BIG Spring Camp 2022
474 people attending
16 places left
After a whopping three years without the joy that is BIG Spring Camp, OutdoorLads is back over the extended Platinum Jubilee Bank Holiday weekend in June 2022 and we'll be making this the best BIG Spring Camp ever!
We can't wait to welcome you to Snowdonia, where we have full use of a rugby club as our base with all the dramatic scenery and adrenaline experiences of Snowdonia National Park right on our doorstep! Come and celebrate OutdoorLads and the outdoors in a three day break of activities, adventures and our legendary themed party nights if that's your bag; or use the opportunity for more of a chilled weekend soaking up the scenery and relaxing in your camp chair, it really is up to you.
Below you'll find the itinerary of all the events taking place over the long weekend. You can do as much or as little as you like (just please be mindful not to double book yourself)!
Arrival
Please arrive no earlier than 2pm. We will not be ready to welcome you before this time, and you will not be able to access the site.
On arrival, please head straight for the registration desk at the front of the clubhouse. There's space to park up while you do this. Once one of our lovely volunteers has checked you in, you'll be directed to the main parking area, and you're free to pitch up in any part of the camping area.
Help delete blood cancer
We've partnered with DKMS for this event. DKMS are a charity that match those battling blood cancer to compatible stem cell donors. They'll be near the registration desk, should you wish to register with them as a potential stem cell donor. All you'll have to do is fill in a form and let them take a quick cheek swab.
No camping gear with you?
No problem! You can rent a tent from us for the weekend! For £15 we'll lend you a two-man tent and a sleeping mat for use over the three nights. Just collect it when you check in, and pitch where you like.
Bringing a campervan? (or caravan, motorhome, trailer tent, rooftop tent etc.)
You will need to be booked on to this event page, as the venue can only permit 15 of these. If you have not got one of the 15 spaces, you will not be able to bring your campervan (etc.).
Events
There's so much to choose from! These events below are listed by meeting time at the campsite. Please ensure you make it to the meeting point on time so the group can arrive at the venue on time.
Paid activities
These events are run by external organisations and will bring you incredible Snowdonia (and alcohol education) experiences. We're delighted to be able to bring these events at very competitive prices!
Thursday
18:45 Gin Tasting
20:30 Wine Tasting
Friday
07:30 White Water Rafting
08:20 Zip World - Titan 2
09:00 Gorge Scrambling
09:00 Mine Exploration
13:10 Bounce Below
14:00 Gorge Scrambling
14:00 Mine Exploration
14:10 Quarry Karts
13:35 Fforest Coaster
17:00 Whisky Tasting
18:45 Sake Tasting
Saturday
07:40 Zip World - Velocity 2
08:50 Zip World - Titan 2
09:00 Gorge Scrambling
09:00 Mine Exploration
09:00 Coasteering
13:20 Bounce Below
14:00 Gorge Scrambling
14:00 Mine Exploration
14:00 Coasteering
14:05 Fforest Coaster
13:40 Quarry Karts
Free Activities
Activities brought to us by the incredible team of volunteer event Leaders! Organised by meeting time at the campsite. Please ensure you arrive promptly so as not to delay the group.
Lowland & Hill Walks
Friday
10:00 Lake Geirionydd & LLanrychwyn Chapel
09:45 Roman Bridge to Llanrwst (21km)
12:30 Day at the seaside
Saturday
10:15 Nant Uchaf & Llyn Geirionydd (10km)
10:30 Llanwrst to Betws-Y-Coed
11:30 Melynllyn & Dulyn Reservoir (10km)
11:00 Llandudno & The Great Orme (13km)
12:00 Gwydir Forest Afternoon
Mountain Walks
Friday
09:00 #PrideHike with The North Face
08:30 Snowdon summit (15km)
10:30 Conwy Mountain & Coast
08:00 Carneddau Trek
08:30 Moel Eilio Horseshoe
Saturday
08:30 Moel Hebog
08:30 Snowdon Loop (19km)
09:00 Moel Siabod
Climbing & Scrambling
Friday
09:15 Tryfan & The Glyders Scramble
09:45 Castle Inn Sport Climbing
Saturday
09:30 Trad / Multipitch climbing
Cycling
Thursday
12:00 (before arrival at BSC) Marin MTB
Friday
09:30 100km Road cycling
Sunday
11:00 (after departing BSC) Mountain Biking at Llandegla
On-site Activities
During the day we'll have some fun and games on-site. Expect slip 'n' slide, climbing wall, garden games, and maybe even prizes!
