This month Clearsky Adventure Centre has been selected as a finalist in the category “Marketing Excellence” for this year’s Northern Ireland Tourism
Awards. Clearsky Adventure Centre is the only company within the outdoor pursuits industry to have been shortlisted for the Awards this year.

The company have recently revamped their website, creating a funky, interactive and user friendly web space. Alongside this, the past year has seen huge efforts in increasing awareness of the brand through a number of online marketing campaigns and the development of a number of important partnerships.

The awards are the highlight of the tourism calendar and recognise the hard work and achievements of the industry. Acknowledged as an exemplar of excellence, the team at Clearsky Adventure Centre have been invited to attend a gala awards dinner at the end of the month where winners will be announced. With more than one hundred entrants competing against them to get this far, the team are very excited and fingers are crossed all round for a huge success on the night!

The Town Hall in Enniskillen played host to the official launch of the ‘Lough Erne Activity Map’ on Thursday 1st May. The map has been designed with outdoor enthusiasts in mind and is perfect for tourists and visitors to the Fermanagh region. Top spots for fishing, canoeing, bird sanctuaries, nature reserves as well as walks, climbs and cycle trails are all detailed on the map. The safety of people navigating the water has also been addressed. Every marker buoy on the Lough has been pin pointed using the latest Global Positioning Satellite technology.

Speaking at the launch the Chairman of Fermanagh District Council, Cllr Alex Baird said “This map is set to be a great resource for tourists and visitors to the Fermanagh region. For this reason Fermanagh District council are delighted to be associated with this event.”

The Lough Erne Activity Map is one in a series of five Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland® (OSNI®) maps. Other maps in the series are the Glens of Antrim, The Mournes, The Sperrins and Strangford Lough.

A vital contribution to the making of this map came from Waterways Ireland who supplied staff, water based-craft & equipment and the engineering support for the survey which took place last autumn.

The event in Enniskillen was also significant because it was the first map launch hosted by Land & Property Services (LPS). Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland merged with LPS on 1st April this year. Whilst the operations of the former agency are now carried out under the new banner of LPS, the OSNI brand is still continuing. All future maps launched by LPS will continue to carry the OSNI logo.

For more information and to purchase maps, please visit http://www.osni.gov.uk/.

“An Introduction to Horses” course was developed by the British Horse Society Ireland in partnership with Belfast Boys’ Model School during 2007/2008. Up to 10 pupils at a time from Belfast Boys’ Model School took part in each of the two 6 week courses held at Laurel View Equestrian Centre, Templepatrick, Co Antrim.

The course involved getting to understand horses, how to muck out and work round them, how to groom and tack up and then finally how to ride. The boys learnt how to interact with the horses and they showed a natural feel and compassion for them.

Linda Chestnutt, Counsellor for Year 11 from Belfast Boys’ Model School was the enthusiastic instigator of the project and worked tirelessly to ensure its success alongside Samantha Dale, BHS AI, Int, SM who facilitated the training and learning programme for the boys.

The benefits of the programme were that those who had previously had no contact with horses, or indeed other animals, had an opportunity to learn new skills, develop new relationships and work as a team. The course also highlighted job opportunities of which they previously had no knowledge. It is hoped that this experience will stay with them, giving them confidence and that some may wish to continue their training within the equine world.

The British Horse Society, Ireland would be keen that similar courses would be available in the future to not only the Belfast Boys’ Model School but also other schools who recognise the many opportunities for personal development from interacting and working with horses.

Further information on the British Horse Society, Ireland can be found on www.bhsireland.com .

Combat Corps is a new painless, tactical, exhilarating and fun activity to be run at several locations in and around Share Holiday Village. With a variety of terrain available including a forest, a nearby island and an indoor arena the location is ideal. A range of natural obstacles including gullies and streams and man made wooden obstacles such as fences and gates ensure the outdoor playing areas have no visual impact on the surrounding area.

Combat Corps includes the fun of paintball, and has the advantage of being safer, more accurate and better for the environment. Indeed Share Staff have recently been trained to ‘Leave No Trace’ standards, reducing the effect of outdoor pursuits on the environment whilst aligning with Shares highly proactive environmental policy.

