The Duke of Edinburgh's Award
Gold Residential
Five Days of Adventure Activities in Scotland for your DofE Gold Residential
The DofE Gold Residential week in Scotland involves spending 5 days and 4 nights away from home on a shared activity with people you’ve never met before. Active can provide this residential experience at it’s Cairngorms Adventure Centre in Newtonmore. We are an Approved Residential Provider for DofE residentials.
If you have any questions, or would like to talk to someone about our Gold DofE Residentials, please get in touch. Send us an email to [email protected] or call us on 01540 210 000.
What is the Cost?
Our Multi Activity DofE Gold Residentials in Scotland are £399.00.
Our Snowsports Gold DofE Residentials in Scotland are £539.00 (including lift passes).
We are an Approved Residential provider for Summer and Winter Gold DofE Residentials, and we operate these all year round from our Cairngorms Adventure Centre in Scotland.
2026 and 2027 Gold DofE Residential Dates
See below for a list of the dates we have available for DofE Gold Residentials in Scotland.
Multi Activity Residentials 2026:
- Multi Activity Residential – 12th – 16th October 2026.
- Multi Activity Residential – 19th – 23rd October 2026.
- Multi Activity Residential – 26th – 30th October 2026.
Snowsports Residentials 2027:
- Snowsports Residential – Sunday 7th to Thursday 11th February.
- Snowsports Residential – Friday 12th to Tuesday 16th February.
- Snowsports Residential – Wednesday 17th to Sunday 21st February.
Multi Activity Residentials 2027:
- Multi Activity Residential – 29th March – 2nd April 2027.
- Multi Activity Residential – 5th – 9th April 2027.
- Multi Activity Residential – 19th – 23rd July 2027.
- Multi Activity Residential – 26th – 30th July 2027.
- Multi Activity Residential – 2nd – 6th August 2027.
- Multi Activity Residential – 9th – 13th August 2027.
- Multi Activity Residential – 16th – 20th August 2027.
- Multi Activity Residential – 23rd – 27th August 2027.
- Multi Activity Residential – 30th August – 3rd September 2027.
- Multi Activity Residential – 11th – 15th October 2027.
- Multi Activity Residential – 18th – 22nd October 2027.
- Multi Activity Residential – 25th – 29th October 2027.
DofE Gold Expeditions
Are you just looking for information about the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Gold Expedition? Click below:
An Overview of the DofE Gold Residential Week
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Residential is a big, exciting and very fulfilling experience. It may be that you want to build on a talent you’ve developed in another section of your award, or to try something completely new such as learning to ski and snowboard. Or, why not join us for a multi activity week which includes a selection of fantastic outdoor adventure activities, such as white water rafting, rock climbing and canyoning.
We ask people to arrive at the Cairngorms Adventure Centre, Newtonmore by 12:00 on the day that the Gold Residential starts. We provide self-catered shared dorm accommodation. The lodge has free wi-fi, large lounges to relax in, a large kitchen to cook in and a client drying room to dry off your wet kit – as you will get wet! There is a supermarket a short walk away for you to buy your provisions.
What is Included in the DofE Gold Residential Week?
The Multi Activity DofE Gold Residential (April – October) includes 5 days of fun outdoor activities! A mixture of land, water and rock based sports. All technical and safety equipment needed for the activities is provided by us. Examples of the activities that you can expect to take part in are White Water Rafting, Canyoning, Gorge Scrambling, Canoeing, Kayaking, Stand-Up Paddleboarding, Rock Climbing and Abseiling.
The Snowsports DofE Gold Residential (February) includes 5 days of activity: team building activities on the afternoon you arrive, and snowsports for the remainder of the residential. The main focus is skiing, but there will be an opportunity to join a beginner snowboard lesson during the week too. We return to centre at around 2.30pm on the departure day to give you time to get packed and organised before you head home – full of stories! February is generally the best time for snowsports in Scotland but even if conditions are not favourable for snowsports, we are delighted to offer an ‘activity guarantee’ e.g. rafting, paddling, winter walks, bothy adventures or rock climbing, etc – we are flexible and here to support you to make your Gold Residential a challenging, fun Scottish Winter adventure!
If you have not already, then take a look at the residential page on the official DofE website.
Whether you join our Multi Activity DofE Gold Residential or our Snowsports DofE Gold Residential, you will meet likeminded people from across the UK and form friendships to last a life time! This includes 4 nights of self-catering accommodation at Cairngorms Adventure Centre in Newtonmore, so some of your time will be spent buying food, cooking for yourself (or ideally in groups) and keeping your areas tidy and organised. You will have access to a shared kitchen with oven, hobs, microwave, fridge, freezer, utensils, crockery and cutlery. Bedding is provided, but towels and toiletries are not.
As an approved DofE gold residential provider, upon completion we will submit an online residential assessor’s report.
Related Articles
DofE Expedition Planning: Key Dates and Booking Tips
Learning Beyond the Classroom: School Trips to Craigower Lodge Outdoor Centre
