YHA St Briavels Castle

St Briavel's, Lydney, Gloucestershire, GL15 6RG

Overview

Give your school trip, activity or social group an experience they’ll always remember with a stay in a real Norman castle. YHA St Briavels Castle is our very own Hogwarts – join us for banqueting and hands on learning experiences within an unforgettable setting. There are some amazing things for you to do here, plus plenty of cosy spaces to relax during the evenings and ample grounds within the castle to let off a bit of steam. We’ve even got free Wi-Fi so you can stay connected too.

YHA St Briavels has so much to offer groups – For school groups wanting to immerse themselves in history, why not check out one of our fully inclusive education packages, including all daytime and evening activities; including bread-making, candle-dipping and archery, and a medieval themed hosted banquet. YHA St Briavels will be a stay with lasting memories.

Alternatively for educational and social groups looking to lead your own magical stay, YHA St Briavels has great access to the Forest of Dean and the local attractions therein; such as the amazing Puzzlewood or Clearwell Caves, with the added benefit of staying in a castle.  There are cycle trails, forest and riverside walks and fantastic canoeing on the River Wye nearby.  Don’t forget you can always upgrade your booking to include one of our fantastic banquets and go Medieval for a night. The Castle is also an excellent venue for celebrations and get-togethers.

The castle plays host throughout the year to heritage weekends, outdoor performances and themed events and is a superb destination for all types of groups looking for something just that little bit different.

Why Groups love YHA St Briavels Castle

Packages and bolt-ons available here

Medieval banquets with entertainment

"Excellent" - 91%

Customer satisfaction based on 62 scores

Stay from

£20.00
Bed and breakfast, per person, per night* (ex VAT)
Number of beds: 66

Learning Outside the Classroom

YHA is at the top of the class for educational visits. We have been awarded a Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) Award at 74 of our youth hostels across England and Wales.

Find out more about Learning Outside the Classroom.

LOtC Awarded

103296

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Packages available at YHA St Briavels Castle

History package

Young school girl holding a shield on a school trip

Suitable for ages 7-13

Medieval history brought to life

Join Sir Thomas Bolt at St Briavels Castle for a truly memorable school trip. Sir Thomas is our very own medieval custodian and from the moment he welcomes you at the gates of this 900 year old castle, medieval history is bought to life for the duration of your trip. During your stay pupils will have the opportunity to try many activities relating to medieval life, here are just a few examples: castle tour, candle making, archery, and a scrumptious medieval banquet.

Activities:

  • Archery
  • Bread making
  • Candle making
  • Castle tour
  • Chronological timeline activity
  • Fencing
  • Medieval banquet
  • Tile painting
  • Water Bearers Challenge

Prices from

£44.50

Per person, per night* (ex VAT)

Discovery package

YHA Discovery

Suitable for ages 7-13

Flexible programme of fun and challenges

Designed to enable teachers to create their own stay, our Discovery package offers a flexible programme of fun, challenging and memorable experiences that can be tailored to support the educational needs of your group. Great for building team work and communication skills.

Activities:

  • Archery
  • Banquet
  • Castle tour
  • Fencing
  • Fire lighting
  • Shelter building
  • Team challenges

Prices from

£44.50

Per person, per night* (ex VAT)

Alex Rider Mission Briefing

Group of school children code breaking at YHA

Suitable for ages 7-13

Train the next secret agents

We’ve teamed up with Walker Books and author Anthony Horowitz to bring you team building challenges and spy training that will test pupils’ mettle as potential new secret agent. Our new cohort of spies will undertake training before being sent back in time, learning how to live in medieval times in order to find the lost professor and bring him back to the present day.

Activities:

  • Archery
  • Bushcraft
  • Code breaking
  • Fencing
  • Firelighting
  • Gadget design
  • Guided navigation walks
  • Hunt the double agent
  • Orienteering
  • Shelter building
  • Team building

Prices from

£44.50

Per person, per night* (ex VAT)

Multi-Activity package

Canoeing

Adventurous activities in the great outdoors

Designed to challenge and engage students through practical PE based activity our Multi-Activity package offers a mixture of adventurous and on-site activities that make the most of the great outdoors and the hostel locality, whilst offering something for all abilities.

Activities:

  • Abseiling
  • Archery
  • Canoeing
  • Castle tour
  • Kayaking
  • Team challenges

Prices from

£69.50

Per person, per night, based on a two night stay* (ex VAT)

Alex Rider Classified Mission

Group of school children listening to the teacher at YHA

Suitable for ages 8+

Test students’ mettle as new secret agents

Ignite your student’s imagination, enjoy adventures in the great outdoors and spark a love of reading with our Alex Rider Classified Mission package. We’ve teamed up with Walker Books and author Anthony Horowitz to bring you team building challenges and spy training that will test pupil’s mettle as potential new secret agents.

Activities:

  • Problem solving
  • Team building

Prices from

£66.50

Per person, per night, based on a two-night stay* (ex VAT)

YHA St Briavels Castle does not currently offer packages.

Bolt-ons available at YHA St Briavels Castle

YHA bolt-on

Archery Target Practice

Activities delivered by trained and experienced staff

Available at all the hostels that offer YHA packages, this bolt-on offers challenging problem solving and team building activities delivered by our very own trained and experienced staff. Activities are run on hostel grounds, meaning you don’t need to travel anywhere.

Activities:

  • Archery
  • Bread making
  • Candle dipping
  • Castle tour
  • Fencing
  • Guided walk
  • Team challenges

Prices from

£8.50

Per person* (ex VAT)

Adventure bolt-on

Abseiling down a bridge

Activities for outdoor adventurers

Packed with opportunities to try almost every outdoor activity you can think of, this bolt-on options is great for outdoor adventurers and adrenaline lovers.

Activities:

  • Abseiling
  • Canoeing
  • Climbing
  • Kayaking
  • Mountain walk

Prices from

£58.80

Per person* (ex VAT)

YHA St Briavels Castle does not currently offer bolt-ons.

Personal service

Smaller venues offering a personable service.

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Self-led options

Amazing bases for self-led options

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Organised packages

Organised residential packages available 

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Flexible approach

Totally flexible approach to your residential

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Locations

A genuine sense of place and location

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Experiential learning

Experiential learning opportunities

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LOtC accredited sites

70+ LOtC accredited sites

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Teachers participation

Teachers encouraged to participate in all activities, helping to enhance teacher-pupil relations

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Facilities

General:

  • Free Wi-Fi in communal areas
  • Drying room
  • Board games
  • Cycle store
  • Garden/grounds
  • Lounge

Transportation:

  • Car parking
  • Coach parking

Food & drink:

  • Dining room
  • Licensed bar
  • Meals available
  • Self-catering kitchen

Teaching facilities:

  • Classroom(s)
  • Corridor zoning
  • Meeting Rooms & Corporate Hire

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How to get here

St Briavel's, Lydney, Gloucestershire, GL15 6RG

By car:
From the north M6, M5 and M50 follow the signs to Monmouth. From there follow A466 to Chepstow. After approximately five miles turn left and follow signs to St Briavels. The castle is straight in front of you. From the south M4 and M48 to Chepstow. Follow the A466 to Monmouth. Approximately seven miles after the metal bridge, turn right and follow signs to St Briavels.

OS Map: 162
OS Grid Ref: SO558045
Latitude: 51.738112
Longitude: -2.640796
YHA St Briavels Castle