Three steps to a great camp:

IMPORTANT: When you email or use our online form, we reply as soon as we can - normally within twelve hours. However, we only tell you what dates are available. You must confirm that you want to reserve those dates for ten days. If you don't, then the reservation doesn't go into our system, and you might be disappointed.

There's a visitors' telephone coin box (inside House backdoor) - 01492 640429. Wardens visit the site regularly but are not always there. If you have problems, whilst there, then contact a warden (names and addresses are on the wall near the telephone and in the House, Annex and camping block guides. All wardens and Cornel management committee members carry photographic ID and wear the Cornel uniform.

POSTAL ADDRESS & TELEPHONE : Cornel Scout Centre, Crafnant Road, Trefriw, North Wales LL27 OJZ. (Not for booking, or sending cheques)

BOATING Llyn Crafnant is unavailable for water activities but Llyn Geirionydd (SH762603) is available for canoeing & sailing and has much better water access. There are also toilets & a picnic area.

Nights away permit (Scout users only) You must bring your relevant Nights Away Permit (Indoor, Scout camp site or Green field) with you for inspection by the Warden or Keyholder. Please note that Green field or Scout Camp site permit holders do not require an indoor permit. However, those holding only an indoor permit cannot camp without one of the other two permits.

Weather The summer period is usually one of hot, dry conditions but summer storms can strike and - in the mountains - can be quite severe. Although the camping block has a large room for drying, it's also useful if your group has a large fire shelter, as the room can becme overwhelmed in busy periods with wet weather.

CONSIDERATION Cornel lies in the heart of one of the most spectacularly beautiful national parks in the UK. We're not the only people there, however, and we share the valley with neighbouring farms and smallholdings. Those who visit and live in the area do so because of its beauty, its remoteness and its peace and tranquillity, something which is easily damaged by the thoughtless use of radios for entertainment. The motionless air in the valley - particularly in summer - allows sound to travel for considerable distances and it's therefore important to ensure that radios are not used, other than for essential purposes, which is really only weather reports. It doesn't do the youngsters any harm to have their umbilical connections to Radio cut for the length of the camp, either:-))

After 2230 hrs, campers are asked to remember that many farming folk will be in bed, ready for very early starts, and leaders are requested to ensure activities after that time are organised quietly. Camp fires, of course, are an essential aspect of Scout camping and are encouraged.

Mobile generators We've had some folk bring generators to camp. Running a generator creates an intrusive noise which - in the valley - can disturb other campers. During the day, this is not usually a problem, but when running overnight the noise is unacceptable. Please seek specific permission when intending to bring a generator. Normally, those for refrigerators will not be permitted, as the noise is constant. Gas 'fridges are available (not from us) and silent and there is both a Fridge and a Freezer available for the use of groups in the camping block end room.

PARKING Please park your vehicles in the car park end on to the walls in front of the Centre. This also applies to campers as vehicles are not permitted on the camping field (you can unload at the gate to the camping field - there is a turning circle). Our unburnable rubbish is collected once weekly, and the bin lorry uses the cutting at the South West area of the car park to turn which means that no cars should be left in that area. There is space for large minibuses parked parallel to the walls at the NE end of the car park.

Camp fires Cooking on open fires is encouraged but wood is - as everywhere - in short supply. Do not cut any live timber, either on the site or in surrounding woodlands. When making fireplaces, please cut turf and make the fires on the earth, so the fireplaces can be restored before you leave.

Pioneering

We maintain a supply of pioneering poles - 15' and 20' - which are available for use. Currently, Cornel only supplies poles but neither ropes nor blocks. If you're intending to use the poles, please mention it at the time of booking so we can ensure there's an equitable distribution. Poles should be replaced on their stands which can be found just past the garage, below the camping block and towards the fence near the septic tank area of the house rear garden.

SHOPS There's a small range of shops in Trefriw and a decent Somerfield in Llanrwst [4 miles] with larger units at Llandudno Junction [14 miles] (Tesco and Bookers). Betws y Coed [7 miles] offers a small range of shops, 5 top outdoor equipment shops and mountain bike hire. Members of the Scout Association receive generous discounts on production of ID from Blacks and other outdoor shops in Betwys.

MEDICAL & OTHER CONTACT POINTS are listed in the manuals and above the telephone at the Centre.

SITE OF SPECIAL SCIENTIFIC INTEREST (SSSI) Once you pass through the lower gate onto the camping field you are entering an SSSI. The main area of interest is the marsh which contains many rare plants & flowers. This area is now fenced off to allow cattle to graze in certain months of the year. Access is provided to the marsh by a gate and stiles. Please use these & don't climb the fence!

PACK HOLIDAYS The Centre is very suitable for these, particularly during summer months

REFUSE Please burn and bash everything that can be burnt or bashed either on your site if camping or at the stone incinerator on the Bothy site. Anything that can't be burnt should be packed into black plastic bags & placed in the large skip in the car park.

OLD MINES & QUARRIES: In the 19c there were a number of copper mines & slate quarries in the valley. Some have poorly protected shafts, so be warned!

The small print...

1. Booking is from 4pm on the day of arrival until 3pm
on the day of departure.

2. In the event of a confirmed booking being cancelled for any reason, other than ours, every effort will be made to re-let the booking when a refund will be made. You might care to consider insuring against cancellation.

3. Use of the facilities is restricted to members of the booked party.

4. Radios should only be used for weather forecasts and only at very low levels during the day as the noise can travel for miles - particularly in the evening - and our location in the National Park places a responsibility on us all to encourage respect for the environment.

5. Breakages and damage must be reported to the warden or key holder and paid for.

6. Sorry; no pets allowed at the Centre or on the camping field.

7. All gates must be kept shut as there are free grazing sheep in the area and as we have a newly planted plantation we do not want them getting in to eat the tops out of the young trees!

8. All facilities must be left clean and tidy at the end of a camp or stay in the house or Annex. Failure to ensure this could jeopardise future visits by the parties concerned.

 

 

 

Warden information