Learning centres and sites

We deliver our activities and visits from a range of inspiring sites across the National Park. At our centres you will be able to use the facilities described below, for days delivered in the field we will give advice on the nearest toilets and other facilities with your booking details.

Centres are open for school visits take place between 10am and 2.30pm; these times are flexible and we can offer longer days. Macclesfield Forest Centre is open from late February – Mid October. Longdendale Environmental Centre and the Moorland Discovery Centre are open all year round.

Please see our booking information and costs for all our centres.

Longdendale Environmental Centre

Our centre near Glossop on the west of the Peak District National Park, delivers high quality curriculum-based environmental education as well as family and community events and has a large classroom and well established wildlife garden, surrounded by stunning landscape.

Longdendale Environmental Centre Site Information Sheet (1MB)

Days for Schools

Longdendale Environmental Centre is easily accessed from a number of major towns and cities, just 13 miles from the centre of Manchester and Stockport. Set within the stunning Longdendale Valley, our grounds offer safe and secure woodlands to freely explore, a network of paths meandering around the beautiful reservoirs, and exhilarating rivers and hills of the nearby Crowden Valley.  Together with a large classroom and toilet facilities, we can offer your class a day to remember. We strive to make our visits accessible to all. Days can be tailored to your group’s needs.  While many of our sites are accessible to people with limited mobility, it is recommended to discuss your particular needs with us before booking.

Facilities include
Large classroom (2 classes) with coach parking
Cloak room
Toilets (1 girls, 1 boys and 1 disabled), additional toilets available at Crowden
Hand washing
Private woodlands and sensory garden with wildlife pond
Access to reservoir and surrounding Longdendale trail
Small meeting room

What we offer
Key Stage 1 Programmes:
Nature Discovery
Seasonal Changes in the Peak District
Key Stage 2 Programmes:
Habitats
Mountains and Valleys (morning located at Crowden Valley, not suitable for wheelchairs)
Rocks and Soils
River Study (morning located at Crowden Valley, wheel chair access can be arranged)

Directions & Contact Information
Longdendale Environment Centre is situated east of Manchester, on Woodhead Road A628.
Longdendale Environmental Centre
United Utilities Bottoms Office
Tintwistle
Glossop
Derbyshire SK13 1HS
Tel: 01457 855487

Directions to Longdendale Environmental Centre (210KB)
Directions to Crowden (93KB)

Macclesfield Forest

This centre is nestled in the centre of the 1000-acres of Macclesfield Forest, on the south west of the Peak District National Park, and delivers high quality curriculum-based environmental education as well as family and community events. The large classroom in partnership with United Utilities provides shelter, toilet facilities, and handwashing for visiting groups, who also benefit from exclusive use of a dedicated private woodland Education Area, in addition to access to the wider Forest and surrounding farmland and moorland.

• Macclesfield Forest - Site Information Sheet (853KB)
• Macclesfield Forest - Rivers & Mountains Site Info (904KB)

Days for Schools

Set on the edge of Trentabank reservoir and deep within the forest, a visit here is the perfect place for exploring woodlands. We strive to make our visits accessible to all. Days can be tailored to your group’s needs. While many of our sites are accessible to people with limited mobility, it is recommended to discuss your particular needs with us before booking.

Facilities include
Large classroom (2 classes) with coach parking. This is multi-use for United Utilities.
Cloak stands
Toilets (1 girls, 1 boys and 1 disabled). Additional public toilets available.
Hand washing
Private woodlands with wildlife pond
Access to wider woodland network of paths

What we offer
Early Years Foundation Stage:
Woodland Tales
Key Stage 1 Programmes:
Nature Discovery
Plants, Glorious Plants 
Key Stage 2 Programmes:
Habitats
Mountains and Valleys (Shutingsloe Hill, not suitable for wheelchairs)
River Study (Bollin Brook, not suitable for wheelchairs)
Rocks and Soils
Peak District Explorers - Map Skills

Directions to Macclesfield Forest (244KB)

Moorland Discovery Centre

Just over seven miles from Sheffield city centre on the east of the Peak District National Park, the Moorlands Discovery Centre is set in the grounds of the National Trust's Longshaw Estate and run in partnership with the National Trust. Surrounded by some of the National Park's most spectacular landscapes, the estate is made up of large areas of moorland, woodland and farmland. The centre delivers high quality curriculum-based environmental education as well as family and community events. It can also be booked by groups who wish to run their own meetings or courses.

Moorland Discovery centre Site Information Sheet (1.6MB)
Social Story 'Visiting the Moorland Discovery Centre' (2.2MB)
Moorland Discovery Centre Terms and Conditions (147KB)

Days for Schools

The Moorland Discovery Centre is a lifelong learning centre, aimed at encouraging groups of all ages to experience the wonderful moorland of the Peak District National Park. The Moorland Discovery centre is run in partnership between the National Trust and the Peak District National Park Authority. Programmes may be delivered by staff from either organisation. Payment for programmes should be made before or on the day to the National Trust. We strive to make our visits accessible to all. Days can be tailored to your group’s needs. While many of our sites are accessible to people with limited mobility it is recommended to discuss your particular needs with us before booking.

Facilities include
Large classroom (2 classes) with coach parking
Toilets (1 girls, 1 boys and 1 disabled)
Hand washing
Private grounds
Access to Burbage Brook, ponds and surrounding Longshaw Estate
Accessible via public transport from Sheffield

What we offer
We offer a wide range of outdoor education across all key stages. We can also develop bespoke programmes that meet your learners needs.

Early Years Foundation Stage:
Woodland Tales
Seasonal Change in the Peak District
Key Stage 1 Programmes:
Nature Discovery
Plants, Glorious Plants
Seasonal Change in the Peak District
Key Stage 2 Programmes:
Habitats
Mountains and Valleys
Peak District Explorers - Map Skills
River Study
Rocks and Soils

Independent school and group visits
The Longshaw Estate and surrounding areas are used by many different schools, events and community groups. If you are planning on bringing an organised group to the estate please contact us for advice.
The National Trust car parks are pay and display.
Coaches must pre-book parking and pay and display.
A lot of the estate is protected under different conservation designations, please stick to the paths and contact us for advice.

Directions and contact information
Moorland Discovery Centre
Longshaw Estate
Sheffield
Derbyshire
S11 7TZ
Telephone: 01433 637907
Email: mdc@peakdistrict.gov.uk

Directions to Moorland Discovery Centre (371KB)

Costs
Please see our current costs. Groups with current National Trust Educational Group membership receive a £2.50 per pupil deduction at the Moorland Discovery Centre.