Frequently Asked Questions Find answers and help here for any queries you may have...

Following a discussion with our Bookings Team confirming group size and availability, cost, date of visit, duration of stay, nature of disabilities of the group etc, we can make a ‘provisional’ booking with the group leader. The provisional booking will secure your booking for 1 month.

We will confirm the details of the provisional booking by email (and will include various booking related forms, eg Booking Form, Medical Form etc), and you as the group leader will then have 1 month to confirm the booking by paying a deposit of £50 per person attending and returning a completed Booking Form.

Following this, you will have a confirmed booking; we will send an invoice out by email 12 weeks before the start of your visit, requesting the outstanding amount to be settled which is due 8 weeks before your arrival.

It is vital that we receive a Medical Form for EVERY member of your group/family/school visiting (all pupils, cares, staff etc!) – these can be downloaded here if need be.

Group bookings of 12 or more will receive a call from our Activities Team, for a pre-visit discussion, typically 2-4 weeks before the start of your course. We will discuss your aims and particular requests of the group, and will strive to customise your visit accordingly.

We run a number of different types of residential courses here at the Calvert Trust, so is important to understand what each course includes, in regards to for example, activities on offer and duration of stay. Our specialist themed courses can include very specific activities or excursions on offer, however the following usually still applies, unless specified.

The cost of an activity course will typically include:

• Ensuite accommodation (based on 2 people sharing a room)
• Activity programme (usually one morning and one afternoon session/full day)
• Associated transport to and from the activities
• Specialist equipment and kit required* for activities
•  Catering (read more on our Food and Dining page):
  • On arrival day: a 3-course evening meal
  • During your stay: cooked breakfast, lunch and 3-course evening meal
  • On departure day: a cooked breakfast
• Use of the hydrotherapy pool and sensory room in the evening (set times), Games and TV room

  *Waterproofs and waterproof footwear can be provided (but you are recommended to bring your own).

The price does not include:

• Own transport to and from the Centre on arrival and departure days *
• Spending money during your stay (for example, in our small bar or tuck shop)
• Breakfast or lunch on arrival day, nor lunch or evening meal on departure day
• Individuals staying in a room on their own (this is possible, but single room supplements will apply)

* We can pick up guests from Keswick Town Centre for free, or from Penrith Rail Station for a fee. Please note that we need to confirm this with you prior to your arrival if you would like this service. For more information regarding pick ups, please click here.

Please note: prices shown or quoted are for EVERY person attending the Centre (service users, carers, staff etc) and is based on 2 people sharing a room.

If you have any questions about what your course does or doesn’t include please get in touch with us.

Downloadable here, our Group Organisers Information sheet covers the information in our Visitors Information sheet, but in more detail. It also includes our cancellation charges and our group size policy.

For groups looking to book at any time of year, we have a group pricing policy starting at a minimum group size of 12 people.

This increases in ‘price bands’ of 6 people, up to a maximum of 60 (ie the next ‘price band’ up is for 18 people, then 24, then 30 etc). If you therefore have a group of, for example, 22 people, you will pay for 24 in total, although you will be better off bringing 24 if you can! If your group is smaller than 12, then we recommend a suitable Adults or Families course if applicable to your group, although these are run on set dates throughout the year.

Please note: all prices quoted are for EVERY person attending a group course (service users, staff or care support etc) and is based on two people sharing a room.

Our Visitors Information sheet can be downloaded here and covers a variety of subjects including  kit requirements, our location, meal times and other useful information.

We do not provide any care support at all, so if someone needs care in their daily lives they will need to come with someone to help with their care requirements. However individuals can come without care if they don’t need it at all, or if they have low support needs and are attending a ‘Buddy’ course.   All attendees coming without care support will need to complete an Unaccompanied Individuals Information form. Download Unaccompanied Individuals form here.

We ask all groups to supply in advance a ‘Disability List’which asks specific questions on type of disability and level of mobility for each individual, just click here to download. More detailed information should also be put on each attendee’s medical form, including dietary requirements.

Yes! We accept all types of groups and families where at least one member has a disability. Although the centre and activity programme is designed around catering for those with a disability, we are not open exclusively to those with a disability. People without a disability join in with their piers and enjoy the challenging activities, food and evening socialising together!

