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family · Sunday 5 July 2026 · Camp drop-off from 3pm Sunday / Monday 
Ballyhass Lakes Residential Adventure Summer Camp 2026
At Ballyhass Lakes Adventure Centre · Coachford, Mallow, Co. Cork (Eircode P51 N990)
At Ballyhass Lakes Adventure Centre · Coachford, Mallow, Co. Cork (Eircode P51 N990)
Five nights away from screens, sleeping in a bunkhouse pod with new friends, and filling every waking hour with kayaking, archery, zip-lining and axe throwing - that is the shape of a week at Ballyhass Lakes Residential Adventure Summer Camp. It runs six consecutive weeks through July and August 2026, taking young people aged 10 to 17 to one of Munster’s largest outdoor adventure centres near Mallow, Co. Cork. If your teenager has exhausted the usual holiday options or you are looking for something that genuinely builds confidence and independence, this is worth serious attention.
Ballyhass operates two Cork sites, with the residential camp based at Coachford on the River Lee. The newly built Bunkhouse Village sleeps up to 50 guests across 22 pods, four campers per pod - compact enough to feel social, spacious enough not to feel cramped. Staff lead a full programme of over 20 activities across the week. Water sports take centre stage: kayaking on the lakes, stand-up paddleboarding, and the aquapark - a floating obstacle course on the river. On land there is archery, axe throwing, a high nets course ten metres above the ground, rock climbing, zip-lining, and team challenge events. The whole setup is explicitly screen-free for the duration, which tends to go down better with parents than with campers on the Monday and spectacularly well with campers by the Friday.
The 2026 programme expanded to six weeks because demand outran the five-week 2025 run. Sessions are: 5-10 July, 12-17 July, 19-24 July, 2-7 August, 9-14 August, and 16-21 August. Drop-off is Sunday evening from 3pm; pick-up is Friday evening. Book with a €100 deposit; spaces sell out, so early booking is advised.
Ballyhass Lakes is at Coachford, roughly 30 minutes from Cork City on the R618 west of the city. From Mallow (about 25 minutes north-east via the N72 and local roads) it is straightforward by car. There is free on-site parking for drop-off and collection. Public transport does not run directly to Coachford, so driving is the practical option; families coming from further afield can pick up the M8 from Dublin to Cork and continue west from the city.
Mallow sits on the River Blackwater and has a good range of cafes, shops and a racecourse that has been running since the 1700s - worth a look if you find yourself with time to fill on drop-off day. There is more to see in Mallow and across Co. Cork.
Heading to Ballyhass Lakes Adventure Centre in Mallow? Cork has plenty more to see. Read the Mallow area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.