Society Training Weekend 2027
Moor House Adventure Centre
April 9th - April 11th 2027
The 2027 society training weekend will be held at the Moor House Adventure Center, Houghton-le-Spring DH4 6QY
To get to the venue make your way to the A1(M) and take the A690 East towards Sunderland from junction 62. The venue is only about 1.5 miles from the A1(M) so getting there is very simple. Even the approach road is a dual carriageway. Take care on the final track into the venue as it's fairly narrow and has speed bumps (that are not obvious). NOTE - You cannot turn into the venue if approaching from the East (Sunderland end), but must go down to the A1 and go around the roundabout so that you come back up the A690 from the West (Durham end)
You can arrive from 12 noon on Friday and can stay till 5pm on Sunday.
Moor House Adventure Centre is a scout camp that used to be the Northern training centre for scout leaders. As such it has a large camping field, a second field for our combat training and other areas. We have used this venue for the STW before in 2018 and 2024.
The following plan of the centre shows where everything is located.
The area outlined in red is the camping area. You can drive vehicles down the access road but DO NOT drive onto the grass. The area outlined in magenta/pink is hard-standing for caravans and campers. Please book in advance with Chrissy (treasurer[at]vikingsonline.org.uk) to ensure we have enough space.
After unloading cars are to be returned to the car park at the site entrance ; this will be full and you are likely to get boxed in. PLEASE USE YOUR VEHICLE OWNER ID CARDS so that people who are boxed in and wish to leave can find car owners to get them moved.
For the camping area : Please set up sensibly with tents 6ft apart in streets ; do not pitch in the middle of no-where in no discernible pattern. Do not leave great tracts of space between your tents. Whilst the area is large it will be full if we get a large turnout.
Toilets are in the service building which is at the top end of the camping field adjacent to the road. There are other toilets within the main building for use during the day.
Dogs are allowed on site. They must kept on leads and owners must clear up after them meticulously. We have special dispensation to have dogs on site and any breach may prevent our reuse of the venue in the future.
Note that the entire site is designated as a no smoking zone and a no vaping zone, anyone wishing to smoke or vape must leave the entire site ; ie. go out through the main gates ; there is a farm field turn in just about opposite the entrance to avoid standing around on the road.
The Stagger Inn bar will be in one of the white marquees in the green area. Training and testing areas are outlined in blue. If the weather is extremely inclement then we will have use of the near by Equestrian centre all weather arena for the Sunday. See the timetable for specific locations of different activities.
Timetable
Currently work in progress - please keep checking.
Overall
Training - Saturday, Sunday & Monday (probably morning only)
9:00am - 10:00am Meetings 10:00am - 11:15am Morning session 1 11:15am - 11:30am Short Break 11:30am - 1:00pm Morning session 2 1:00pm - 2:00pm Lunch Break 2:00pm - 3:15pm Afternoon session 1 3:15am - 3:30am Short Break 3:30pm - 4:30pm Afternoon session 2
Specific Days
FRIDAY
8:00pm DARF quiz Main Hall
SATURDAY
9:00am - 10:00am Officer Meetings :-
• Combat meetings on training fields
• 9:30 am RAT and group acting officers meeting
• First Aiders training -
• Short Hersirs meeting after RTT meeting
9:45am - 10:00am Missiles
• All missile trainers to meet on the range: Missiles trainers meeting.
10:00am - 11:15am Morning session 1 :-
• Combat Training on training field
• Missiles warmup and training on range: All weapons
• 10:00 am LHE Team meeting - Northumbria Camp
• 10:30 am LHE test surgeries - Northumbria Camp
• 11:00 am Register for all LHE tests for Saturday and Sunday - Northumbria Camp
• 10:00 am Crafts demo - Pewter Punch and Stamp Work
• 10:00 am Acting Workshop : Voice and Projection
• 10:45 am Acting Bitesize : Beginners Improv
• 11:00 am Acting Bitesize : Emotion in Motion
• First Aiders training
• Youth Combat training 13->16 Years
11:15am - 11:30am Short Break
11:30am - 1:00pm Morning session 2 :-
• Combat Training on training field
• Missiles training: all weapons
• LHE Skills Tests - assemble at Northumbria Camp
• Kiddie Vike. Training for organisers
• Crafts demo -
• Acting : Youth Workshop (8 to 16 years) NOTE CHANGE OF TIME
• First Aiders training
1:00pm - 2:00pm Lunch break
1:15pm Acting Meeting for Group Acting Officers, Group Leaders and RATS
2:00pm - 3:15pm Afternoon session 1 :-
• Combat Training/Testing on main field
• Missiles training or tests, where candidates are ready.
