With fine weather and energised summer moods, Block 3’s escaped to Ullswater last week as part of their Bedales welcome. Joining their new Badley tutor groups for the week at Outward Bound, they jumped off telegraph poles, rocks, and into water as well as embarking on a 3 day expedition into the mountains of the Lake District. A large part of the week is getting to know everyone, completely mixing together all students from our feeder schools, but also a chance to take more responsibility for self and others – nothing like cooking by a lake in the mountains with Helvellyn towering above to help you to take responsibility and work together. Many groups experienced canoeing, rowing, coasteering, high ropes activities, tunnelling and more before embarking on their expeditions with the instructors. Getting used to carrying a pack with everything you need in it for three days, including food, tents, sleeping bags and cooking materials was a challenge for many, but one they embraced and made their own.
In the words of the student themselves:
What was your biggest challenge?
- “getting up at 4.00am to climb the rest of the mountain”
- “climbing the messy mountain, I thought I couldn’t do it but I actually did!”
- “I hate heights, they really scare me, but with the help of the others I got through it!”
- “the leap of faith... it really was!”
What have you learnt this week?
- “to work as a team”
- “to help each other and trust the group”
- “I have more stamina than I thought I did!”
- “new friends always make a difference”
- “it’s ok to ask silly questions – other people are thinking it too!”
Favourite moment?
- “the view from the top, it was amazing!”
- “eating a real sandwich after the camp food!”
- “sunrise by the lake, absolutely amazing!”
- “sitting in the dark with a new group of friends, food cooking in the camp, laughing so hard we cried!”
