Junior Residential Trip @ Aberfeldy

24-26th July 2024 @ Glassie Bunkhouse and Bikepark 

  1. Booking and Payment
    1. Reservations: All reservations must be made with a deposit payment in advance.
    2. Payment: Full payment is required before the commencement of the trip.
    3. Cancellation Policy
      1. Cancellations made more than 28 days before the trip will receive a full refund minus a 10% processing fee.
      2. Cancellations made 14-28 days before the trip will receive a 50% refund.
      3. No refunds will be given for cancellations made less than 14 days before the trip.
    4. Rescheduling: Trips can be rescheduled up to 28 days before the original date at no extra cost, subject to availability.
  2. Health and Safety
    1. Medical Conditions: Participants must disclose any pre-existing medical conditions and carry necessary medications.
    2. Insurance: All participants are responsible for their own health insurance. Travel insurance covering adventure sports is recommended.
    3. Safety Gear: Helmets and appropriate cycling shoes are mandatory. Knee/elbow pads and gloves are recommended.
    4. Emergency Procedures: Our staff are trained in first aid and emergency procedures. In case of an emergency, follow staff instructions.
    5. Injuries:
      1. Minor Injuries: Treated on-site by our staff who are trained in first aid.
      2. Serious Injuries: The injured participant will be taken to the nearest medical facility. Parents or guardians will be contacted immediately.
  3. Code of Conduct
    1. Respect for Nature: Follow ‘Leave No Trace’ principles. Pack out all trash, minimize campfire impact, and respect wildlife.
    2. Trail Etiquette: Participants should adhere to our Code of Conduct for our regular Kids Club sessions.
    3. Group Behavior: Maintain a positive and respectful attitude towards all participants and staff. Abusive language or behaviour will not be tolerated and may result in removal from the trip without a refund.
    4. Three strikes: Poor behaviour will typically follow the ‘told once, warned a second time, action taken on the third time’.  
  4. Bunkhouse Regulations
    1. Campsite: The bunkhouse has full facilities but upkeep will be shared responsibility:
      1. Participants are expected to fairly share tasks and upkeep.
      2. Respect neighbours and nature around the bunkhouse and bikepark.
    2. Quiet Hours: Quiet hours are from 21:00 to 08:00. Noise should be kept to a minimum during these times.
    3. Sleeping: Lights out no later than 22:00. Early sleepers should be respected, equally, early risers should respect those still sleeping.
    4. Personal Hygiene: A mature attitude to personal hygiene is required – participants will be reminded to wash and follow their usual hygiene routine but not enforced. Single person showers and changing are available.
    5. Privacy: A mature attitude towards the privacy of others in a communal sleeping area is essential, as well as respecting others’ belongings. Additional privacy for changing clothes can be facilitated either by the group or by staff.
    6. Emotional distress: If a participant is experiencing personal distress, a member of staff should be made aware as soon as possible. Staff will initially try to calm and reassure them, then address and hopefully rectify a situation that may have arisen. It is intended that parents will NOT be contacted immediately for anything other than that of a serious or ongoing nature to give the participant time to process their emotions and solve the situation first, before reaching out for parental help.
    7. Fire Safety: Fire procedure will be marked in the Bunkhouse – the group will be given a briefing on this upon entry.
    8. Pest control: Food and waste should be cleared away promptly to avoid attracting unwanted attention from the animal kingdom.
    9. Food & Cooking
      1. Fresh water will always be available.
      2. Dietary requirements should be supplied along with medical information.
      3. Participants are encouraged to get involved in meal planning and can request items as a group.
      4. A selection of balanced, nutritious but simple meals will be provided, along with plenty of fruit and snacks. We will attempt to please the palette of the majority of the group but it’s not always possible – participants should be willing to eat the food as fuel and remain open-minded to trying new things.
      5. Participants can bring a small selection of their own snacks that should be spread across the trip.
    10. Money & Spending
      1. A small amount of money is advised to purchase souvenirs, snacks or replacement parts. This should be kept to a minimum to ensure full group participation in the experience.
      2. Staff can upfront larger costs with parental consent.
  5. Equipment
    1. Bike Maintenance:
      1. Ensure your bike is in good working order before the trip.
      2. Bring a basic repair kit and spares relevant to your bike.
    2. Provided Kit: The bunkhouse will provide bedding and cooking/cleaning equipment. Participants are responsible for their personal gear, including towels and toiletries.
    3. Rental Equipment: Bikes and safety gear can be rented from local shops if required.
    4. Mechanical Failure:
