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Group and school visits at Longshaw

Two children and one adult with a ranger hunting for bugs on Wildlife Explorer Day at Ormesby Hall, North Yorkshire
Explore the great outdoors at Longshaw | © National Trust Images/Paul Harris

A group or school visit to the Longshaw, Burbage and the Eastern Moors area of the Peak District is the perfect place for outdoor experiences and education in varied landscapes and packed with wildlife to see.

Moorland Discovery Centre

Longshaw has a learning centre and education service at Moorland Discovery Centre to help you make the most of your visit.

The Moorland Discovery Centre is an outdoor education classroom. The centre delivers curriculum-based environmental education, as well as family and community events. It can also be booked by groups who want to run their own meetings or courses. The centre is run in partnership between the National Trust and the Peak District National Park.

Facilities at Moorland Discovery Centre

The Moorland Discovery Centre has facilities to complement your visit to Longshaw including:

  • Large classroom (max 60 children) with coach parking
  • Three toilets (including one disabled)
  • Hand washing
  • Private grounds
  • Access to Longshaw Estate and Burbage Valley
  • Bespoke programmes available

Times

School visits take place between 10am and 2.30pm; this is flexible and the centre is open all year round.

What we offer

The Moorland Discovery Centre offers a wide range of outdoor education across all key stages. We can also develop bespoke programmes that meet your learner’s needs.

We provide a detailed outline of all our programmes and hold the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge.

Visitors looking at mushrooms in the woodland area of Longshaw, Burbage and the Eastern Moors, Derbyshire
Visitors looking at mushrooms in the woodland area of Longshaw, Burbage and the Eastern Moors | © National Trust Images/Annapurna Mellor

Family and community work

There are many programmes on offer at the centre that meet the varied needs of community and family groups. We aim to develop lifelong learning opportunities that encourage groups of all ages to experience and enjoy the Peak District National Park. Please contact us if you and your group would like to organise an educational fun day out at the Longshaw Estate.

Contact the Moorland Discover Centre

For booking, education programme information and other enquiries please call 01433 637907 or email mdc@peakdistrict.gov.uk

Free familiarisation visits for group leaders

If you're planning a group visit you can request our free Travel Trade Pass and you and a friend or colleague will gain free entry to over 300 of our places throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland for 12 months. There’s nothing quite like seeing or experiencing somewhere for yourself to help you plan a successful visit. To receive your pass, call 0344 800 2329 or email us at NTTravelTrade@capita.co.uk.

Who is eligible for free entry?

Registered tourist board guides (on production of a valid badge), coach drivers and tour leaders escorting groups of 15 or more. National Trust members also receive free entry, so it is at your discretion whether to refund the entrance fee to members if you have included it in your package – this is not refunded by the National Trust.

Members must bring their current membership cards with them to avoid paying the full group rate. If any of your group would like to join the National Trust please direct them to our Membership page or call 0344 800 1895.

Self-led school visits

Many schools and groups choose self-led visits to the estate. Coach/minibus parking is limited (including pick-up and drop-off) and must be pre-booked before your visit by calling 01433 637907.

There is a facilities charge of £30 for a coach, and £20 for a minibus, for groups coming independently, payable at the Welcome Building. This includes parking and use of toilets.

If your school is an Education Group Member of the National Trust please bring and show your membership card for free parking.

Schools can benefit from an Educational Group Membership, which is an annual membership giving free access to the whole school group at National Trust places.

Muck In Day volunteers sorting seeds at Longshaw, Burbage and the Eastern Moors, Derbyshire
School visits are welcome to explore nature at Longshaw | © National Trust Images/Robert Morris

Responsible visits

The estate is made up of large areas of moorland, woodland, farmland, streams and ponds. It’s home to Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Special Protection Areas (SPA) and Special Areas for Conservation (SAC).

If your visit includes any element of field work (e.g., river study, soil sampling, surveying habitats, then you must obtain permission to do so prior to your visit.

Please call 01433 637907 or email mdc@peakdistrict.gov.uk. Thank you for your sensitivity to the special nature of the site and for following the countryside code

Booking your group visit to Longshaw, Burbage and the Eastern Moors

Longshaw, Burbage and the Eastern Moors are the perfect place for a self-led or guided educational visit. If you would like to plan your visit, please contact us at mdc@peakdistrict.gov.uk .

Visitors walking along the family trail at Longshaw, Burbage and the Eastern Moors, Derbyshire

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