About the Centre


As part of the oldest house in Exmoor Forest, Simonsbath House Outdoor Centre is situated in the heart of Exmoor; the property dates back to 1654 and still retains many of its original features. The main house is set in 4 acres of land, where many of the Centre activities take place, and overlooks the Barle Valley, a unique acidic upland river with SSSI designation and immediate access to acres of beautiful moorland countryside. John Knights’ mansion has been converted to accommodate the Outdoor Centre while the original section of the house is now a Country Hotel. As well as providing an excellent location for habitat investigation, the Centre offers considerable learning opportunities in all aspects of the curriculum, with special emphasis on numeracy and literacy and a broad range of outdoor and adventurous activities, all of which deliver aspects of Citizenship and PSHE.

The Centre is within 7 miles of Watersmeet on the East Lyn River and picturesque Lynmouth with the cliff side railway connecting the town to Lynton. A short coach ride takes you to the wide sandy beaches and dunes of Croyde Bay, Woolacombe Bay and Braunton Burrows or the busy market town of Barnstaple. Further information on the local sites of interest & attractions can be found enclosed.

The Centre offers en-suite dormitory accommodation for up to 68 students and their leaders. The ground floor has 5 bedrooms; three bedroom able to accommodate 8/10 students, one bedroom accommodating 6 students and one bedroom accommodating 4 students, as well as one single staff bedroom, one twin en-suite staff bedroom, a staff lounge, kitchen and bathroom. The first floor has one bedroom accommodating 8 students and two bedrooms accommodating 6 students plus a large common room space with teh ability to be converted to a dormitory room for larger groups, two twin en-suite staff bedrooms. All bedding is provided and bedrooms are heated and fully carpeted. The Centre offers a range of indoor facilities including a large dining room and common room containing various board games and books for evening recreation, a fully equipped classroom containing a large selection of reference books and a comprehensive collection of local maps. The Centre also has a small souvenir shop and washing and drying facilities.

Our chef savours his reputation for good food, providing a wide and varied menu using local produce catering for both vegetarians and those on special diets, please see enclosed sample menu.

The safety and welfare of all our residents is our paramount concern. All activities are run by qualified and experienced staff and the Centre holds £5 million public liability insurance. All staff hold a first aid qualification and there is a member of staff qualified to First Aid at Work standard in residence on site at all times. All Centre staff can be easily identified by the Simonsbath House uniform. The Centre Health and Safety Policy, Code of Practice and Risk Assessments are available on request SHOC meets all criteria required by LEA’s to ensure the safety and well-being of pupils visiting the centre.


To make an enquiry about booking a residential with us fill in the Enquiry Form and we will be in touch. Alternatively, contact Centre Manager Louise Flagg by email enquiries@shoc.info,  telephone 01643 831 382 or fax 01643 831 557 for more information.