About

Looking for Group Activities for children and adults near Portsmouth?

The Peter Ashley Activity Centres are based on the south coast, just north of Portsmouth. This registered charity provides and enables a wide range of sports and activities for children and adults alike.

The centre is based in a scheduled monument on top of Portsdown Hill, in one of the Napoleonic forts that surround Portsmouth. Its purpose is to provide high quality outdoor experiences to make life better for everyone - and in particular for the young people of Portsmouth and the surrounding areas as Peter Ashley himself first envisioned. The centre is licensed to provide Adventure Activities by the British Activity Providers Association and has accreditation with the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge and Adventure Mark status.

The centre's dedicated team of professional staff specialises in providing training and development in a range of activities and courses, including climbing, rifle shooting, mountain biking, team activities and archery, as well as many other challenging and imaginative outdoor and environmental activities. From basic taster sessions and beginner courses right up to instructor level, you can choose the package that is right for you.

Peter Ashley Activity Centres (PAAC) is able to provide tailored, short- to long-term educational and development programmes for young people in primary, secondary and further education, complementing their formal timetable. All its sessions and programmes have the ability to reinforce a positive and focused attitude towards key personal and social skills. PAAC recognises the fundamental potential within every young person, to enable them to achieve their full potential.

As well as accommodating day visits, the centres have residential dwellings for groups of 10-100 people from schools, colleges, universities and clubs, as well as a camping area on top of the Fort. The centre boasts clubs such as archery, rifle shooting, judo, kata and karate, all of which cater for beginners through to high-level and national competition.

PAAC also has purpose-built indoor climbing walls 'The Cellars' which are open to the public outside of private group bookings. Call Fort Purbrook on 023 9232 1223 for more details and to check public availability, or check the times on the Cellars Facebook page.

The centre also runs Holiday Activity Programs for kids aged 8-13 every half term and summer holidays, along with Family Adventure packages and Kids Birthday Party packages plus much more outdoor fun for the whole family!

Visit the website to find a package that suits you, or phone the team and tell them what you are looking for. They are able and willing to tailor a package to your needs.

Peter Ashley Activity Centres is fully accessible to clients who have physical disabilities, including those who use wheelchairs. Many of the sessions offered are suitable for people with disabilities and all staff members have experience of teaching students who have special needs. In order to ensure that it's able to provide a quality course for you, please phone the centre to discuss your needs if you do have a physical disability.

PAAC welcomes enquiries from clubs, groups or businesses and is happy to discuss specific needs or recreational requirements. Contact the centre for an informal talk today.

Why not check out our other centre – Peter Ashley Activity Centre, Fort Widley Equestrian Centre.