Terms & Conditions for On-Site Activities

1. Site Safety and Access Restrictions

1.1 Due to the risk of falling rocks and unguarded cliff edges, all visitors must remain within the designated areas as marked.

1.2 Visitors must maintain a minimum distance of 20 meters from any cliff face above road level.

1.3 Climbing, scrambling, or accessing the cliff tops, bunds, stockpiles, rocks, and cliff faces is strictly prohibited.

1.4 Unauthorised access to the Site of Special Scientific Interest located in the southwest area of the quarry is forbidden.

1.5 Young persons under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult at all times while on-site.

1.6 Dogs must be kept on a lead and under control whilst on site. Dogs are not permitted in the water and all fouling must be picked up and disposed of by the owner.

2. Open Water Swimming

2.1 Open water swimming is permitted only within the marked course and direction for a maximum duration of 2 hours per session.

2.2 Swimmers who are not wearing a full wetsuit must use a tow float. This includes those wearing “shorties” (short-sleeved wetsuits).

2.3 Swimmers must yield to divers at all times and be aware that divers may ascend from below.

2.4 Entry and exit from the water are restricted to the designated pontoon and steps.

2.5 Swimming is only permitted for individuals aged 16 years and older.

3. Diving

3.1 Diving is permitted only for individuals who are:

• Suitably trained, qualified, and competent divers adhering to the standards of their qualification.
• Under the instruction of an appropriately qualified instructor.
• Diving in accordance with the Diving at Work Regulations 1997 (where applicable).

3.2 Access to and exit from the water for diving is restricted to the pontoon, diving platform & beach area on the south west side of the quarry, unless directed otherwise in the event of an emergency.

3.3 Divers must maintain a minimum distance of 3 meters from the water’s edge and cliff face below the water level.

3.4 Dislodging any rocks while in the water is prohibited.

3.5 Solo diving is not permitted.

3.6 Freediving is not permitted.

4. Paddleboarding

4.1 Paddleboarding is restricted to individuals aged 10 and over.

4.2 Participants on the Intro to SUP workshop under the age of 18 must be accompanied on site by a parent or legal guardian.

4.3 Those attending ‘Bring Your Own Board’ or ‘Board Hire and Access’ sessions under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a participating parent or legal guardian.

4.4 The Intro to SUP workshop involves being in the water, so all participants must have a basic level of swimming confidence. 

4.5 Buoyancy aids must be fitted correctly and worn at all times while paddleboarding.

4.6 Inflating (manual or automatic) lifejackets are not permitted for use while paddleboarding.

4.7 An ankle or waist mounted leash must be fitted correctly and worn at all times while paddleboarding.

4.8 Paddleboarders must maintain a minimum distance of 3 meters from the water’s edge.

4.9 All paddleboards and buoyancy aids must conform to British standards. South West Maritime Academy staff reserve the right to refuse the use of any equipment deemed unsafe.

5. Assumption of Risk and Liability

5.1 Participants acknowledge that open water swimming, diving, and paddleboarding are activities with inherent risks of personal injury or death.

5.2 Participation in these activities is entirely at the individual’s own risk.

5.3 South West Maritime Academy, its staff, and site owners accept no responsibility for injury, loss, or damage to personal property.

6. Emergency Assistance

6.1 While South West Maritime Academy staff are not part of the emergency services, they will provide assistance to the best of their ability in the event of an emergency.

7. Account Registration & Management

7.1 To purchase tickets for activities on thelakeuk.com, new visitors will need to register for an account. A registered user’s account provides access to the My Account section of the website, where customers can:

• View past orders.
• Save personal information for quicker future purchases.
• Download tickets.
• Request a refund.

7.2 To ensure efficient service and manage server resources, accounts on thelakeuk.com are subject to an inactivity policy. An account will be considered inactive if there have been no logins or orders placed for a continuous period of six months. Upon reaching this six-month inactivity threshold, the account will be deleted. Please note that any past orders associated with a deleted account will be automatically converted to ‘guest’ orders and will remain accessible to administrators only, though not linked to a registered account.

8. Cancellations and Refunds

8.1 All refund requests must be submitted through the ‘My Account’ section on our website.

8.2 Cancellations made up to 48 hours prior to the booked session are eligible for a refund. South West Maritime Academy will deduct £2.00 from the refund to cover the original transaction fee. Cancellations made after this point are subject to a full charge with no refund issued.

8.3 To cancel a booking, participants must log in to their account, select the order, and click “Refund.” It may take up to 72 hours four our team to review the refund and a further five working days for the payment provider to process the refund.

8.4 We cannot accommodate changes to swim session times, booking dates, or participant names within 48 hours of the session. If you need to make such amendments, you’ll need to request a refund for the original booking (ensuring you have more than 48 hours’ notice) and then rebook your desired session.

9. Group Bookings and Booking on Behalf of Others

By making a booking for a group or on behalf of other participants, you confirm that you have the authority to do so and that all participants in the booking have been made aware of, and agree to be bound by, these Terms and Conditions for On-Site Activities. You assume full responsibility for ensuring that all participants adhere to these Terms and Conditions.

10. Declaration

By making a booking, participants declare that they have read, understood, and agreed to these terms and conditions. Participants further confirm that they are medically fit and possess the necessary equipment, qualifications, and experience to safely participate in their chosen activity.