Welcome to the Actual Reality Centres website

Castle Toward

Castle Toward and its grounds have a unique atmosphere, so you may not be surprised to learn that the popular CBBC programme ‘The Raven’ has been filmed here for the last few years.

Sixty years and 300,000 people later, the castle (or ‘castellated mansion’ to be precise) which dates from 1820 has become something of a national treasure.

Ardentinny

The Ardentinny outdoor education centre is situated in the picturesque village of Ardentinny on the West shore of Loch Long.

24 miles from Castle Toward and 14 miles from Dunoon and the Cowal Peninsula.

The centre itself sits amongst the forests and hills of the Trossachs National Park.

We run two outdoor education centres on the West Coast of Scotland, which offer a wide range of activities for all ages and abilities but mainly eight to 16 year olds. Castle Toward and Ardentinny nestle on the stunning Cowal peninsula – the perfect location for exploration, learning and adventure.

Our nationally renowned centres have been providing thousands of people lifelong memories and learning experiences for more than 60 years. We are proud of our history, but we want our customers to have a 21st century outdoor learning experience on the hills, mountains and rivers of this wild Scottish countryside.

We think some things need to be experienced to be appreciated, such as abseiling down a cliff, kayaking in open water or climbing the high ropes. Every pupil should have an outdoor residential experience at least once in their school career - we guarantee it will broaden their horizons and stretch their imaginations.