Summer Camp England York

Located amidst rolling green meadows and wooded countryside, the magnificent campus at Queen Ethelburga’s College (QE) is a 30-minute drive from the medieval city of York. The camp offers quite exceptional on-site amenities.

Programmes/ages available

All campers choose a country and base programme for their stay, and with a few exceptions these activities are during the morning period of 3 hours. For the rest of the day campers from all programmes come together for a variety of general camp activities. For more information about individual programmes, please choose below.

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For over 20 years Village Camps has partnered with Queen Ethelburga’s College, arguably the best equipped residential college in the UK. Throughout this time campers have enjoyed state-of-the-art accommodation and an impressive range of outdoor and indoor sports and leisure facilities, all in extensive grounds with parks, flowers and fountains.

Village Camps continues to offer a choice of impressive speciality programmes with various sports, outdoor adventure, language studies and performing arts.

Highlights for campers include the fun-filled activities of the innovative evening programmes, an afternoon visit to the famous, ancient city of York and a popular day in Manchester with leisure activities and lots of shopping time in a modern shopping mall. Our friendly, caring and fully-trained York counsellor team will be ecstatic to welcome you back this summer. Happy days!

Accommodation and indoor amenities

Summer Camp Open-plan apartments that usually accommodate four campers with a few larger 5-bedded apartments – all with air-conditioning

Summer Camp Each apartment has en suite facilities with a walk-in shower, separate WC, a small kitchenette area, a sitting area and modern workspace

Summer Camp Free internet and VOIP telephone calls at permitted times of the day

Summer Camp Individual common rooms for the Yellow, Blues and Red age-groups

Summer Camp Vast new ‘Atrium’ space for evening entertainment and "chilling out".

Facilities – outdoor and on-campus

Summer Camp The impressive sports and leisure facilities used by Village Camps are all grouped close to the accommodation or are set in the extensive grounds that surround the campus buildings.

Summer Camp Air-conditioned Sports Hall with vast spaces for indoor sports PLUS state-of-the-art basketball courts

Summer Camp Superb 25-metre heated indoor swimming pool

Summer Camp Impressive air-conditioned theatre with a large stage, sprung floors, quality acoustics , rehearsal rooms and 300+ comfortable seats

Summer Camp ‘Muggles’ entertainment centre with 3D cinema, Xboxes with 200 games and an array of digital games and music

Summer Camp Outside are impressive new state-of-the art grass pitches that have been re-drained and levelled with a mix of real and synthetic grass. This spacious, professionally-designed grass playing area is modelled on the new surface at Wembley Stadium in London. The new playing area remains in great condition even in adverse weather. There is an array of spectacular floodlights covering most of this area.

Summer Camp Artificial standard pitches for rugby, cricket and field hockey as well as outdoor practice tennis and basketball courts

Summer Camp The celebrated ’Secret Garden’ with its impressive original statues and the Gardens – ideal for outdoor events, open-air meetings and BBQs.

Fresh, nutritious meals

Vegan, vegetarian and special diets catered for by arrangement

Summer Camp The fresh food, prepared in the state-of-the-art, hygienic kitchens, is presented self-service style, allowing campers to choose from the daily selection. Healthy appetites are well catered for!

Summer Camp Efficient self-service counter with a generous choice of different dishes at each meal time – with substantial portions!

Summer Camp Meals are taken together in the spacious air-conditioned ‘The Undercroft’

Summer Camp Breakfast is usually continental style with a hot English breakfast once or twice a week and a typical American-style hot brunch on Sundays

Summer Camp A vegetarian option is presented for each meal - with other diets available by written advance request

Summer Camp Salad bar with fresh salad available at every lunch and dinner

Summer Camp Fresh fruit and cold drinks are available at breakfast, lunch and dinner

Summer Camp BBQ in the Secret Garden – once every week.

Camp Organisation

All campers choose a basic speciality camp (from the list above) for their stay. These specialist activities take place during the two sessions of the morning period of 3 hours – from Monday to Friday. For the rest of the day campers from all programmes come together for a variety of general camp activities.

