The Ardwhallan Outdoor Education Centre is expected to reopen in the next few months, having been closed since April last year.

Education Minister Julie Edge confirmed the plans are to reopen the government-run facility, which is situated in scenic surroundings near West Baldwin reservoir in Braddan.

Head of the centre Paul Melling last year resigned for personal reasons, citing ‘difficult changes it [the centre] has been going through in the past two years, to do with how the Department [of Education, Sport and Culture] is connected to the charity and the legal risks this brings’.

The government at the time maintained that the closure was temporary, pending a review of how services were provided there.

Duke of Edinburgh programmes had continued to operate out of the centre in the meantime.

Ms Edge told Manx Radio that she was ‘hoping it will be open in the next few months’, adding that ‘we’re just getting it set up, and [then] there’ll be an offering in place – it won’t be as full as it was previously but we will have Ardwhallan back’.

In addition to offering outdoor activities courses and instruction, Ardwhallan, which has operated since 1979, also offered a 30-bed hostel for overnight stays.

The only other outdoor centre which offers similar facilities is the privately-run Venture Centre in Maughold.