Ferny Crofts Scout Activity Centre

What Ferny Crofts Scout Activity Centre does

Ferny Crofts Scout Activity Centre is a non-profit outdoor activity venue located on a 31-acre site within the New Forest National Park in Brockenhurst, Hampshire, England. Owned and operated by Hampshire Scouts since 1976, the centre serves Scout Groups, Girl Guiding Groups, Schools, Youth Organisations, and Corporate clients — explicitly excluding private/family bookings. Core infrastructure comprises 27 campsites with capacity for 500 people across field and woodland sites, three indoor accommodation units (Mountbatten Lodge, Croft Centre, and Inca Suite) totalling 70 beds, a Tented Village of eight bell tents, and an activity estate including high-ropes courses, zip wires, climbing towers, bouldering walls, raft-building facilities, and a Sky High Conservatory for meetings and events. The centre holds Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge, Adventure Mark accreditation, and Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme approval.

The business operates a multi-component revenue model spanning instructed and self-led activities, tiered package deals (Bronze, Silver, Gold for day, weekend, and week durations), camping and accommodation hire, corporate team-building programmes, Christmas event packages, catering via a third-party local partner, and equipment hire. Pricing ranges from £13.80 per person for a Bronze Fun Day to £160 per person for a Gold Week, with corporate packages at £55-£80 per person and Christmas packages at £40-£60 per person; Hampshire Scout Groups receive preferential rates of up to 65% off base charges. Go-to-market is direct — website enquiry, phone (02380 845092), and email — supplemented by word-of-mouth within the scouting and education communities and a presence on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Customer segments span four primary verticals: Scout Groups (including Squirrels ages 4-6 and Hampshire Scouts with exclusive discounts), Girl Guiding Groups (Rainbows, Brownies, Guides aged 5-14), Schools and Youth Organisations (including Duke of Edinburgh expedition bases), and Corporate/Adult teams seeking off-site days and Christmas events. The centre also accepts international Scout groups, leveraging proximity to Southampton and Bournemouth airports and the historical significance of nearby Brownsea Island. No revenue is publicly disclosed; operating headcount is reported as 11-50 employees.

Name

Ferny Crofts Scout Activity Centre

Legal name

Ferny Crofts Scout Activity Centre

Website

https://fernycrofts.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ferny Crofts Scout Activity Centre is a 31-acre non-profit outdoor activity centre in the New Forest National Park, owned by Hampshire Scouts since 1976. It serves Scout, Guide, School, Youth, and Corporate groups with camping, indoor accommodation, instructed adventure activities, and tiered package programmes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Adventure and Activity Centre Services

NAICS

RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps (72121)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Group Camping & Scout Camps (THAGAOAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Adventure Base Camps (Trek/Climb/Expedition Camps) (THAGAOAG), Family & Recreation Campgrounds (Amenities/Activities Focus) (THAMAJAJ)

Keywords

• Outdoor activity centre
• Youth adventure camps
• Scout group accommodation
• Corporate team building
• Outdoor education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Brockenhurst

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Activity Sessions: Fees charged for instructed and self-led activities including archery, climbing, zip wire, raft building, and team building exercises. Priced per person with minimum participant requirements.
2. Package Deals: Pre-configured activity packages (Bronze, Silver, Gold tiers) for day visits, weekends, and full weeks. Includes activity combinations with optional accommodation upgrades.
3. Indoor Accommodation: Three indoor accommodation units: Mountbatten Lodge (32 beds), The Croft Centre (32 beds), and The Inca Suite (6 beds). Available weekly, weekend (minimum 2 nights), or daily basis.
4. Camping Fees: Fees for 27 campsites across field and woodland sites, accommodating up to 500 people. Includes standing camps with pre-pitched tents.
5. Corporate Team Building: Corporate packages for businesses including Team Development Days and Team Fun Days with activity programmes and venue hire
6. Christmas Corporate Events: Seasonal corporate Christmas packages with activities, venue hire, and catering. Starting from £40 per person.
7. Catering Services: Nutritious and balanced meal options provided through partnership with local catering company. Available for groups during stays.
8. Equipment Hire: Rental of camping equipment including extra benches, tables, mess tents, marquees, altar fire grills, lockable phone charging facilities, and calor gas.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Ferny Crofts Scout Activity Centre is a 31-acre outdoor activity centre in the New Forest National Park that delivers instructor-led adventure activities, indoor and tented accommodation, and tiered package programmes for Scout groups, Girl Guides, schools, youth organisations, and corporate clients. Its primary revenue drivers are package deals (Bronze, Silver, Gold), per-person activity fees, camping fees for up to 500 people, and indoor accommodation for 70 guests across three units.

