Thank you for donating to The Outward Bound Trust!. Your first payment has been authorised and your subscription has been setup!
If you need to change your subscription details, please call us on +44 (0) 1931 740 000.
Sorry, it looks like something went wrong whilst your payment was being processed. Please try again.
If you need help, please call us on +44 (0) 1931 740 000.
Our History
Celebrating 80 years of Outward Bound
Outward Bound was founded in 1941 to save young lives directly threatened in World War II. 80 years later we find ourselves in an entirely different type of war against a very different enemy. Once again we refuse to sit back, inspiring and empowering young people so they leave our courses with the determination they need to overcome the challenges ahead of them.
Scroll through our timeline and stories below to see how our history has helped shape our future.
80 years of history brings a great many wonderful stories
Outward Bound have been fortunate to have some amazing supporters, pioneering practitioners and practices. We hope you'll enjoy watching this short film from our archives and reading a few stories below.
If you're one of the 1.2 million people who have benefitted from an Outward Bound course we'd love to keep in touch.
Jog and dip
Jog and Dip has its roots in nautical technique. To help young seaman learn survival skills during WWII, watches of 12 would imitate submersion off the Aberdovey coast to build experience of harsh conditions when capsized. It was thought that if groups of 12 huddled together, they could float for up to 12 hours. The first senior warden at Aberdovey was Captain ‘Freddie’ Fuller, a veteran of the Battle of the Atlantic and two torpedo attacks, who commanded an open lifeboat in the Atlantic for 35 days without losing a single crew member. He developed the practice of ‘drown-proofing’ at Outward Bound, a technique he learnt in Puerto Rico whilst training the American Peace Corps.
ROYAL PATRON
HRH Duke of Edinburgh longest standing charitable commitment was with The Outward Bound Trust, spanning seven decades. The Duke of Edinburgh had been taught and mentored by Kurt Hahn at Gordonstoun School. He remained close to Hahn and his philosophies, and as a Naval Officer had an additional interest in the work of Outward Bound. The Duke of Edinburgh became involved at the charity’s inception as a supporter, before joining our board as Patron in 1953. His involvement included being an active Chairman for many years. He formally retired in 2019.
WHY WE HAVE ROPES COURSES
During World War II young men were dying at sea because they didn’t have the skills to escape from their sinking ship and into a lifeboat. Ropes courses were practice ground to develop this life saving skill. Ropes strung between trees simulated a flapping rope over a rough sea, smooth climbing walls replicated a steel hull or slippery dock. As well as practical knowledge, confidence and teamwork were required to complete these tasks – and ropes courses became standard at all Outward Bound schools – long after the basic survival lessons were required.
Kurt Hahn
In 1913 Kurt Hahn, a young Jewish German, travelled to Scotland’s Moray coast to recover from surgery. 20 years later, now a progressive educationalist, he was released from Nazi imprisonment and once again sought sanctuary on the Moray Firth. In 1934, he opened Gordonstoun school. As the Moray Firth was a potential target for invasion during World War II, Gordonstoun was evacuated to Wales. And it was there that in 1941 Hahn and Lawrence Holt launched what would become Outward Bound.
Prince Louis
From 1942 – 1968 an expedition on a sail ship was core to Outward Bound schools in Aberdovey and Scotland. The most famous being the Prince Louis.
But did you know there were two Prince Louis? The first was damaged after she had been sold and sadly ended up burnt out. The second was ceremoniously named by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh in Glasgow in 1955. Fondly known as the ‘Spewy Louis’ she was sailed by Moray students until 1968 when she was sold to the French Sailing Association.
Make a donation
The challenges facing young people have been made much worse by the pandemic. And the hardest to reach are hardest hit. If you've benefitted from an Outward Bound course in the past - will you pay it forward and help a young person today?
Join our Alumni Community
Outward Bound Alumni was launched in 2009, as a way for us to reconnect with our former participants. If you're one of the 1.2 million people who have benefitted from an Outward Bound course we'd love to keep in touch.