler and stove Pots and pans Cooking utensils Fire equipment Altar fireplace and wood Fridge and freezer External lighting

Unequipped Sites include: Use of site Access to toilet and shower

facilities.

Lorne Estate operates a leave no trace policy and requests that all campers leave the sites, huts and buildings clean and tidy. This includes ensuring all tent pegs are removed from the ground, clearing all fire places and lifting all rubbish. Open fires are banned in the Estate except for members of the Guide and Scout Associations. In the event of a wet strike you can arrange to come back at a later date to pack your tents away.. For those hiring Lorne tents, there is the option to pay an additional fee to have a warden pack the tents away for you.

Lorne is home to a wide range of activities so you can be sure to find something to suit your group and budget. All our instructors are fully qualified and have vast experience of working with participants of all ages and abilities. All activities marked with a * are provided with an instructor and require a minimum of 10 participants. All sessions last between 60 and 90 minutes.

Age Requirements Description

Archery * 7 years + Our purpose built archery range is the perfect place to learn the ancient art of target shooting.

Climbing Tower * 7 years + At 7m high, with 6 sides ranging in difficulty our climbing tower has something to challenge everyone.

High Ropes * 7 years + The High Ropes structure contains a range of elements on each side including a leap of faith, high all aboard, scramble net and many traversing elements.

Crate Challenge * 7 years + Incorporated into the Cube course this activity involves stacking crates as you climb.

Abseiling * 7 years + Descend down our purpose built bank. The abseil at Lorne is most suitable for groups aged between 7 and 12.

Gorge Walking * 10 years + In this wet and wild activity you will overcome waterfalls, plunge pools and other challenges as you make your way upstream.

Bungee Trampoline *

4 years + Minimum weight 3 stone. Maximum weight 15 stone.

Our Bungee Trampoline will allow you to bounce to heights of up to 10m. You may also be able to perform some air acrobatics and impress your friends.

Bushcraft * 10 years + While having fun, learn back to basic survival skills including food preparation and fire lighting.

Team Building * 10 years + Our team building sessions are designed on a bespoke basis to ensure each group will achieve their desired outcome.

Orienteering 7 years + Get familiar with our site with our orienteering courses.

Geocaching 10 years + Caches are hidden across the estate and participants must use the GPS devices to find them.

Large Scale Events Lorne can provide a full days programme of activities for larger events of 40 + participants. Please contact Tasha on 028 9042 5212 extn. 2 or email Tasha@girlguidingulster.org.uk to discuss your requirements.

Lorne Activity Badge There is a Lorne activity badge available if your group has participated in 3 or more activities at Lorne. These are available from the Lorne Estate Office. You can also order these in advance to be presented to your group by the instructor.

Suggested Kit List To make the most of the experience it is essential for your group to come suitably prepared. Comfortable clothes suitable to the time of year. Short shorts will not be

accepted. Waterproof jacket and trousers (if available) Water bottle Sensible shoes/trainers. Flip flops/crocs/high heels will not be accepted. GORGE WALKING ONLY. Complete change of clothes including shoes

plus wash kit, towel and plastic bag for wet gear.

Session Times The session times at Lorne are fixed. Please see below.

Weather The activities we have at Lorne will go ahead in most weathers and several of the activities have covered shelters which can be used. The only exception to this is the Bungee Trampoline which cannot be operated in wet weather and we will provide a suitable alternative activity if necessary.

Adventuremark Lorne was awarded the Adventuremark Accreditation for the first time in 2012 and we renew it every 2 years. This involved an independent rigorous inspection of our activity policies, practices and procedures so you can book us with confidence.

Session 1 9.30 - 11.00 Session 4 3.00 - 4.30

Session 2 11.00 - 12.30 Session 5 4.30 - 6.00

Session 3 1.30 - 3.00 Session 6 7.00 - 8.30

Shop There is a well equipped shop on site selling Girlguiding and Lorne souvenirs, Guiding resources, uniform and confectionary. The opening hours are Monday - Saturday 9.30am - 4.30pm.

Lorne Estate has the following facilities available to you during your stay.

Conference Centre With all standard conference centre equipment, this room provides a comfortable venue seating up to 120 delegates. A kitchenette with serving hatch adds to the versatility of this room allowing guests to hold events such as informal meetings, launch parties and indoor team building.

Play Parks and ZipLine Lorne has a Rainbow play area and Cabin which is suitable for guests aged 4-7. There is also a Brownie play area which includes a zip line and is suitable for guests aged 7-14. It is the responsibility of the group leader to ensure that guests are supervised at all times while using this equipment. Free of charge.

BBQ’s Gas BBQ’s and cylinders are available for hire for guests staying on-site. Hire charge applies

WIFI Wifi is available to those staying in Lorne House and the Ranger Cottage. It is also available in the Conference Centre for trainings etc. Free of Charge

Equipment Hire Lorne Estate has the following equipment available for use by guests: Data projectors and laptops Flip charts Smartboard PA System Hire Charges apply

Please book any extra facilities through the Lorne Estate Office at least 2 weeks before arrival

Group Leaders A Group Leader is a responsible adult (such as a teacher, leader or parent) that is in charge of an activity or the entire group staying at Lorne. Group Leaders are responsible for the discipline of their own group while staying on-site. Lorne Estate requires that you have a ratio (Leader : Participant) of 1 :10 at all times.

