Big Green Adventures

Big Green Adventures is the sole activity provider on the stunning, National Trust managed, Crantock Beach in Cornwall, providing expert tuition in Surfing, Bodyboarding Stand-Up-Paddleboarding (SUP), Kayaking & more, to all abilities. We offer fully customisable activity weeks, day trips and coaching on a private Cornish beach and would love to work with you to create the perfect trip or holiday for your students.

Additionally we provide dedicated, bespoke training and advice on key concepts that promote safety and understanding in the beach environment, as well as promoting environmental and sustainability awareness and how to protect the marine environment. We can introduce students to scientific principles that govern waves, current, sediment, tide and weather, linking in to National Curriculum objectives or lesson content provided by your school.

We’re proud to work with schools from all over the world, each with different requirements and preferences. From small groups of 10 students for an afternoon away from school, right up to groups of over 200 students on a dedicated adventure week. We’ll customise a package to your requirements, complementing key concepts being taught in the classroom if required, or just ensuring that staff and students alike have an unforgettable trip!

We have a fantastic reputation for offering personal coaching in small groups to all of our customers and we extend that same principle to our school groups. We prefer to teach students in smaller, personal groups so that their coach can really get to know which techniques work for each student. This also enhances their safety, increases their enjoyment and ultimately fast-tracks their improvement in their chosen activity.

Our surf lessons are suitable for all abilities, from complete beginner up to competition level. Crantock has amazing waves without the crowds of nearby Newquay. This means your students can enjoy surfing safely, with the space to relax and really make the most of the expert tuition they’ll receive from our coaches.

Our stand-up-paddleboarding (SUP) sessions range from enclosed water beginner sessions and technique coaching to coastal exploration or fun and games on our 10-person “Monster SUP”. We have an exclusive launch area onto the Gannel estuary, which is one of the premier SUP locations in Cornwall, offering a safe space for anyone to learn how to paddle.

Alternatively bodyboarding is a great option for younger students or those who are less confident in the water. Bodyboarding can be a first step towards stand-up surfing or an amazing sport in it’s own rite. Additionally it’s a very accessible option for those with different needs, ensuring that every student can enjoy that amazing feeling of catching waves.

Big Green Adventures is a National Trust authorised activity provider, holds Surfing England Surf School accreditation and a licence from AALA for provision of adventure activities.

All our school packages are fully customisable and we tailor each visit specifically to your school’s needs. Here’s an example of what a 1-day activity package for a group of 30 students could look like:

09:00 – Arrive at Crantock Beach for welcome and briefing

09:30 – Issuing wetsuits & begin getting changed

10:00 – Head to the water’s edge in 5 groups of 6 students, each with their own instructor, safety briefing and basic prone (lying down) surfing tuition.

10:20 – Enter water to practice prone surfing techniques with personal feedback for every student.

10:45 – Return to beach to recap technique and teach students how to go from lying to standing on the board (pop-up).

11:00 – Hit the water again to try standing up on a surfboard for the first time under the supervision of instructors. Feedback on every wave and assistance for everyone.

11:30 – Return to the beach for a tweak up of techniques, covering common mistakes and introducing new challenges where needed.

11:40 – Back into the water for the last spell of surfing including tricks and games.

12:00 – Catch last wave, quick de-brief at the water’s edge then back to base to store equipment and change out of wetsuits.

12:30 – Lunch which can either be brought by the school/students or which we can arrange to be provided for you.

13:15 – Land-based tuition covering beach safety, reading waves, environment & sustainability in the beach environment. We do this in a dynamic, interactive way whilst walking around the beach and dunes to show students real examples of what we’re talking about. Can also tie into a beach-clean if the school would like.

13:45 – Start to change into wetsuits again.

14:00 – Head to the water’s edge to begin SUP Lesson. First, we start with a safety brief and explanation of what will be happening, what’s expected of the students and what they’ll be doing.

14:20 – Launch the paddleboards and Monster SUP’s (10 person paddleboards) onto the estuary, receive expert instruction on paddle safety, techniques, as well as little tricks and tips. Tour up and down the beautiful Gannel estuary learning about the extensive biodiversity and history of the area. Play group games amongst the boards in the sheltered Penpole creek.

16:00 – Return to the beach for a final debrief. Students stow equipment and get changed out of wetsuits.

16:30 – Final de-brief, we give out awards and prizes for achievements throughout the day. Answer any final questions before students depart.

As mentioned above, all our school packages are bespoke. We also have kayaking bodyboarding and much more, we’ll work with you to ensure that all participants have a rich and fulfilling experience whichever activities you choose to do!

Fully customisable packages for any group size.

All specialist equipment is provided for both the students and staff. When explaining key concepts we may use props/examples where appropriate which help to convey the information to the students.

In some circumstances we are also able to visit the school prior to your visit, to meet the students and to bring examples of the equipment they’ll be using or lending equipment to schools so that students can become familiar with it. We’ve found that this is especially useful for students with different needs who may take longer to feel comfortable with new experiences.

Groups are welcome to take their own photos or videos, alternatively we can arrange for our in-house photographer to cover the sessions if you would prefer.

We hold insurances in excess of standard requirements and all of our risk assessments, EAPs and other policies are available in PDF format to all schools.

Dale Unnuk – Owner & Head Coach – 07790 447099

School groups with at least 10 participants get a 50% discount on all of our lessons & packages, bringing regular lesson prices down to just £22.50pp with further discounts for multi-lesson packages.

For a no-obligation quote, please let us know the number of students visiting and what you’d like to do (number of lessons, activity choice etc.).

In any case we allow any staff to come for free whilst joining the students. If any staff are not participating in the lesson (for example bus drivers etc) we’re happy to loan them equipment free of charge, subject to availability, if they would like to surf or paddle on their own.

Given the bespoke nature of all our school packages these are just guides, however we’re happy to build a package either to a certain budget for your school, or alternatively to include a set amount of content.

All specialist equipment (wetsuits, boards, safety equipment, accessories) will be provided and is included free of charge in all school bookings. All participants will need to bring their own swimwear, towels and beach footwear (if required).

All of our coaches hold full Beach Lifeguard qualifications, nationally and internationally recognised coaching qualifications and are DBS checked. Additionally, we conduct regular in-house training and enhanced training with the RNLI to ensure the safety of our clients. We have an extensive first-aid box at the main surf school and there will be a activity specific first-aid bag with the groups whilst participating in any of our activities.

We are based directly on the beach so have limited facilities, however there are public toilets just 30 metres from the surf school, we can store all belongings securely whilst participating in our activities and the beach has ample areas for eating lunch and resting between activities.

During the summer months (April to October) there is a mobile catering truck on the beach selling hot & cold drinks, sandwiches snacks and ice-creams. We also work closely with them and are able to arrange packed lunches for all participants, please get in touch for more details.

Please ensure all students bring waterproof jackets if we are forecast inclement weather.

The Big Green Adventures team has extensive experience working with students with a range of differing needs, including behavioural disorders, learning difficulties and physical disabilities. Our coaches are passionate about ensuring all students have the same opportunity to enjoy the ocean. The nature of the beach environment does mean some adaptations can be a challenge however we are committed to find a solution to any challenges. If you have any specific queries then please get in touch and we’ll be happy to discuss how we can make sure our activities are fully inclusive for all students.

We operate year round during daylight hours, all of our activities are tide dependant so the exact timing and availability of each activity will depend on the tide times on the given day, please get in touch for more info.

Between April and October we have our setup directly on the beach at Crantock where we hold our exclusive licence, outside of these dates we operate a mobile service and can arrange sessions either at Crantock or at a number of other locations in the area.

Big Green Surf School (Crantock) – All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (tripadvisor.co.uk)
School Specific Reviews:
“The staff at BGSS are amazing, helpful and easy going at the same time. They are set in one of the most amazing beaches in Cornwall, I already miss it!”

“I went for a weeks tuition with a group of pupils with challenging needs. The rapport that the instructors built up with the pupils was fantastic and the fact that the vast majority pdf the group were able to stand up on their board by the second lesson speaks wonders for their knowledge and ability to impart it.”

“We visited BGSS with a group of pupils… what made it outstanding was the attitude and knowledge of the coaches. Their enthusiasm was contagious and the speed that everyone’s surfing improved was truly outstanding.”

“All staff so friendly and welcoming. Highly recommended for all”

At Big Green Adventures our focus has always and will always be on ensuring all of our students stay safe and enjoy whichever activity they are participating in. Whilst we want everyone to improve and get the most out of our coaching, the enjoyment is by far the most important thing and we will ensure that all students, regardless of ability have a great time and want to come back for more. We focus on inclusion, participation and enjoyment far more than ability and targets for everyone who joins us.

In that vein we work closely with other local businesses that share our ethos and as such are able to extend our packages and arrange a number of other activities through other providers with the same great service. If you’re interested in an activity which we don’t offer ourselves, please get in touch as we may be able to bring one of our partners on board to give you the package which you desire.