At a Glance
Gold DofE Residentials On Dartmoor!
Duke of Edinburgh – 2026 Dates Now Available:
Duke of Edinburgh Gold Residential Experiences.
Located on the Northern edge of Dartmoor, Adventure Okehampton is the perfect location for your Gold DofE residential. We offer two different types of residential, available to book at £350 per person (including accommodation and board). Please see below for further details.
Option 1: Biking Development Week
Designed around the MIAS (Mountain Bike Instructor Award Scheme) This skills based course is aimed at individuals who are bike-confident and want to develop their personal and leadership skills over varied terrain. Visiting Dartmoor, cycle trail and forest trail, participants will work on their own skills development, basic maintenance and group management when ‘leading’ on a trail. For an additional fee (£80) to cover registration participants can opt to be assessed for their MIAS level 1 qualification during the residential* (This will need to be booked in advance to allow time for registration with the MIAS Governing Body). For further information please visit www.mias.uk
*For those under 18yrs, the qualification will be an ‘Assistant Mountain Bike Leader Level 1’
Available Dates:
16th to 20th February 2026
20th-24th July 2026.
See an example timetable in information boxes below.
Option 2: Multi-Activity Week
This 5 day residential, is designed as an enrichment experience, trying out new things, meeting new people, having fun whilst developing self-confidence within a team. Activities and the programme may vary depending on external factors such as the weather!
Potential activities may include Abseiling, Archery, Axe-throwing, Gorge Walking, High Ropes, Mountain Biking, Paddle-Boarding and Rock Climbing.
Available Dates:
25th-29th May 2026
24th-28th August 2026
26th-30th October 2026
See an example timetable in information boxes below.
How To Book
To make a booking, simply click the ‘Book Now’ button, then select the date required on the calendar. You will be required to make a 20% deposit to secure your place. You will then be contacted via email by a member of the activity team with details on how to make the final payment and further information RE your residential.
Run Your Own DofE Expedition Training? Okehampton YHA Is The Perfect Venue…
For those leaders organizing their own training schedules, Dartmoor has suitable terrain for both Bronze and Silver Award Expeditions. YHA Okehampton and YHA Okehampton Bracken Tor are both suitable venues for groups looking to undertake their expedition training. Our staff team have extensive local knowledge, who can assist group leaders in suggesting areas suitable for overnight expeditions. Our Bracken Tor venue offers direct access to the Moors from the Bracken Tor Lodge and has a good flat area suitable for camping outside.
Biking Development Week - typical programme
All Activities are subject to change dependent on weather conditions and other external factors. The following is an example programme for the week:
Monday:
12.00. Arrival time, Meet and Greet: Icebreaker session and room allocation
12.30. Lunch
13.30. Introduction to the Bike Shed, allocation of Bike (if not using own bike). Introduction to track and skills assessment using Granite Way Cycle Track.
18.00. Dinner (Catering at Youth Hostel)
19.30. Evening Activity
Tuesday
08.00. Breakfast
9.30. Basic bike maintenance.
12.00. Lunch
13.00. Afternoon biking in woodland terrain: skills and leadership
17.00. Clean-down Bikes
18.00. Dinner
19.30. Evening Activity
Wednesday
08.00. Breakfast
9.30. Safe trailer loading.
1o.30. Biking day at Haldon Hill cycle area. developing skills and leadership on a variety of forest trails. Packed lunch
17.00. Clean-down Bikes
18.00. Dinner
19.30. Evening Activity
Thursday
08.00. Breakfast
9.30 Biking Day on Dartmoor. This will be using permitted routes and local bridle paths. Developing skills and leadership. This session will include incident management, dealing with injuries and getting help. Packed lunch
17.00. Clean-down Bikes
18.00. Dinner
19.30. Evening activity.
21.30. Activity staff finish for the day.
Friday
08.00 Breakfast
09.00. Clear rooms and pack main bags
9.30 Load Bike Trailer
10.00 Final Ride: High Moor Ring Road.
13.00 Lunch
14.00 Group debrief and the opportunity for 1:1 debriefs (optional)
15.00. End of Residential
Multiactivity Week - typical programme
All Activities are subject to change dependent on weather conditions and other external factors. The following is an example programme for the week:
Monday:
12.00. Arrival time, Meet and Greet: Icebreaker session and room allocation
12.30 Lunch
13.30. Afternoon Activity: High Ropes.
18.00 Dinner
19.30. Evening Activity
Tuesday
08.00. Breakfast
9.30. Morning Activity: Paddleboarding
12.30. Lunch
13.30. Afternoon Activity: Rock Climbing
18.00. Dinner
19.00 Evening Activity
Wednesday
08.00 Breakfast
09.30 Morning activity: Viaduct Abseil
12.30. Packed Lunch
13.30 Afternoon Activity: Gorge Scrambling
18.00. Dinner
19.30. Evening Activity
Thursday
08.00 Breakfast (provided by us)
9.30 Biking day – looking at developing bike skills and riding some trails! Packed Lunch
18.00. Dinner
19.30. Evening campfire activity.
Friday
08.00 Breakfast
09.00. Clear rooms and pack main bags
9.30 Morning Activities: Archery & Axe Throwing
12.30 Lunch
14.00 Group debrief and good byes
15.00. End of Residential
FAQ
Can I book with a friend?
You can attend with one person that you know but you will need to check with your DofE leader if three or more people attending the same residential know each other. A key part of the residential is meeting new people. Don’t worry, many people attend as individuals and we run ice-breaker sessions at the start, so you get to know the others.
Can I arrive later or be picked up early?
Apologies, we are unable to authorise late drop-off or early pick-up due to the requirements for the DofE residential.
How do I get signed off for completing the residential section?
At the end of the week, our team will submit an online assessors report to eDofE on the DofE residential which will appear on your eDofE profile, usually within 72 hours.
Can I get information about the assessors for the residential section?
You will receive the Assessor’s details in your confirmation email when you book.
What age do I need to be for the residential
Anyone who who is aged between 16 and 25 is eligible.
Any enquiries please direct them to the team at Ian@adventureokehampton.com