• Junior Missiles training. Some equipment available
• LHE Skills Tests - assemble at Northumbria Camp
• Crafts demo -
• Acting 2:10 Bitesize - Drama Games
• Acting 2:30 Workshop - Active Improv
• First Aiders training - cafe
• Battle Captain session - ALL Warriors - main field
• 14:00-15:00 kit clinics, Kitten and AO training and general authenticity advice, location TBC (may change to 13:30 to 14:30, hats and tests depending)
3:15am - 3:30am Short Break
3:30pm - 4:30pm Afternoon session 2 :-
• Missiles training / testing, continued
• LHE History Tests - bring a pen and clipboard - Northumbria Camp
• Crafts demo Sailing, Rigging and Knots for the aspiring sailor
• Acting 3:35 Workshop - Physical Contact Training
• Acting 4:10 Bitesize - Active Voice
• First Aiders training
4:00pm - 6:00pm Combat - Alley Brawl - training field
5.00pm Leechcraft/Herb Walk
• Golden Javelin competition Missiles area
6:30pm - 7:30pm ALTHING - Main Hall
(lost property will be displayed during the Althing - if you have any please bring it to the hall)
SUNDAY
09:00am - 10:00am Meetings
• First Aiders training
09:30am - 11:30am Kit checks (location TBC)
09:30 - Missiles, independent warm-up on missiles range
09:45am - Mini Hersir Meeting to recap and finalise assignments.
10:00 - 12:30pm Safeguarding meeting/training - Midgard awning
10:00am - 11:15am Morning session 1 :-
• ALL WARRIORS - Battle and free fights.
• Missiles to join with all warriors for battle and free fight OR continued training on range.
• Missiles display training: all weapons
• LHE Surgeries (if required - please book on Saturday) - Northumbria Camp
• LHE Skills Tests (if required - please book on Saturday) - assemble at Northumbria Camp
• 10:30 - Crafts demo - Tablet Braiding 101
• Acting 10:10 Workshop - Voice & Projection
• Acting 10:45 Bitesize - Beginners Improv
• Acting 11:00 Bitesize - Emotion in Motion
• First Aiders training
• Youth Combat Training 13->16 Years
11:15am - 11:30am Short Break
11:30am - 1:00pm Morning session 2 :-
• Combat Testing. Larger scale fighting and fun.
• Missiles assessments / continued participation in larger scale fighting.
• LHE Skills Tests (if required - please book on Saturday) - assemble at Northumbria Camp
• Crafts demo - Speciality Techniques - Tablet braid edges
• Acting 11:35 Bitesize - Drama Games
• Acting 12:00 Workshop - Active Improv
• Acting 12:40 Bitesize - Active Voice
• First Aiders training
12:30pm - 2:30pm Bring and Buy main hall/marquee, Auction in aid of DARF, (any unclaimed lost property will be sold in aid of DARF)
1:00pm - 2:00pm Lunch break
2:00pm - 3:15pm Afternoon session 1 :-
• Combat testing (if req.) .... or else more training/Combat games.
• Missiles: Continued missiles assessments or range training
• LHE History Tests (if required - please book on Saturday) - bring a pen and clipboard - Northumbria Camp
• Crafts demos - Kit making and Construction Workshop
• Acting 2:10 Workshop - Physical Contact Training
• Acting 2:45 Q&A session for any questions you have about acting in the Vike.
• First Aiders training
3:15am - 3:30am Short Break
3:30pm - 4:30pm Afternoon session 2 :-
• Combat Competitions
• Missiles training or play
• LHE Team Debrief Meeting - Northumbria Camp
• Basic Acting Tests
• First Aiders training
4:30pm Site must be vacated by 5:00pm