Dartmoor Day by Day
The Year 8s had a decent run down to our base at Adventure Okehampton and after lunch, they were split into two teams who named themselves the Darfs and the Dobbits. Both teams were set the challenge of building a raft. Designs varied but Mr Atherton will be delighted to hear about all the bucketful of learning powers on show. With one raft christened ‘Crocodilio’ and the other, very fittingly, ‘The Titanic’, I am not entirely sure who (if anyone at all!!!) won in their race to rescue a stranded duck.
After the raft building, the children had the chance to cool themselves from the glorious Devon sunshine by flinging themselves into the lake and there were plenty of styles, from raging belly flop, silly salmons, old fashioned bombing and team jumps. There were loud shrieks and big grins emerging from the water.
After tea, the children took part in a number of team challenges that involved crates, guttering, blindfolds, more plastic ducks, plutonium and car tyres.
Tuesday
After a hearty full English breakfast, the children kitted up and headed to the picturesque village of Postbridge to start their data collection from the East Dart river. Again, the weather gods smiled upon us as we basked in the golden sunshine. After measuring the cross section and velocity at different sites, we enjoyed a bit of fun in the river before heading back to base to follow up our findings.
After tea, there was more adventures to be had in the form of a low ropes course. Again, teamwork, risk taking, GRIT and a whole load of learning powers were on show as the children tackled the low ropes course with a heap of challenges thrown into the mix. I know there will certainly be some tired bodies tonight.
Photos from the trip will be added when I return to school on Friday… There are some crackers!
Wednesday
Today, we all headed off on our mountain bikes along the picturesque Granite trail to Meldon Quarry. On arrival, the views from the bridge were stunning. After a superman style change, we started our clambering up the gorge where, once again, the children were brilliant at looking after each other. Fears were conquered, demons were squashed and everyone emerged thoroughly wet but glowing with a sense of achievement. After a hearty lunch, it was time to do some rock climbing and abseiling. Again, the children pushed their own boundaries and were brilliant. We finished by cycling back to the centre where the instructors were full of praise for the FSM children and the manner in which they supported each other and conducted themselves throughout. In the evening, the boys ran one game in the dark and the girls another. There was not a cross word said throughout and it was lovely to settle down around Mr James’s roaring fire at the end of the evening to share tales, jokes, riddles, songs and even a rendition of La Macarena. Hot chocolate and marshmallows rounded off another cracking day.
Thursday
After a pancake breakfast, the year 8s hit the high ropes course. Again, the children pushed themselves and did plenty of ‘hanging around’. You may have heard some of their screams back at FSM! See you back at school this evening!
See the photographs from the trip below:
