Ganaway Training, Activity and Conference Centre is a 13 acre site located in an area of outstanding natural beauty in the quiet countryside between Millisle and Ballywalter in the Ards Peninsula of County Down overlooking the Irish Sea.
Added to these facilities, are The Beacon, a meeting/conference room capable of seating up to 130 people, a central kitchen and dining room, a sports hall (equivalent to one badminton court) and a Sports Arena (equivalent to four badminton courts) suitable for a range of indoor sports. If that is not enough there is a range of Personal Development and team building activities and a range if outdoor activities, see our activities section for a full list.
Ganaway can cater for residential groups, day groups, Ganaway – Corporate groups and conferences with catering available if required. In managing the centre The Boys Brigade seek to provide a neutral and non-threatening environment and to encourage the development of responsible citizenship by facilitating activities to enhance self awareness, self esteem and an awareness of and respect for different cultures and beliefs.
Ganaway is owned by the Belfast Battalion of The Boys Brigade and is available to non-BB youth groups, schools, colleges of further education, training centres and corporate business as well as BB units. For further information or availability go to www.ganaway.co.uk.
We take great care in recruiting and training our staff and User Groups can be confident in our robust approach to ensure the suitability of all of our staff as everyone who joins us is subject to AccessNI Disclosure checks, their qualifications verified and references sought. Â In addition to all previous professional training, staff are also provided with an intensive induction training programme before they commence work with our groups.
Accommodation is available in any of the following which can be booked singly or in combination to suit the size of the group:
Ganaway Training & Activity Centre
268 Ballywater Road
Millisle, BT22 2LZ
Sleeps 16
• 6 rooms (1 ensuite) • 7 Bunk & 2 Single beds
Sleeps 18
• 5 Rooms all ensuite • 8 Bunk & 2 Single beds
Sleeps 4
• 2 Bunk beds • Kitchen area • Shower
Sleeps 46
• 20 rooms (12 ensuite) • 2 Bathrooms
Sleeps 18
• 7 Rooms all ensuite • 8 Bunk & 2 Single beds
Sleeps 14
• 3 Rooms all ensuite • 6 Bunk & 2 Single beds
Sleeps 8
• 2 Rooms • 4 Buck Beds • 2 Bathrooms
Room for 100 Tents
• Camper showers and toilets in The OutPost
We offers a wide range of activities for a fun-filled day, week or weekend. Activities are supervised by trained staff members, making it a fun and safe environment for all.
• Suitable for Age 6+
• 10 participants per session
• Session Length is 2 hours
Archery participants will learn basic archery skills on our indoor or outdoor range which will demand mental focus, hand eye coordination and instructors will introduce a competitive element.
From £105
• Suitable for Age 12+
• 30 participants per session
• Session Length is 2 hours
The Assault Course provides a great physical fitness and team building challenge in a controlled and fun environment. The assault course is an excellent all-round form of physical exercise which requires both mental and physical prowess to overcome the obstacles and develop a sense of team work where participants also learn to evaluate and overcome problems and boost their confidence and increase their fitness levels. Obstacle courses can be of great benefit for children providing a fun way of exercising and also for children with disabilities like autism where it has been proven that obstacle courses can build gross motor skills while developing important processing skills.
From £105
• Suitable for Age 8+
• 16 participants per session
• Session Length is 2 hours
Camp craft participants will learn basic outdoor survival skills building a shelter, starting a fire, how to find clean water, outdoor cooking etc.
From £105
• Suitable for Age 6+
• 16 participants per session
• Session Length is 2 hours
Canoeing and kayaking participants will get a fun introduction into paddle sports learning basic paddling techniques in a variety of craft, and for more adventurous and experienced participants take a sea safari around Strangford Lough.
From £105
• Suitable for Age 6+
• 16 participants per session
• Session Length is 2 hours
Caving Will provide a unique activity to participants. Caving is a sport involving the exploration of natural or man- made caverns. Participants will walk, crawl and swim through a subterranean world of tunnels, caverns, waterfalls, rivers and sumps exploring rock formations and attempt the physical and mental challenges presented.
From £100
• Suitable for Age 6+
• 16 participants per session
• Session Length is 2 hours
The Climbing Tower/abseil/Zipline is a climbing activity on an outdoor wall combined with an abseil and Zipline experience. A great activity for building confidence and determination to step off the tower and go flying down our zipline. Participants will be faced with a physical and mental challenge.
