- Next date
- Mon 28 Jun 2027, 09:00
- Days
- Monday - Friday, 5 days, 9.30 to 16.00
Coachford Explorers
Five full days of outdoor adventure for ages 6 to 16, built around big Coachford activities, water time, height challenges and a proper expedition feel. Explorers is the full-week camp for kids who want to get outside, try more, and come home with real summer stories.
- Ages 6 to 16
- Mon to Fri
- 2026 hours: 09:30 to 16:00
- Water • Land • Height
- Kayak Expedition Feel
- Wetsuits Provided
What an Explorers week looks like
Explorers is the full Ballyhass Coachford camp experience. Campers spend the week with their group and leaders, moving through a wide mix of water, land and height activities while building confidence, independence and outdoor skills in a safe, supportive setting.
Pricing
Clear weekly pricing, with Adventure Pass savings
Camp dates
Choose your week
2026: Mon to Fri • 09:30 to 16:00. The 2027 times will be confirmed with the 2027 weeks.
The 2027 weeks are coming. The Camp Finder shows each week as it goes on sale.
What an Explorers week can look like
Explorers is a full Ballyhass Coachford camp week with water every day, big outdoor adventure, high-energy challenges and a stronger expedition feel. It is built for kids who want a week that feels active, varied and properly outdoors from Monday to Friday.
Activity highlights
Explorers campers work through a wide Coachford adventure mix across the week. Depending on the schedule, activities can include lake sessions, height challenges, outdoor team tasks and expedition-style moments across the Ballyhass Coachford site.
Kayaking, Lake Sessions & Water Adventure
Water is a huge part of the Explorers week, with lake-based activity giving the camp its bigger outdoor adventure feel.
- Kayaking
- Lake Time
- Water Daily
High Nets, Height Challenges & Big Moments
Coachford gives campers brilliant height-based challenge moments, with support from leaders and space to progress at their own pace.
- High Nets
- Height Challenge
- Confidence
Target, Wild & Outdoor Challenges
A different kind of adventure through skill, teamwork, focus and outdoor problem-solving across the Coachford activity zones.
- Target Skills
- Wild Challenges
- Team Tasks
Camp Games, Team Challenges & Week Moments
Explorers is more than a list of activities. Campers build friendships, settle into their group and finish the week with real shared memories.
- Team Games
- Group Challenges
- Camp Moments
Example week schedule
The exact timetable can change depending on the group, weather and operations, but this gives parents a clearer picture of how a Coachford Explorers week is structured.
- ✓Check-in, group allocation and leader introductions
- ✓Site orientation and first group identity moments
- ✓First land, water and challenge-based sessions
- ✓Guaranteed water block to kick off the week
- Settle In
- Meet Group
- Explore Site
- ✓Continued rotation through Coachford activity zones
- ✓Group challenges that help campers build confidence and independence
- ✓Water, wild, target or height-based sessions depending on the group timetable
- ✓Another guaranteed daily water session
- Confidence
- Water
- Adventure Mix
- ✓Progression through bigger lake, land and height challenges
- ✓Expedition-style moments that make Coachford feel different from a standard day camp
- ✓Kayaking, team tasks or outdoor challenge sessions depending on conditions
- ✓Guaranteed water time remains part of the programme
- Progression
- Explorer Energy
- Teamwork
- ✓More advanced group challenges as campers settle into the week
- ✓Opportunities to push comfort zones through challenge by choice
- ✓Height, wild, water or target sessions depending on group rotation
- ✓Daily water session still built in
- Challenge
- Friendships
- Water
- ✓Final mix of Coachford activities and group games
- ✓End-of-week celebration and final camp moments
- ✓One more guaranteed water block to close out the week
- ✓A full Coachford camp week that feels adventurous, varied and memorable
- Celebrate
- Finish Strong
- Memories
Planning Support
Bus Transfers
In 2026, bus transfers ran on selected Coachford Explorers weeks, making it easier for families across Cork to get to camp. The routes below are the 2026 routes, not confirmed for 2027. Once Operations confirm the 2027 routes and fares, choose the pickup route closest to you, then add your child’s bus place during booking.