Perfect for Corporate Groups, Birthday Parties, Sports/Social Events and especially Stag & Hen parties this outdoor tactical game of team based combat simulation, is likely to appeal to all. Rory Martin – Share Marketing Officer describes;
The variety of terrain is perfect, the combination of forested areas and open ground with trees and bushes for cover provide an ideal environment for fun with the indoor option for bad weather days. The option of the boat ride makes the game all the more realistic.’

Group visitors to Share can play stand-alone missions such as “Capture the Flag” or "VIP Escort" or simply have a "Free for All" of team on team combat without the pain involved in similar activities such as paintball. Each team is equipped with camouflaged overalls, infrared weapons and sensors. Players shoot an invisible and harmless infrared beam, with a choice of different speeds and distances. With 20 guns in total funded by ‘Action Woodland’ - Share are able to accommodate groups of 12 year olds and over. There are a variety of combo packages available in which participants can enjoy a multi activity session including Combat Corps.

Combat corps has really taken off since its launch last week as Dave Butterfield – Combat Corps Instructor suggests “The number of enquiries received from groups alone is suggesting that this may now overtake banana boating as the most popular activity at Share. We are currently developing a number of innovative fun games including Urban Assault which will hopefully make this activity available to wheelchair users, people with mobility problems and special needs. In the first week alone, we have had a number of repeat customers!”

For more information on Combat Corps and other outdoor activity packages please contact Celia – Share Bookings Officer on 028 6772 2122 or celia@sharevillage.org or visit www.sharevillage.org.

The Lough Erne Canoe Trail has triumphed in the ‘Innovation’ category at this year’s Waterways Renaissance Awards, run by The Waterways Trust and BURA (British Urban Regeneration Association).

For the first time in the awards’ history, a project based in Northern Ireland was the recipient of an accolade. The Lough Erne Canoe Trail was recognised alongside projects organising ferry trips along the Mersey, the strengthening of a working Lock in Keadby, North Lincolnshire and a waterside education programme on a Fenland river, Cambridgeshire, as some of the best examples of waterway renewal in the country.

The nominations were judged by an independent assessment panel, comprising waterway, conservation and regeneration experts and chaired by Sir Neil Cossons.

“The panel has no doubt that this is a truly innovative and inspirational project that has taken the simple idea of a canoe trail and successfully marketed it to promote the Lough Erne waterways as a whole. The involvement of canoeists in its design means the trail is both practical and attractive for users from around Ireland and beyond. It is a model that could be adapted and used elsewhere to encourage the use of waterways.”

The 50 km Lough Erne Canoe Trail stretches from Muckross on Lower Lough Erne to Crom in Upper Lough Erne. Launched in May 2005, the trail has gone from strength to strength attracting avid canoeists from all over the world. The Canoe Trail was developed by the Countryside Access and Activities Network (CAAN) for Northern Ireland and the Canoe Association of Northern Ireland with financial support from Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (Inland Waterways Division), Environment and Heritage Service, Fermanagh District Council and the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation. The project also received support from The National Trust and Waterways Ireland. In her acceptance speech Clare Wright – Strategic Access Manager, CAAN stated “…we are absolutely delighted to win this award and to gain UK wide recognition for our work. This project was developed by a small team within a limited budget therefore Innovation was at the forefront of our planning and development throughout.”

More information on the Lough Erne Canoe Trail and other Canoe Trails is available on our sister site www.canoeni.com

Outdoor NI will be attending The Outdoors Show in the Birmingham NEC from 14th - 16th March.

To mark this occassion we have put together an outstanding range of SPECIALS OFFERS.

Whether you are looking for a Day or a Holiday Package there is something for everyone and we know everybody loves a bargain!!

The good news is that if you cannot attend the show then you can still make use of the offers. Have a look on our SPECIAL OFFERS PAGE and contact the relevant activity provider quoting the Reference Code.

All bookings should be made by the end of March.

This is the excuse you have been looking for!!

Northern Ireland now has its very own surf brand in the form of SurfRepublic clothing. Started out in 2007 and had a great response in sales to shops decided to go a little further and now are targeting the whole of uk and ireland and eventually the world. Born out of the desire to simply do something different SurfRepublic combines the best in clothing quality and irish designers to create its own unique and versatile style. New range about to hit shops from april and on website www.surfrepublic.eu

For more information on Surfing in Northern Ireland have a look at our surfing activity page

Field of Dreams field sports event centre are organising an Outdoor Action Day in aid of Clic Sargent a chariy caring for children with cancer.