From £100
• Suitable for Age 8+
• 24 participants per session
• Session Length is 2 hours
High Ropes Course is a fun and challenging outdoor personal development and team building activity, made up of four activities (two per 2 hour session).
From £210
• Suitable for Age 8+
• 30 participants per session
• Session Length is 6 hours (off site)
Hill Walking is exploring the hills and countryside of the Mourne Mountains and other venues, participants will be transported to a new challenging environment challenging their physical fitness and exploring the outdoor environment and nature.
From £100
• Suitable for Age 6+
• 16 participants per session
• Session Length is 2 hours
The Indoor and outdoor climbing wall is a climbing activity simulating rock climbing in an indoor environment, participants will be faced with a physical and mental challenge as well as learning basic climbing skills. Our purpose-built indoor and outdoor climbing walls provide the ideal opportunity to develop co-ordination, stamina and determination, whilst learning basic climbing skills and techniques.
From £100
• Suitable for Under 12’s
• 50 participants per session
• Session Length is 2 hours
Inflatables providing activities which young people gain lots of fun, enjoyment and physical activity from. A range of bouncy castles and inflatable slides provide activities for young people from 4 years and upwards. The inflatables can be used indoors we can provide this activity all year round. We can incorporate this activity into our birthday party packages or offer it as a single activity.
From £120
• Suitable for Age 13+
• 30 participants per session
• Session Length is 2 hours
Laser Clay Pigeon is a shooting activity that simulates actual clay pigeon shooting, however with the advantage of several shooters being able to participate at the same time. The activity is easy and fun, and does not require any previous experience in shooting. It is perfect for all ages above 12 years, male and female alike. Players use actual shotguns which have been converted to fire harmless infrared light beams. These beams reflect off the clays which are physically fired into the air, and then sent to an electronic scoreboard. Sound effects of a ‘hit’ or ‘miss’, are emitted by the scoreboard.
From £100
• Suitable for Age 6+
• 16 participants per session
• Session Length is 1 hours
Low Ropes Course is our low ropes course encourages communication and cooperation and helps participants build confidence, developing balance and coordination as they navigate their way through a series of bridges only one metre off the ground. This course requires participants to work in small teams of three, with one participant and two ‘spotters’ as they move around each element tackling the challenges these present, navigating a series of ropes, bridges and poles and developing agility.
From £100
• Suitable for Age 12+
• 10 participants per session
• Session Length is 2 hours
Mountain Biking participants will learn basic bike riding skills before being challenged over obstacles and rough terrain before taking on our pump track. Mountain biking is very physically demanding and will require a good basic fitness level. It is 12+ as height restricition applies due to biscycle sizes.
From £50
• Suitable for Age 6+
• 20 participants per session
• Session Length is 1 hours
In the Nightline participants follow a trail wearing a blindfold and receive instructions from instructors or fellow participants, the challenge for participants is to complete the course and challenges without removing their blindfold. This activity focuses on team building, communication and trust..
From £60
• Suitable for Age 8+
• 30 participants per session
• Session Length is 1 hours
In Orienteering participants will learn navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate around a set course.
From £250
• Suitable for Age 6+
• 100 participants per session
• Session Length is 2 hours
Slip n Slide and Water Wars is a fun activity for the summer months where participants will slide down our 16ft inflatable slide onto a slippery runway followed by a water fight with water bombs and water pistols, be prepared to get very wet!!
From £105
• Suitable for Age 12+
• 16 participants per session
• Session Length is 2 hours
Stand up paddle or SUP is a form of surfing which is inclusive for everyone from 8 years upwards and for people with disabilities. Combining a long surfboard with a paddle, the sport is a blend of surfing and canoeing where an individual stands on a surfboard whilst using the paddle to move through the water. SUPs is an excellent way of exercising combining a complete body workout incorporating balance, muscular strength and endurance, core stability and aerobic fitness into one activity. This sport is one of the fastest growing in the world and will offer new exciting challenges to participants to try this sport. We offer taster sessions to SUP tours around Strangford Lough.
There are a number of conference & sport facilites to onsite:
From £15/ph
The Beacon comfortably seats up to 80 people with full audio visual facilities.
From £20/ph
This large sports hall (30mx16m) can provide facilities for indoor football, tennis, badminton, basketball, netball, volleyball, fitness classes etc.
From £15/ph
The small sports hall (18mx12m) can provide facilities for indoor football, badminton, basketball, netball, volleyball, fitness classes etc.
Full size snooker table, pool table, table tennis and table football.