On Friday evening (17:30) you can join a Zumba session on the rugby pitch, or Stretch, Tone, and Relax on Saturday evening (17:00). And, if it's fitness you're looking for, you can also join OutdoorLads at the local parkrun on Saturday morning (08:00).
For those who know or perhaps did not - we lost two long-standing and well-respected members of OutdoorLads recently. Their loss is still felt now. So, we thought that we would take steps to raise money over the whole event - with efforts from baking cakes, allowing donation at the till, proceeds from Bingo and Quiz Night, and a Royal Variety Open Mic Night. It is all for Rob and John, and the causes close to them.
The Clubhouse and Marquee
Food
We have an awesome chef, Dave, on board this year, offering an amazing menu, with decent and locally sourced ingredients where possible (no wafer-thin freezer burgers this year!).
The kitchen will be open for breakfast, all-day snack menu, and evening meals, as well as Saturday Afternoon Tea. Food is to be ordered from the bar, but ideally as a whole table group to help the chef manage tickets in the kitchen.
Want to be part of the kitchen action? See 'volunteering' below!
Menus
Breakfast Menu (available 7:00-9:30am Fri, Sat, Sun)
Snack Menu (available from 10am onwards each day, and until 1pm Saturday)
Thursday Evening Menu (available 5-9pm)
Dessert Menu (available 5-9pm Thu, Fri, Sat)
Friday Evening Menu (available 5-9pm)
Saturday Afternoon Tea (available 1-3pm) (also available without alcohol)
Saturday Evening Menu (available 5-9pm)
Friday & Saturday Packed Lunch available to collect from early morning
No food orders can be taken after 9pm.
Evening Entertainment
During the day/early evening the clubhouse is a great place to chill-out, eat, have a coffee and watch some OutdoorLads make tits of themselves on the inflatables outside. Then later it becomes a lively space with entertainment, and a well-stocked bar open into the early hours.
On Friday night and Saturday night we have the (in?)famous themed Discos hosted by DJ Dan! Each year we gently encourage a bit of dressing up, so this year, we're looking for:
Friday night
Jungle Disco! Will you be popping on your favourite animal onesie, or just going for the bare necessities? Sponsored by CanCanaria!
Saturday night
A Royal Disco! Expressing our gratitude to HM for this delightfully long weekend - a party fit for a Queen. Or 500 of them.
If late night themed discos are not your thing, or if you just want to chill out one evening, the OutdoorLads Outdoor Inn will be just next door in the marquee. This is our pop-up micro-pub, serving a great range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, including draught ales.
Thursday Night Beach Party >
Sashay along in your sarong, go hyper in your Hawaiian shirts, brave it in your budgie smugglers or stride out in your surf suit. Join the fun from 7ish on the rugby pitch!
Volunteers
This event is made possible by the hard work of volunteers. We have a dedicated BIG Events Team that run this event voluntarily, as well as all the volunteers leading the individual events over the weekend. But, we particularly need more help in the kitchen, bar, dining area, car park and on the registration desk. If you can help out (once you've chosen what events you're doing), please register your interest in volunteering for a shift(s)! We'll confirm in a couple of weeks. To thank you for your time, we'll give you a drink voucher for the bar!
Campsite Information
The camp is in a fantastic spot near Betws-y-Coed in the Snowdonia National Park, North Wales. The site is easily accessible with good public transport links and next to some of the most amazing locations for all the outdoor pursuits the UK has to offer. This site is only used for camping by OutdoorLads, and we have exclusive use of the site and all its facilities.
Camp Facilities
- Licensed Bars
- Food served every day
- Hot, high pressure showers
- Toilets & wash rooms
- Changing areas
- Washing up area
- Drinking water taps
- Recycling area
- Floodlit camping area on Friday evening (to help get the tent up if you arrive late!)