The event will take place on Saturday 25th May 2008.

The activities include off-road driving, clay target shooting and archery.

The event costs £25 to enter and each participant is required to raise a minimum sponsorship of £100.

For more Info Contact:

Claire McAuley
028 9072 5780
claire.mcauley@clicsargent.org.uk

or download a form via the Field of Dreams Website

The Lower Bann and its surrounding towns and villages can now boast another exciting way of attracting tourists to the area. The Lower Bann Canoe Trail was launched last week, stretching from Lough Neagh to the Atlantic Ocean; the 58 kilometre trail provides a unique way to experience the beautiful River Bann.

The river is steeped in history dating back to Mesolithic times. From the trail’s head at Toome, the river flows into Lough Beg – a beautiful area which is rich in wildlife. From Lough Beg it narrows at Newferry and acts for most of its length as the boundary between counties Londonderry and Antrim. On entering its last stretch towards the Atlantic Ocean it passes through the town of Coleraine. The trail finishes at Ballwoolen beside a beautiful reserve owned by The National Trust and approximately 1.5km from the Barmouth.

The Trail is suitable for Canoeists of all abilities. Experts can utilise the official Canoe Trail Guide - a comprehensive waterproof guide containing information on the 15 designated access points and useful content on wildlife, flora and fauna and camping etc. Beginners can take to the water for the first time by choosing from a wide variety of Canoeing providers offering a range of instruction, guided tours and canoe hire. All the information contained in the Canoe Trail Guide is also available in an interactive format on www.canoeni.com.

This initiative follows on from the successful Lough Erne Canoe Trail launched in May 2005 and the Blackwater Canoe Trail in November 2007. The trails have been developed by the Countryside Access and Activities Network (CAAN) and the Canoe Association for Northern Ireland (CANI). Further Canoe Trails will be launched on Lough Neagh and Strangford Lough in April and June respectively. “Whilst the Canoe Trails will provide an excellent Activity Tourism Product to attract tourists to the area, they also should act as encouragement for local people to use their local waterway for recreation purposes” added Chris Scott, Marketing Officer, CAAN.

The project has been part funded by the European Union and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development through the Lower Bann Partnership Ltd, Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (Inland Waterways Division), Environment and Heritage Service, Antrim Borough Council, Ballymoney Borough Council, Ballymena Borough Council, Coleraine Borough Council, Magherafelt District Council. The project has also been supported by Sport NI, Waterways Ireland and the Lower Bann Advisory Committee.

On opening the Trail, Paddy McGahon, Deputy Programme Manager, Rural Development Division, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development stated "This is one of many projects funded by DARD through the EU Programme for Building Sustainable Prosperity and the Rural Development Programme. The development of the Canoe Trail will make a positive contribution to the environment and it will also offer local people and visitors to the area the opportunity to avail of a fantastic recreational activities. The tourism generated as a result of the development of the Trail will benefit rural communities, pubs, village shops, visitor attractions and accommodation providers along its length.”

The venue for the launch was Cutts House, a beautifully maintained three-bay, two-storey house built in 1859 in a truly fine setting overlooking the Lower Bann and a perfect example of the heritage which can be viewed along the Trail. John Hubbucks and a group of instructors from Mobile Team Adventure gave a demonstration of Canoeing and a clear example of the enjoyment to be had from exploring the Trail.

The Trail certainly continues an exciting era for Canoeing in Northern Ireland and will be enjoyed by the local community and tourists.

Bunk Campers offer budget camper vans for rental from Belfast and Dublin with a fleet of compact and stylish 2 and 4 berth camper vans - your transport and self catering accommodation in one!

The 2 berth Bunk Camper comes equipped with gas hob, sink, compact refrigerator, kitchen gear, electric hook up and the all important ‘bunk bed’.

New for 2008, the 4 berth camper van offers all of this as well as having the added comfort and convenience of an on board toilet and shower facility, radio and DVD player as well as an i-Pod connection. All the kit needed to get on the road!

Bunk Campers offer self-drive hire vehicles for small or large groups and families exploring Ireland independently off the beaten track and can be booked on line at www.bunkcampers.com.

Release your sense of adventure in the great outdoors with Bunk Campers!