Girlguiding Ulster is one of the nine regions of

Girlguiding UK Girlguiding is the operating name of The Guide Association, previously named The Girl Guides Association and is the national guiding organisation of the United Kingdom. It is the UK's largest girl-only youth organisation. Girlguiding is a char ...

. Its headquarters are at Lorne House,

County Down County Down () is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the traditional thirty-two counties of Ireland. It covers an area of and has a population of 531,665. It borders County Antrim to the ...

. In 2006, there were approximately 500 units across Northern Ireland. In 1974, the Guides' headquarters in

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdo ...

were burned down.

Lorne House and Outdoor Activity Centre Girlguiding Ulster

Lorne is a estate in County Down with a variety of facilities for Guiding activities, including residential accommodation and campsites. Lorne House was built in the

Scottish Baronial style Scottish baronial or Scots baronial is an architectural style of 19th century Gothic Revival which revived the forms and ornaments of historical architecture of Scotland in the Late Middle Ages and the Early Modern Period. Reminiscent of Scot ...

in 1875 by Henry Campbell, who named it after

Lorne, Scotland Lorne (or Lorn; gd, Latharna) is an ancient province (medieval Latin: ''provincia'') in the west of Scotland, which is now a district in the Argyll and Bute council area. The district gives its name to the ''Lynn of Lorn National Scenic Area ...

, hereditary home of

Clan Campbell Clan Campbell ( gd, Na Caimbeulaich ) is a Highland Scottish clan, historically one of the largest and most powerful of the Highland clans. The Clan Campbell lands are in Argyll and within their lands lies Ben Cruachan. The chief of the clan be ...

. It was purchased by the Guides in 1946, and was officially opened in 1947

Lorne Estate

Built in 1875, Lorne still retains much of its original character. It was the home of Henry Campbell, a prominent Belfast linen merchant, who named the estate after the hereditary home of the Campbell clan in Scotland. Purchased by Girlguiding Ulster in 1946 it is now an upgraded, modernised residential venue with access throughout for those with special needs.

Lorne House

The ground floor comprises a large entrance hall, solarium with seating area, dining room and 4 meeting rooms. The upper floors in Lorne can accommodate 29 residential guests in a range of bedroom sizes. There are 2 bathrooms, each with 2 showers, sinks and toilet facilities. In addition there is a single en suite shower room servicing 2 bedrooms.

Marion Greeves Centre

The Marion Greeves Centre is a purpose built centre, with accommodation for up to 38 people. It is also known as the Brownie House

Coach House

This former 2 storey stable block has been thoughtfully converted to provide self contained accommodation for 12 people. Offering 6 single and 3 twin ensuite bedrooms, 1 of which has disability access, it is ideal for smaller groups, family celebrations, or an overflow for the main house.

Ranger Cottage

This quaint cottage nestles into the riverbank overlooking woodland. Recently constructed, it can now offer all the benefits of modern living without losing any of its charm. The first class facilities offer a fully fitted kitchen, a large central living/dining area, shower room and sleeping accommodation for 10 children. Group leaders are accommodated in a twin room with en-suite bathroom.

Conference Centre

The conference centre is a modern space with space to accommodate up to 120 delegates for training events, launches and presentations. There is a small kitchen equipped with a gas hob and oven, fridge, boiler and hot cupboard making this venue a flexible option for a variety of events.

Camping

Lorne Estate offers excellent camping facilities for groups of up to 600 participants. With its river and wooded areas the sites are some of the best in Northern Ireland. The main camping ground, just a short walk from Lorne House, is a flat area enclosed by trees giving privacy and security. Lorne Lodge provides campers with shelter, an activity room, toilets, hot showers and a BBQ area. The Glen Road site offers a smaller camping area with all the same first class facilities as the main camping ground. Glen Lodge provides the indoor accommodation with the added benefit of a gally kitchen.

References

External links

Girlguiding Ulster

Lorne Estate
{{GirlguidingUK Girlguiding Organisations based in Northern Ireland