Camp Rules
Whilst we don't like too many rules, a few are necessary for a successful event for all:
- No glass policy. This is a rugby club with pitches - this rule will be strictly enforced
- You must respect other campers and their property
- Quiet camping between 23:00 and 07:00 - there are designated areas to socialise and talk away from peoples' tents
- Please pitch tents at least 6 feet / 2 metres apart. Any closer and it represents a fire risk
- This is a camping event, designed for tents. Caravans, campervans, motorhomes and trailer tents (indeed anything you want to sleep in that isn't a traditional fabric tent!) are only permitted if you have a booked and confirmed a place for such, at additional cost. Places will go on sale nearer the time, around January 2021. Six metres between units minimum. Numbers are restricted to 15 units. No awnings allowed. No exceptions will be made.
- All vehicles must be parked in the car park and are not permitted on the camping fields
- No dogs on site at any time - this is a rugby club with pitches. This will be strictly enforced.
- Open fires are not allowed - BBQs are okay, but must be raised off the ground so as to not scorch the grass.
- You are responsible for keeping your camping area clean and tidy - please ensure it is left in the state you found it when you leave.
- All waste and recycling must be sorted and disposed of in the appropriate area on site, not left on the camping fields.
- Campsite opens Thursday 2 June at 1400hrs for general admission.
- Unfortunately there are are no day passes to this event, all attendees must book and pay for a place. However, non-attendees are welcome to participate in the off-site associated events.
Dogs: This event is not suitable for dogs and they must not be brought to the event.
Photos: All photos on this event page are used with permission from Wesley Kristopher Chambers Photography with thanks.
IMPORTANT! - Participation Statement
You MUST complete a Participation Statement in addition to booking your event space before attending an OutdoorLads event. You only need to complete this Participation Statement once, not for each event you attend.
Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms, even if they are extremely mild, or who has recently tested positive for Covid-19, is asked not to attend.
What to bring
If you haven’t been camping since you were in the Scouts here is what you need. If it’s your first trip you are likely to want to get away with the bare minimum.
- Tents start off relatively cheap but as they say you get what you pay for. These tend to start from £10 upwards (‘festival tents’) that are light and do the job – but only just. You may find that they leak, break or blow away.
- A thin foam ‘carry mat’ is good to sleep on (under £10) and you can use your clothes to make a pillow. Or if you have the room places like Tesco often sell air beds that cost as little as a fiver.
- Don’t forget you will need something to sleep in. You can buy a sleeping bag from as little as a tenner. This will tend to be thin but will do the job at most summer camps. At camps later in the year you will want something warmer though.
- Some places such as Argos/ASDA sell camping sets where you can buy a tent, sleeping bag, sleeping mat and a lamp for approx. £50-£60.
- If you have friends that camp you may find it beneficial to talk to them first and they may even lend you some kit.
- You can easily beg a cup of tea from more seasoned campers – but it helps if you have a cup, and don’t forget a plastic glass if you like your wine! If you are coming by car, a folding chair (£10) is great. As you may be sitting outside late into the evening. Some proper warm clothing always comes in handy – even in the summer. Don’t forget a torch, or you may never make it back to your tent. Finally, ear plugs are always a great idea.
- Nearer the time we'll be offering the chance to rent-a-tent for the weekend, which we'll even erect for you in exchange for a donation to the OutdoorLads Foundation.
Once you have been once or twice you will know what kit you need to be able to cook a full English breakfast and host a party for 8 in your tent. Until then the above basics will see you right.
The above information will help you with the camp its self, depending on the activities you choose to do you may need to bring further kit. However its worth noting that any of the activities where special kit is need it will be provided, in most cases all you will need is walking boots, clothes, and a small back-pack (bring a few changes of clothes and footwear).
Food & drink
We will again be running the OutdoorLads catering service in the kitchen. We will have a full range of breakfasts (regular and BIG – and vegetarian versions too) alongside porridge, toast, cereals, egg / beans on toast, etc, so something for everyone.
Throughout the day the bar will be open for snacks and drinks, and from 5pm we’ll also be serving our evening menu, including vegetarian options. No need to go hungry! We’ve worked hard to keep prices reasonable whilst ensuring good quality ingredients, and any money made goes straight back into OutdoorLads, so please use the bar and catering service and support the organisation.