Rain, wind and hail did not deter this bunch of ‘Tough Tinas’ one bit at Stronord! The boys and girls of P5-7, accompanied by Mrs F, Gael Gaw and Kim McGuire enjoyed an overnight residential stay packed full of fun, new experiences, yummy food, night-time blethers and mud!
The first day involved a 5mile hill walk up Larg Hill beyond Creetown. They were led by Outdoor Instructors Robbie and David. The children climbed over 450 metres through marshy land, burns and rocky crags. The wind knocked a few sideways and the hail was unrelenting but did they moan or grumble? No way! This bunch simply started singing their Scottish Opera songs and ‘Flower o’ Scotland’! It was their positive mental attitude that impressed the instructors hugely. They were full of praise for the attitude of the children.
Dinner was a huge hit. Unfortunately, the cook for Stronord was unwell and so we had to be very resourceful and cater for ourselves. The day before we left, some P7s and Mrs Gaw headed off to do some shopping for our breakfast, supper and packed lunches. Thursday night’s tea was a Starfish dinner! Yum yum! The boys and girls then settled down in their pjs and sleeping bags to watch Paddington 2 . All was quiet and settled. It was the calm before the storm!
In all honesty, everyone behaved very well! There were just a few of our younger pupils who were far too excited to sleep. Their giggles and excited whispers were heard long into the wee hours of the morning… but eventually they nodded off.
Friday dawned (a little too quickly for the adults!) and once we were up, dressed and breakfasted, Robbie, Alex and Ed appeared to get us kitted up for the day. We split into two groups and headed off to either mountain biking or orienteering. The day was initially chilly but bright – the rain held off until after lunchtime.
The children had a fabulous time and came home dirty, tired but full of enthusiasm. They were a pleasure to be with. Huge thanks to Kim and Gael for coming along to share the experience with us! I really do believe the children gain so much from an annual residential trip; confidence, socialisation, independence and the chance to try something a bit different a million miles away from the classroom setting.
Just take a look at these photos – what an amazing part of the world we live in. Don’t you agree?