Product overview

Ferny Crofts Scout Activity Centre is a 31-acre outdoor activity centre in the New Forest National Park offering a comprehensive portfolio of adventure experiences for youth groups, schools, and corporate clients. The centre operates a multi-component model consisting of accommodation services (three indoor accommodation buildings with 70 total beds, 27 camping fields for up to 500 people, and a Tented Village with eight bell tents), activity programmes (instructed and self-led outdoor activities), and structured package deals (Scout Package Deals, Girl Guiding Package Deals, Corporate Packages, and Christmas Activity Packages). Additional services include Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme support, birthday parties, and venue hire for day events. The Sky High Conservatory serves as a meeting/workshop space. The centre primarily serves Scout and Guide groups, schools, and corporate teams, with Hampshire Scout Groups receiving priority booking and discounts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Indoor Accommodation

Quantifiable outcome

• Camping capacity for 500 people across 27 sites
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hampshire ScoutscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1976Ferny Crofts is owned and managed by Hampshire Scouts since 1976. The centre serves as the home of Hampshire Scouting and the County Office administrative headquarters. Hampshire Scout Groups receive exclusive benefits including up to 65% discount on base rates and priority booking access.
• Local Catering CompanyminorOthersFerny Crofts works with a local catering company to provide nutritious and balanced meal options for groups during their stays. Catering can be arranged as part of booking packages or separately.
• Forestry CommissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Forestry Commission requires groups using the New Forest for Duke of Edinburgh expeditions to complete notification or permission forms. Ferny Crofts provides guidance documents to help groups comply with requirements.
• National Trust (Brownsea Island)minorOthersFerny Crofts is ideally located for day trips to Brownsea Island, the site of the first Scout Camp led by Lord Baden-Powell in 1907. Many guests visit during their stay, though ferry and entrance arrangements are made independently.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Center Parcs UK: UK operator of forest-based short-break holiday villages with outdoor activities. Adjacent competitor in the UK family outdoor leisure space, though it serves family/leisure rather than group bookings.
• PGL Travel: The UK's largest operator of outdoor activity centres and adventure holidays, serving schools and youth groups with multi-site facilities. Broad incumbent offering similar activities and accommodation at greater scale nationally.
• Kingswood (UK): UK-based operator of residential activity centres focused on school trips and educational development programmes. Competes for the same school and youth-group segment with multi-site geographic reach.
• Scout Adventures (The Scout Association): The Scout Association's network of activity centres across the UK, offering adventure experiences to Scouts and youth groups. Competes directly for the same Scout-affiliated customer base with a multi-site network.

Direct peers

• Whitemoor Lakes: Staffordshire-based outdoor education and activity centre catering to schools, Scout groups, and youth organisations. Direct comparable in the UK outdoor activity centre market with similar group accommodation model.
• Colomendy Centre: North Wales outdoor activity centre serving schools, Scout groups, and corporate clients with adventure activities and accommodation. Comparable operating model and customer segments in a regional UK location.
• Youlbury Scout Activity Centre: Scout Activity Centre near Oxford offering camping, indoor accommodation, and outdoor adventure activities for Scout, Guide, and school groups. Direct competitor in the UK Scout activity centre market with similar operating model.
• Gilwell Park: The UK Scout Association's national headquarters and training centre in Essex, offering camping, accommodation, and activity programmes for Scout groups. Directly comparable as a Scout-owned activity centre with similar heritage and youth-development focus.
• Bewerley Park Centre: North Yorkshire outdoor activity centre offering residential trips, adventure activities, and camping for schools, scouts, and youth groups. Comparable facility mix and customer mix in a regional UK context.

Emerging players

• Outdoor Education Centres (UK network): Network of Local Authority and charity-run outdoor education centres across the UK providing residential and activity experiences for schools. Collective competitor set serving the same school residential market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fernycrofts
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@fernycroftsscoutactivityce5847
• Facebookfacebook.com/fernycrofts.sac
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ferny-crofts-scout-activity-centre

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ferny Crofts Scout Activity Centre