Dobroyd Castle is set high up on the Todmorden moors enjoying some fantastic views of the surrounding area. It is a historic, grade two star listed building, with wonderful architecture including a breathtaking main entrance hall. The 17 acres of grounds, which accommodate Robinwood adventure and teamwork activities, are also the home for a wide range of wildlife including deer, rabbits and many more.

The castle has had many different lives; starting out as a very grand house for a famous local mill owner, later it became an approved school for boys and just before Robinwood took over, a Buddhist Centre. We have invested lots of time and money creating the on site activities, all linked together with paths. We have a shallow lake on site which is ideal for an introduction to canoeing and raft building. We also have giant swings and zip wires which are around 80 metres long. Everything is close by so there is no time wasted between activities.

Our converted sports hall provides some fantastic indoor activity areas. It houses climbing walls and indoor trapeze areas, within which children are challenged to leap from a small platform at the top of a wooden pole just over 4 metres high. We also have indoor archery ranges and rooms in which crate challenge takes place We have three different themed problem solving areas; Quest, the Dungeon and Piranha Pool. Our staff team love developing these areas to ensure the challenges involved really capture the imagination of the children taking part.

We’re always looking to develop and improve the activity programme we offer, sharing ideas across the company and drawing on the experience gained at three centres.

We have dormitories and teachers accommodation areas in the main castle building and in three separate accommodation blocks next to the main castle. The children get to share a dormitory with their friends, whilst teachers get their own en-suite rooms, located close to the children. We have two very nice teachers’ lounge areas in larger rooms just off the grand castle entrance hall, where teachers can relax in the evenings, whilst Robinwood staff oversee bedtimes and overnight supervision of the children.

Typical three day programme at Dobroyd Castle

Around 24 hours of high quality activity sessions packed into a 3 day course. We ensure your group gains the most possible from every moment spent at Robinwood, from wake-up around 7.00am to lights out (and sleep!) at 10.00pm. Please note that this activity programme does vary dependent in particular on weather conditions and the timetable given above is only a sample. The activity programme you follow will be confirmed in advance of your course, within a personalised timetable for your school.

Day 1

  • Arrivals are typically about 11.00am
  • Lunch
  • Giant swing
  • Raft building
  • Crate challenge
  • Evening meal
  • Trapeze
  • Quest
  • Hot chocolate and review

Day 2

  • Breakfast
  • Zip wire
  • Canoeing
  • Archery
  • Lunch
  • Night line
  • Piranha Pool
  • Caving
  • Evening meal
  • Team challenge
  • Hot chocolate and review

Day 3

  • Breakfast
  • Dungeon
  • Climbing
  • Challenge course
  • Lunch
  • Departures are typically about 2.30pm

Finding our Dobroyd Castle Activity Centre

Dobroyd Castle is situated on Pexwood Road, just off the A681 Bacup Road. Pexwood Road is suitable for cars and small vehicles only, not coaches or other large vehicles.

Typical travel times

  • Manchester

    50 mins

  • Leeds

    50 mins

  • Sheffield

    1 hr 20 mins

  • Liverpool

    1 hr 20 mins

  • York

    1 hr 20 mins

  • Hull

    1 hr 40 mins

  • Nottingham

    2 hrs

  • Lincoln

    2 hrs

  • Birmingham

    2 hr 20 mins

What Schools say about Dobroyd Castle

We really appreciate all the recommendations we get from schools who have visited Robinwood and the number of schools who come for the first time as a result of recommendations from friends and colleagues. We are constantly updating the comments from schools who have recently attended a Robinwood Course. The schools that attend come from areas of the Midlands, throughout the North of England and up into Scotland. But don’t just take our word for it, See what they have to say about robinwood. For more testimonials and recommendations visit our Highly Recommended Page.

"As a school, we always look forward to our Robinwood visit - we know that it will live up to our expectations. The children and teachers are challenged and encouraged to take part in each activity and a sense of achievement is felt by all. The children have already asked if they can go again next year - it is something that they will remember and reflect on for many years to come. Certainly Robinwood is a place where memories are made. As much as we are looking forward to visiting the new centre I know that the Castle will be missed by all our staff who have visited over the years. It really is an exceptional place with exceptional staff who want the best for every child who visits. As always the centre staff, whether catering, cleaning or office workers are polite and helpful and obviously work extremely hard to ensure that everyone is catered for. THANK YOU."

St Peter's Primary School, Wem