June 27, 2012
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This little crag is 40mins drive away, near Crieff, but ideal as it has lots of routes at the right level. It also has lots of bolts, rated to 1500kg, so quick to setup and ideal for abseiling too.
Abseiling
Good Posture – ABC Agility, Balance, Co-ordination
A good wide angle shot of the crag
June 21, 2012
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We were indoors tonight to avoid the wet and windy weather, we have only had a few weeks outside this year, this pic is from April, taken at Rosyth Quarry, some climbers are getting a bit stressed about no climbing for 7 weeks !!!!!
June 21, 2012
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June 12, 2012
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The annual S1 Outdoor Learning days progressed to climbing today. I was asked to help as I’m qualified to SPSA level. We had a great group, perfectly behaved, perfect positive attitudes and great weather. We were at Blackford Quarry, in Edinburgh.
Bouldering used to warm up and focus on foot work.
The group getting tied on for the first routes.
Nigel, Falkirk Community Trust Instructor, coaching Joe up a route.
A climber being lowered down a route.
Teamwork – working together to tie and check each other.
June 10, 2012
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A bit of exploring for possible midge free (impossible ?) campsites on Loch Ard today. Sea Kayaks were the transport today.
June 7, 2012
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Today the new Outdoor Learning Class were practicing putting up the school tents, boiling water for hot drinks, exploring and sharing what the garden has and litter picking. Oh, nearly forgot the MARSHMALLOW toasting…
The class worked well together, as a team, putting the tents up in the, very gusty, wind. Challenging conditons especially when they have never seen the tents before.
Cooking learning
The school prefers, like many others including the Swedish military, to use Trangia cooksets. They unfold and unpack into a range of pots and pans. They are very light so better for carrying. They are also wind and weather proof.
The also learnt to put up a ‘tarp’ as a quick shelter in heavy rain or wind. We will be camping a few times over the year.
John Muir Award ‘Care’
The class spotted lots of rubbish that has blown into the garden. Without being asked they started litter picking with the equipment the council supplied free. One of the themes for the year will be Caring for wild places as part of their John Muir Award and a ‘Health and Well Being’ theme we will foster all year wherever we are.
Explore
An S1 class were hiding ‘pitfall traps’ for a class to check if any insects had been trapped. Between periods the OL class explored these and were surprised how much insect life there was. We are keen for the grass NOT to be cut as it kills off many insects and wild plants and species which helps increase the Biodiverstiy.
June 5, 2012
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After a quick launch, we headed into the narrows where the river Forth starts. Funny to think it becomes so wide back at Grangemouth. Does keeping a helmet on stop midges ? Kimberly testing that theory.
Aaron just relaxing, as I paddle….
Travelling down the small and narrow version of the ‘young’ River Forth. Lovely avenue styled – rocks and rhodedendrons – lining the way. In august this has dozens and dozens of blue damselflys. Tonight there was lots of small pond skaters skimming about.
Snack stop -normally this would be on a sandy beach, but the MIDGEs were on the beach, so even though we were 50m from the shore they started to creep out and bite, that’s BITE !
The group have been desperate to do capsize drills and jump in from canoes, since March, so although it’s an hours drive, it was worth the effort. Here the group are about to beach and do capsize drills. Bit of a poor photo as It’s from my phone.
After a quick capsize session, well they stayed in the water much longer than we wanted, we got back to the minibus, popped up the changing tent and poor Miss L and Mr T had to suffer MILLIONS of midges to tie up the boats for ten mins. Overall a good session, quicker packing up and changing would help in future but good for progressing skills out to a loch and longer journey. All the pupils who had only canoed the canal the last few weeks agreed it was worth the effort to canoe a lovely wee scenic loch.
We drove up the road to Loch Ard,
The midges, they made it ever so hard,
We heard a thud, oh… shoes lost in the mud,
Wind, wind to blow them away,
Rock, rock, sway the boat out of the way,
Paddle, paddle to get out of the way,
‘Nay way’ – they still bite, bite and there in the way !
May 30, 2012
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Some more photos, thanks Samantha.
Laura climbing back in after another swim to cool off. The midges were biting after a break on the beach in the background.
Improvised bailer. Some water entered after getting back in, an improvised bailer was made by cutting a base off a water bottle.
May 25, 2012
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After packing and collecting all the canoes and arranging all the safety and camping kit, we launched in 25+ degs heat at 6.30pm. Perfect conditions for the 7 puipls who had never canoed before. Some were a little nervous but by the journey homen the next day, they were convinced of the canoeing experience, some commenting they felt ‘relaxed’ when paddling. So evidence of good progression.
Did we fit all that kit on the canoes ??
A short 20min paddle, with some coaching on the way, had us landing on the Eiliean Gorm Island of Loch Ard. A perfect small island, 50m/100m. It has a dinky wee bothy. Working together well, we had the tents up in half an hour, although the teachers got a bit confused using the School’s D of E groups tents, we thought they were all the same until we read the bags, names were different…..
We then had some water boiled up for pastas and noodles and lots of swimming. Warm enough for no wetsuits. This was the best way to cool down. The group were paddling and wading using frisbees till 10pm. For sfaety we had PFDs on and throwbags at the ready.
The boats were still warm to dry clothes out.
Where’s the pupil ??
Sunset from the campsite beach
Miss L watching over the water boiling, how much kit did we have !!
Calm and balmy conditions for the morning paddle back. We rafted up for some variety.
Laura having fun messing about in the canoes – swimming, capsizing, filling the boat with water and having a bath, ducking under doing a ‘pirates of the carribean’ walking along on the loch bed. Temp 23degs !
Canoes tucked up for the night…….
Two canoe -Push tows – were setup to give some variety on the way back, allows for a more ‘social paddle’. It means the wind has less effect and as long as the back paddler can stern rudder (steer), the group can travel further.
May 22, 2012
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Tonight was a warm balmy evening with lots of flies and flying S2s about.
Laura had her own wetsuit so practiced capsizes – flying jumps. The group were not issued with wetsuits and felt left out of the fun (my mistake). Final session before this weeks annual activity day canoe camping trip on Loch Ard’s small island Eilean Gorm.
Aaron and Kimberly having a snack and drink in the canoes. We two boat rafted up on the return journey.
High cirrus clouds at 9pm after packing up the school kit, a warm front is approaching. 21 degs forecast for the Thursday night camping trip.