2027 to be confirmed: these are the 2026 routes, stops and week pairings, the most recent arrangements. Our Operations team will confirm the 2027 transport arrangements and fares before they are published. Each route ran on specific weeks only.
Mahon / Blackrock / Bishopstown / Ballincollig
2026: weeks 1 & 5- A 2026 route. The 2027 routes and fares are confirmed by Operations.
Mahon Point Shopping Centre → ALDI Blackrock → Dunnes Bishopstown Court → Ballincollig Classes Lake → Ballyhass Coachford
Best for families on the Mahon, Blackrock, Bishopstown or Ballincollig side of the city.
Little Island / Kent Station / Bishopstown / Ballincollig
2026: weeks 2 & 6- A 2026 route. The 2027 routes and fares are confirmed by Operations.
Little Island Circle K → Cork City Kent Station → Dunnes Bishopstown Court → Ballincollig Classes Lake → Ballyhass Coachford
A strong option for families coming from the east side of Cork or using a city-centre pickup.
Carrigaline / Douglas / Kinsale Road / Bishopstown
2026: weeks 3 & 7- A 2026 route. The 2027 routes and fares are confirmed by Operations.
Carrigaline Court Hotel → Douglas ALDI → Smyths Kinsale Road → Dunnes Bishopstown Court → Ballyhass Coachford
Ideal for families around Carrigaline, Douglas and the Kinsale Road side of the city.
Marina / Blackpool / Blarney / Tower
2026: weeks 4 & 8- A 2026 route. The 2027 routes and fares are confirmed by Operations.
Marina Market → Blackpool Shopping Centre → Blarney Filling Station → SuperValu Tower → Ballyhass Coachford
Best suited to families coming from the north side, Blarney or Tower direction.
Find the Right Fit
Who Explorers Is Best For
Coachford Explorers works best for kids who want more than just a busy week out. It is ideal for children who enjoy being active, outdoors and part of a proper summer camp atmosphere, while still giving plenty of support to those trying new things for the first time.
Kids who like variety, adventure and being outdoors
Explorers is especially well suited to campers who enjoy getting stuck in, mixing with others and taking on a week that feels active, adventurous and different from the everyday.
Active Kids
A great match for children who enjoy movement, variety and spending the day doing rather than sitting still.
- Loves busy, hands-on days
- Enjoys sport, play or outdoor activity
- Gets excited by a full week of adventure
Outdoorsy Campers
Ideal for kids who naturally enjoy being outside and like the idea of a camp with a more exploratory Coachford feel.
- Likes water, land and nature-based activity
- Enjoys a more adventurous camp vibe
- Would love the expedition-style moments
Kids Ready to Try New Things
Explorers is a strong option for children who want to build confidence, stretch themselves and come away proud of what they did.
- Still growing in confidence
- Open to trying something different
- Benefits from encouragement and variety
Kids Who Want the Full Camp Experience
Perfect for children who will enjoy the friendships, team feel and shared week-long atmosphere as much as the activities themselves.
- Enjoys meeting others and making friends
- Likes being part of a group
- Wants a week that feels memorable
Parents often choose Explorers when they want…
This camp works especially well for families looking for a week that feels adventurous and exciting, but still properly organised and supportive.
- a full-day summer camp with real variety across the week
- a good balance of challenge, fun and confidence-building
- a camp that feels a little more outdoorsy and exploratory
- a week where kids come home tired, happy and full of stories
Sounds like a good fit?
If your child would love an active, outdoorsy week with plenty going on, Coachford Explorers is a brilliant summer camp option.
Practical Help
What to Bring
Most of what campers need for Coachford Explorers is the same as our other Ballyhass summer camps, with one key extra: the Kayak Expedition day makes it especially important to pack the right spare gear, layers and lunch setup.
Pack for an active outdoor day
Explorers is a full, busy camp week, so practical clothes, spare gear and a well-packed lunch make a real difference.