The typical Village Camps day is divided into four main activity periods with two sessions in the morning and two sessions in the afternoon. Campers are assigned to groups according to their choice of programme and then by age and/or skill levels. On weekday mornings all campers join the speciality camp that is chosen in advance.

During the first and second afternoon activity periods, campers in the English Language, Adventure and Football, Performing Arts, Riding and Golf programmes join together and choose from a wide selection of activities. Occasionally, due to the programmes being off site - Riding, Adventure and Golf campers may remain in their speciality camp during one or both of the two afternoon sessions. Then these programmes join the rest of the camp, choosing their activity from the exciting range available for the remaining session of the afternoon (see below).

All the activities are organised and supervised (at an average ratio of 1:6) by a carefully selected group of dedicated, experienced counsellors who are fun, friendly, caring and there to ensure that every camper has a great time.

Evening Activities

The busy and exciting programme of evening events is a real mix of house nights for each colour group contrasting with the spectacular, popular and favourite all-camp special nights. Here are some of our fun-events:

Summer Camp Carnival Night – Stalls, games, tricks and challenges plus the thrills and spills of some spectacular 'inflatables'
Summer Camp Mission Impossible - Village Camps version of this challenging game
Summer Camp Team BIG DAY - Fast moving competitive games, sports and fun team competitions
Summer Camp Talent Night - Mainly for the campers with some fun presentations from staff members. Always a great night!
Summer Camp International Night - Campers are divided into different country groups and work together to prepare and serve traditional dishes from around the world to the whole camp. Afterwards each group presents a sketch, act, song or dance, typical of the country they are learning about as part of a colourful and fun all-camp spectacular show
Summer Camp Pool Party - Supervised fun in the pool - with the evening divided into colour groups
Summer Camp Last night Awards Night & Farewell Party Disco - with the presentation of camper-awards followed by a farewell disco-style party.

Excursions - All Campers

Excursions and visits are an important part of the Village Camps mission of "Education Through Recreation™."

Full Day To Manchester – Saturday.

Manchester with a visit to the extensive Trafford Shopping & Leisure Centre. Time for shopping in this large complex with restaurants, coffee bars, leisure facilities and most of the major UK and international shopping chains represented. Leisure activities include spectacular games and a possible cinema visit depending on what films are available and the ages of each colour group.

Half day excursion to nearby York – Sunday

York - after a lazy late morning and lunch, there is time to chill-out before the afternoon excursion to York, less than half an hour away. There is so much to see in this historic, walled city, notably the famous York Minster. Campers are divided into groups for the York Photo Challenge, encouraging each camper to explore, under supervision, many of the impressive buildings of this great city. There is time for shopping including the traditional shops in the ancient 'Shambles' area with its medieval buildings and cobbled streets.

Afternoon Activities

A choice of a wide variety of activities is offered each weekday to all campers after their speciality programmes have finished each morning.

Sample Daily Schedule **

Monday to Friday
Mornings 07:30 - 08:00 Wake Up
08:00 - 09:00 Breakfast
09:00 - 10:30 Period A - Speciality Programmes
10:45 - 12:15 Period B - Speciality Programmes
Afternoons 12:15 - 13:30 Lunch
13:30 - 14:00 All camp meeting
14:00 - 15:30 * Period C - Sign-up Activities
15:45 - 17:15 Period D - Sign-up Activities
17:15 - 18:15 Free time
Evenings 18:15 - 19:30 Dinner
19:30 - 21:30 Evening Programme
21:30 Lights Out - (7-9 years old)
22:00 Lights Out - (10-12 years old)
22:30 Lights Out - (13-14 years old)
23:00 Lights Out - (15 and older)
Saturday Excursion Day
Sunday Morning: Late wake up call, breakfast and relaxed morning
Afternoon: Excursion to York
Notes: ** This is a sample schedule and may be subject to change
* At the York camp, some Speciality Programmes continue into Period C