The disabilities of a family or group member can range from those with mild learning difficulties and who are fully ambulant, to those with profound and complex conditions.

The Lake District Calvert Trust is situated at Little Crosthwaite, just 4 miles NW of Keswick on the A591. For SatNav users our postcode is CA12 4QD.

Exit the M6 at junction 40 and take the A66 towards Keswick. Remain on the A66, just past Keswick until you reach a large roundabout. Take the A591 exit (signposted Bothel and Carlisle) and head towards Carlisle and continue along this road for 3 miles. The Calvert Trust Centre is on the right.

If you are a coming by public transport you have a few options:

1. Public bus, Stagecoach X4 and X5 from Penrith train station to Keswick bus station. This bus service is not suitable for non-transferable chair users (so see #2 or #3 below).

• • If you would like to take the bus all the way to the Calvert Trust, ONLY the X4 (Penrith to Cockermouth via Keswick) passes the Centre (note! the X5 goes a different route beyond Keswick).
  • The Stagecoach 554 (to Wigton) can also be picked up at Keswick and passes the Centre.

Ask for the Calvert Trust (nearest stop is either Dodd Wood or Mirehouse, both which are about a 5 minute walk from the Centre)

The Stagecoach bus services run regularly throughout the day, on Monday – Saturday, with a less frequent service on the Sunday..

2. A private taxi from Penrith train station directly to the Calvert Trust or to Keswick bus station (4 miles from the Calvert Trust). There are a number of taxi firms based in Penrith, who typically charge about £45 one way to the Centre. Clover Leaf Taxi advertise as accessible, and can take wheelchairs but they have advised to ring and pre-book (Tel: 01768 210130 Mob: 07768 528571).

3. We can pick you from Penrith train station for a charge of £50 one way, for up to 12 people (number of wheelchairs depending). This is must be pre-booked and confirmed in writing from us.

4. We can pick you up from Keswick bus station (situated outside Booths supermarket) free of charge, for up to 12 people (number of wheelchairs depending) if required, but this must be pre-booked and confirmed in writing from us.

Please call 017687 72255 for more details or if you would like to pre-book your pick-up.

We take our food very seriously here at the Calvert Trust. We pride ourselves that we freshly make or prepare all meals in our open-plan kitchen by our very own chefs. Click here to read more. We can cater for most dietary requirements if requested at two weeks in advance; please call for more details.

Sure – just click here to download another.

Sure, just click here to download another one.

Sure, you can download one by clicking here.

We do not have lifeguards at our pool, so at least 2 competent adults per swimming group needs to do an induction covering safety, alarms and water features; more details on everything to do with the pool can be found on our Water Centre page.  If you are coming as a group leader or carer in a professional capacity, in addition to doing the induction you will also need to do your own pool risk assessment for your group. A sample risk assessment can be found here.

We are covered for up to £5m for any one instance in accordance with recommended guidelines. A confirmation of our liability insurance level can be found here.

Our Activities Team have a variety of qualifications associated with coaching and instructing, as well as relevant driving licenses for minibuses and towing trailers, first aid and safeguarding. Click here to download the complete list.

Everything we do at the Calvert Trust is fully risk assessed and we hold a variety of relevant licenses for our activities, as well as processes for security, safeguarding and a variety of emergencies.   We have a summary of all our risk assessments in one document, but can answer additional specific questions on request. Click here to download Risk Management Summary

Yes, we are licensed by the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALA) who are an independent organisation who inspect centres such as ours on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive. Click here to download our AALA licence.

Due to the nature of our business, we have to collect data for a variety of reasons, including medical details for every attendee which we need before allowing residents to stay overnight or partake in activities. Please be assured however that we comply with all GDPR rules and regulations regarding data protection and permissions.  If you would like to know more our Privacy Policy can be found here.

While we very much hope that everyone who comes to the centre has a great time we are always looking for ways in which we can improve and adapt what we do. We encourage residents to fill out our customer feedback form while you are, but if you were unable to do this, you can link through to the survey here. We read all responses but cannot respond to every one individually.