From October 1-5, seventh and eighth grade students were away on fall trips. The eighth grade went to The Outward Bound Trust in Aberdovey, Wales. The seventh grade orange team went to Rhyd-y-Creuau Field Studies Center in Betws-y-Coed, Wales. The seventh grade black team went to Malham Tarn Field Studies Center in the Yorkshire Dales, England.
Eighth grade trip to Outward Bound
Monday. The eighth grade arrived at Outward Bound before jogging and dipping into the Dyfi estuary with their advisory. In the evening, half the grade got together to pack for their camping trips.
Tuesday. Half the grade took off on their overnight expedition where they hiked and climb. In the evening the other half packed for their expedition the next day.
Wednesday. The other half of the grade took off on their over night expedition while the returning half came back to the site to talk about their experience camping and being in nature. In the evening, students got to spend time in their rooms to relax from a long day.
Thursday. The whole grade was back on the site and the advisories go together to do their final activity at Outward Bound. Some advisories did water activities while others did climbing and belaying. At night, the advisories roasted s’mores over fires to reflect on the week.
Friday. Students hopped on the bus for a five hour ride back to school.
Seventh grade orange trip to Rhyd-y-Creuau
Monday. The orange team arrived at Rhyd-y-Creuau after a five hour bus ride then started an to complete team challenges. That night the students had an orientation activity.
Tuesday. In the morning students had the chance to choose the activity they wanted which were juggling and card workshop, compass skills, improve,drawing nature and shelter building. In the afternoon, half of the students went zip lining whilst the others went gorge scrambling.
Wednesday. All students went on a hike in the mountains. For those students who were more advanced at hiking they hiked Capel Curig, and for the students less advanced at hiking they hiked around Cwm Idwal.
Thursday. In the morning, all students went to the small town of Betws-y-Coed. Students were allowed to go shopping or buy food in the town. After that, the students who went zip lining on Tuesday went gorge scrambling and vice versa. At night, students attended a campfire to enjoy S’mores and remember the great times they’d had on the trip.
Seventh grade black trip to Malham Tarn
Monday. The group arrived midday, and after settling in they had a group orientating activity. They then had a team rocket launch challenge.
Tuesday. The teams had a choice of one out of four activities: Compass Challenge, Firestarter, Getting Creative, and Chess. Half the group went caving while the other half climbed a waterfall, hiked and abseiled. They then set mammal traps.
Wednesday. Students went straight out to check their traps from yesterday. Then after breakfast they went and hiked Malham Cove where they saw a waterfall, heard the tale of a fairy, and hiked to a limestone pavement at an elevation of 800 meters. This is where a scene from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was filmed.
Thursday. The students got another choice from the four activities proposed on Tuesday. After that they went through a series of five team challenges. Later, the groups went abseiling and caving and to end the day the entire group sat around a fire, sang songs, and ate s’mores.
Friday. After a week of team bonding, the students got on the buses and headed home.