      1. Minor Repairs: Staff will assist with minor repairs using a basic repair kit.
      2. Major Repairs: In case of major mechanical failure, the support vehicle will transport the bike (optionally with rider/owner) to the nearest repair facility or back to the base camp, depending on the situation, at the convenience of the group schedule. Costs will be discussed with parents before committing to the repair. This can be paid for upfront by staff to facilitate a speedy repair, with reimbursement due from parents.
      3. Non-repairable mechanical: If a bike cannot be fixed or parts cannot be sourced, bike hire is available and will be discussed with parents if necessary.
    5. Power and charging: There should be plenty of power outlets but a portable USB power pack is advisable in case of charger/plug congestion.
  6. Guides & Support
    1. Guides: Our staff are experienced riders with extensive knowledge of the trails. They are responsible for group safety and adherence to the schedule.
    2. Support Vehicles: A support vehicle will accompany the group to carry gear and provide assistance if needed.
    3. Support Tools: A portable toolkit and essential spares are available at camp.
  7. Participant Requirements
    1. Age Restrictions: Participants must be at least 7 years old.
    2. Skill Level: Trips are designed for beginner to intermediate riders but must be experienced and personally familiar with attending our weekly club.
    3. Fitness Level: Participants should be in good physical condition and capable of riding 10-20km (200-400m ascent) per day on varied terrain.
  8. Communication
    1. Let us know: Staff are willing to receive communication at all times and encourage any issues to be raised as soon as possible.
    2. Mobile Phone Use by Kids
      1. Access: We generally take the point at which a child is allowed to have a mobile phone when they graduate to high school around age 12/13 so would not expect any of the ‘junior’ kids to carry one – however, if parents want to give them a phone, we would suggest leaving at our accommodation and using it in emergencies only.
      2. Limited Use: Kids are encouraged to use mobile phones during the evening only, if at all, to minimize distractions and enhance the group experience.
      3. Supervision: Phone use will NOT be supervised by the guides.
    3. Contact with Parents
      1. Scheduled Check-ins: Kids are free to update their parents on their well-being, although we encourage reduced communication to give a sense of independence and immersion in the experience. We will suggest a communal group video chat in the evenings for a quick check in, although this may be chaos and
      2. Emergency Contact: Parents will be provided with the lead staff contact number for emergencies.
    4. Group Chat: Arrival on site will be confirmed by staff, as well as leaving camp at the end, updated with ETAs for pickup. Occasional updates may be made via the group chat (or directly with parents) but it should be generally regarded during the trip that no news is good news. Any concerns will be answered by staff as soon as possible.
    5. Signal: Remote locations are more likely to suffer from poor mobile phone signal and this may inhibit the use of mobile phones.
    6. Radios: Staff use radios to communicate while on rides or between split groups. A spare radio is always left at camp to facilitate remote contact by a riding group.
  9. Weather
    1. Refunds will not be provided for poor weather conditions.
    2. Consistently poor weather can be very detrimental to mental health while camping and is a very real possibility – a positive and resilient attitude is expected.
    3. If the weather is particularly wet for an extended period, staff will endeavour to get clothes washed and dried if necessary. Wet shoes are a given though and can be worn wet as long as the feet are dry at camp and at night.
    4. If an extreme weather event occurs, we may decide to abandon the camp and seek shelter temporarily to allow it to pass safely. If prolonged, we may abandon the trip altogether.
  10. Additional Activities 
    1. Games such as rounders, frisbee, football, bathing/swimming, marshmallow toasting and other similar activities will be provided for camp entertainment. Participation in these activities is a personal choice and participants are expected to be responsible for their own decision making.
    2. Gathering firewood – participants will be expected to help gather firewood (if the group wants a campfire!) which will not only toast marshmallows but double as a midge deterrent.
  11. Liability
    1. Waiver: All participants must sign a waiver of liability before the trip.
    2. Assumption of Risk: Mountain biking involves inherent risks. By participating, you acknowledge and accept these risks.
  12. Feedback and Communication
    1. Feedback: We value your feedback. Please fill out a feedback form at the end of the trip.
    2. Communication: For any questions or concerns before, during, or after the trip, please feel free to contact us.

By booking a trip with Trailcoach, you agree to abide by all policies outlined above. Enjoy your adventure and ride safe!

    Residential Trip Consent





    Please list any medical conditions or dietary requirements: