August 10, 2026 - 263 views
The future of a well-known North Wales outdoor education centre is being called into question, with Clwyd MS Darren Millar urging authorities and outdoor education organisations to work together to safeguard the site for future generations.
Mr Millar has written to Liverpool City Council, Denbighshire County Council and a number of organisations involved in outdoor education to explore all possible options for securing the long-term future of Colomendy Outdoor Education Centre.
The centre, near Loggerheads in Denbighshire, has a long history of providing outdoor education and adventure activities for children and young people.
Colomendy has been used by generations of young people from Liverpool since the 1940s. The site has provided residential outdoor education experiences, giving children the opportunity to take part in activities away from the classroom while developing skills such as teamwork, independence, confidence and resilience.
Set within the countryside of North Wales, the centre has traditionally provided opportunities for young people to experience the outdoors through activities and challenges designed to encourage personal development.
Its location also makes it an important part of the wider outdoor education tradition in North Wales, where centres have provided residential experiences for schools and youth groups from across the region and beyond.
Mr Millar says he is concerned about the uncertainty surrounding Colomendy and wants every possible option to be considered before decisions are made about its future.
In a letter to Denbighshire County Council chief executive Helen White, he highlighted the site's importance to thousands of children and young people from Liverpool over several decades.
He said he was “keen to ensure it remains as an outdoor education and activity centre”.
Ms White assured Mr Millar that Liverpool City Council, which owns the site, “have been keen to engage with us to help secure the best possible future for the site”.
Mr Millar has also contacted the Institute of Outdoor Learning and The Outward Bound Trust as he looks at whether there could be alternative ways of securing Colomendy's future.
He said:
“Colomendy is far more than just an outdoor activity centre, it is a place where young people develop confidence, independence and resilience while creating lifelong memories.
“Generations of families have benefitted from spending time at Colomendy and it is vital that we safeguard it so that future generations are given the same opportunity.
“I have written to Liverpool City Council, which owns the site, and Denbighshire County Council, and also contacted the Institute of Outdoor Learning and The Outward Bound Trust because I strongly believe that every possible avenue should be explored before any decision is made that could jeopardise the future of Colomendy.”
He said outdoor education was particularly important at a time when young people could be spending less time outdoors.
“Outdoor education plays a crucial role in the lives of our young people, and, given that many are now spending less time outdoors and facing increasing pressures on their mental health, it is more important than ever that we safeguard sites such as Colomendy.
“We owe it to future generations.”
The centre's future is therefore likely to be of interest not only to Liverpool, whose young people have traditionally made extensive use of the site, but also to Denbighshire and the wider North Wales outdoor education sector.
Mr Millar is now calling for continued dialogue between the councils and outdoor education organisations to establish whether a sustainable future can be found for the site.