Bring These Every Day
The everyday essentials for a full week of water, land and height activities.
- Swimsuit for water activities
- Towel and a full change of clothes
- Old runners or closed-toe shoes that can get wet
- Lunch, snacks and plenty of water
- Sun cream on warm days
- Rain jacket and layers for changeable weather
- Any essential medication, clearly labelled and handed over as needed
Extra for Kayak Expedition Day
A few extra essentials help campers stay comfortable and ready for one of the week’s standout sessions.
- A well-packed lunch that works easily on the go
- Extra water for a longer day outdoors
- Full spare set of clothes for after paddling
- Warm layer depending on the weather forecast
- A positive attitude for a proper adventure day
Lost & Found
Please label everything you can, especially towels, hoodies, lunch bags and water bottles. Ballyhass is a busy site used by other visitors before and after camp groups, so unlabelled items can be difficult to identify and return.
We do our best to manage lost property fairly, but Ballyhass is not responsible for items left behind. Unclaimed items are only held for a limited period, so campers should not bring valuables unless absolutely necessary.
Simple preparation goes a long way
A labelled bag, spare clothes, enough food and the right footwear will help your child get the most from the week.
Need-to-Know Answers
Explorers FAQs
A few of the questions parents ask most often before camp starts. We have grouped them to make it easier to find what you need before booking, before arrival and during the week.
Built to reassure parents as well as excite campers
Explorers is designed to feel adventurous and outdoorsy, but also organised, supportive and easy to plan for.
Comfortable outdoor clothing, swimwear underneath if needed, and suitable footwear. Bring a towel, wet shoes or old runners, a packed lunch, a water bottle and a full change of clothes.
Campers should bring swimwear, a towel, wet shoes or old runners, a change of clothes, lunch, snacks, water and layers for changeable weather. For the Kayak Expedition day, an extra well-packed lunch and a full spare set of clothes are especially important.
We do our best to organise groups by age and friendship circles, and we always aim to make sure friends and siblings are not separated wherever possible.
Yes. Explorers works really well for first-time campers, especially kids who enjoy variety, getting outdoors and trying new things. Our group leaders help campers settle in quickly and activities are introduced in a supportive, encouraging way.
That is very normal. Our camps are designed to build confidence step by step, and our team is used to helping nervous campers settle in. We challenge kids to grow, but always in a supportive way and never through pressure.
Explorers is built around variety. Campers take part in a mix of water, land and height activities across the week, with standout features including the Kayak Expedition and Wilderness Day. It is active, social and designed to feel like a proper adventure from start to finish.
They do not need to be a strong swimmer, but they should be comfortable taking part in water-based activities while wearing the appropriate safety equipment and listening to instructor guidance.
It is one of the standout parts of the camp. Campers check the weather, plan their route, pack their lunch and head off on a guided paddling journey towards Carrigadrohid Castle. It is a real outdoor adventure and a brilliant confidence-builder.
Ballyhass camps are built around outdoor adventure, so camps still run in typical Irish weather. Activity plans may be adjusted where needed for safety and experience, so children should arrive prepared for wet, dry, warm and cooler conditions.
Campers are supported by dedicated group leaders throughout the week, helping them settle in, build friendships and feel part of the group from Monday to Friday.
Once the 2027 bus arrangements are published, bus places are added at checkout when completing your booking. If you run into any issues, contact the Ballyhass office and the team can help you add your child’s bus place.
The 2026 bus fare was €65 per child, and it is not confirmed for 2027. Our Operations team will confirm the 2027 transport arrangements and fares before they are published.
Yes. Adventure Pass holders get the member price for Explorers. That pricing is available all year round and offers the best value for families already using the Ballyhass Adventure Pass.
The 2027 weeks are in the Camp Finder, which shows the places left in each week.
Explorers is for 6 to 16 year olds, with groups organised by age and friendship circles. It works especially well for kids who love the outdoors, variety and a more exploration-led camp experience.