Fire Alarm Procedure On arrival all groups will receive a welcome briefing which will include information regarding fire evacuation procedures . If you hear the fire alarm, it is the group leader’s responsibility to lead the group out of the building and to the nearest fire assembly point. The assembly points are as follows for each of the buildings; The Fire Service will attend any fire alarm outside of the hours 9am - 5pm Monday - Friday. Please do not re-enter the buildings unless you have been told to do so by the Fire Service or a member of staff. Clients are asked not to touch the fire alarm panels. A member of staff will attend any call out outside of working hours. All residential groups must have their bedroom lists displayed in the buildings that they are using and hold a copy for emergency use. A further copy will be kept in the office. If there is a fire during 9am-5pm Monday to Friday, clients must call 999 to confirm that there is an emergency to ensure that the Fire Service attend. Staff must also be notified immediately.

Lorne House, Coach House, Shop and Offices

Flag pole at the front of Lorne House

Brownie House, Conference Centre and Lorne Lodge

Adjacent car park

Ranger Cottage and Glen Lodge

Flag pole on Glen Road campsite

Security It is the responsibility of the Group leader to ensure that the building is locked up at night. Gates on both Station Road and Glen Road must remain open at all times should the emergency services need access.

There is a staff on-call system in operation, please see the notice boards in your building for this information.

First Aid Each group staying in or visiting Lorne is responsible for providing their own first aid arrangements. All accidents/injuries must be recorded in the accident book located in the Lorne Estate Office.

Alcohol There is a fully licensed bar available in Lorne House. Please request this at time of booking if you wish to avail of this facility during your stay.

Child Protection All staff at Lorne have completed Access NI checks as part of their recruitment process. In addition, staff also adhere to the Girlguiding Child Protection Policy - A Safe Space.

Risk Assessments It is the responsibility of each group to undertake their own risk assessments when visiting Lorne. All clients can be assured that all legislation concerning health and safety and risk assessments are up to date. Regular testing of fire alarms, fire drills, fire extinguisher tests, portable appliance testing, emergency lighting, hard wire electrical testing and fire risk assessments are carried out as and when required. Risk assessments for all activities are available on request.

Insurance Public Liability Insurance is in place for all users however, outside groups must complete a disclaimer form.

Contact us to check availability

Call us on 028 9042 5212 or email info@girlguidingulster.org.uk

Check your confirmation email Please contact us if you need to make any

changes to your booking

Confirm your booking by paying your deposit.

We accept cheque, credit/debit cards, bacs or cash.

Four weeks before you are due to arrive contact us with your final numbers and

dietary requirements

One week before you are due to arrive send in your completed Medical and Consent

Forms for any activities booked.

Arrive and enjoy your stay!

By Air. Fly to Belfast International Airport (approximately 45 minutes by taxi)

or Belfast City Airport (approximately 15 minutes by taxi)

Airlines flying to Belfast include Flybe, Easyjet, British Airways, British

Midland, Ryanair and Aer Lingus.

By Bus. Translink service from Belfast to Bangor. Pass Holywood village

and alight at the stop after the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum. Turn left

into Station Road at the traffic lights and pass under the railway bridge.

Lorne Estate is the next exit on the left. Approximately 5 minute walk.

By Sea. Belfast docks (approximately 20 minutes) Stena Line, P&O Ferries.

By Train. Cultra station is approximately 20 minutes walk. It is on the Belfast

to Bangor line at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum.

By Car. From Belfast City follow the A2 signs towards Bangor.

Pass Holywood and follow the signs for Ulster Folk and Transport Museum.

After the museum take the slip road at the next set of traffic lights. Go under

the railway bridge, pass the cottages on the left and Lorne is the next exit.

Lorne Estate is easy to get to whether you are travelling by public or private transport.

Payments

A non refundable deposit is required 3 weeks from the time of the original booking.

Bookings will only be confirmed on receipt of the required deposit. We reserve the right to

cancel any booking if the deposit is not received in this period of time. By paying the deposit

the hirer agreed to abide by the terms and conditions.

Cancellations made within 7 days of the event will incur a 100% charge.

Cancellations made within 8 weeks of the event will incur a 50% charge.

Final payment should be paid on departure or within 30 days of the date of the invoice.

Minimum numbers

Minimum numbers for each building apply.

Lorne House and Marion Greeves Centre - 16

Coach House and Ranger Cottage - 8

Campsites - 24. (This applies during May and June only. During these months smaller

groups will be accommodated on the Front Lawn or groups may be required to share).

General

Details of numbers and meal requirements must be with Lorne at least 4 weeks in advance.

Should your numbers for a catered visit reduce 7 days or less before the event you will be

charged for the numbers confirmed.

Dogs are not permitted in any of the buildings or in the grounds. (With the exception of

Guide dogs.

Girlguiding Ulster reserves the right to decline any booking or ask a group to leave the

premises due to unforeseen circumstances or behavioural issues.

Smoking is not permitted in any of the buildings

Alcohol must not be brought onto the premises. (Unless by prior arrangement when a

corkage charge will be applied)

Activities

Activities that need an instructor require a minimum of 10 participants and must be booked

at least 4 weeks in advance.

All participants (including any leaders/adults) must complete a Medical/Consent form. The

group leader should ensure that a hard copy of these forms are submitted to Lorne at least

7 days before the activity. Please note: We cannot accept any participant who has not

submitted a form.

If your numbers change you must inform us no later than one week in advance or you will

be charged for the original number booked. In addition, any participant booked in who have

not submitted a form and therefore cannot partake in the activities will still be charged.

You should arrive for your session 10 minutes before your start time. If your group is late

then the length of time you will have on the activity will be shorter. No price reductions will

be made for late arrivals.

We will do our best to accommodate your preferred time but occasionally we will have to

alter it slightly due to circumstances beyond our control.

Lorne Estate 30 Station Road

Craigavad Holywood BT18 0BP

Tel: 028 9042 5212 info@girlguidingulster.org.uk

www.discoverlorne.org.uk

Lorne Estate is owned and operated by Girlguiding Ulster

www.girlguidingulster.org.uk