Yet another gorgeous sunny day greeted us – what a fantastic week of super weather we’ve had! We’re SO lucky! Various activities today – the reverse of yesterday so each group had a chance at the many activities on offer. Here are just a few comments:

Ethan – We went walking to King’s Cave – the place where Robert the Bruce hid over 700 years ago. What a place. We also learned that this cave was formed  thousands of years ago due to the Ice age.

Lewis H – We toasted marshmallows in a cave today. I can’t wait to go home tomorrow.

Arron – We learned how to make a fire today – it was cool!

Caitlyn – I enjoyed toasting marshmallows and making a fire.

Lucie – We went cycling today followed by climbing – I loved both especially the climbing!

Ellie – I loved doing the climbing wall and biking. I’ve loved being here.

Teegan – best day of my life today – I went on the climbing wall and also got to bilet folk – it was so good.

Victoria – It was so good today walking to King’s cave and building our own fire. The best bit was toasting marshmallows over the fire. Delicious!

Becca – A great day at King’s cave.

Skye – On our walk to King’s cave we saw the footprints of a dinosaur. We didn’t realise how old Arran actually is.

Lewis G – I loved the climbing wall – I got the best time – 18 secs top to bottom!

Josh – It was amazing at King’s Cave – it was bit scary when we went in because it’s huge but we then went exploring and found lots of symbols carved into the caves. Amazing!

Tomorrow we will be going swimming at the Auchrannie Hotel – very posh! We have had the most amazing time of our lives here with Mrs Breen, Mrs Mullin and Mrs Blair – thank you for looking after us and putting up with us! A huge thank you to the staff at Arran Outdoor Education Resource – we loved meeting you and getting to know you all. We will remember this trip for the rest of our lives! We have dared to soar this week and hope to continue to be inspired by the beautiful country we live in. Now for home – and BED!!!! (especially Mrs B, Mrs M and Mrs B)

What a fantastic day’s activities today – mountain biking, climbing wall and Hill walking to the King’s cave, finishing off with night-time orienteering.

Here are just a few comments :

Josh – I’ve learned how to ride a bike. I’m dead proud of myself.

Teegan – what an amazing place King’s Cave is – this is the cave where Robert the Bruce hid in before the Battle of Bannockburn. Remember the story of the spider – well this is where this happened. I loved it.

Robbie – I got to the top of the climbing wall. I was also praised for my work as a bilet. V, knee, 1,2,3!

William S – Fun, fun, fun! Cycling in the hills of Arran with the sun shining on my face! Cool!

Lewis H – Climbing wall was awesome – I came 3rd in the wee competition our group set up.

Ethan – My legs got plenty exercise as we cycled in the hills!

Calvin – We toasted marshmallows in a cave – gorgeous!

Caitlyn – Best day so far! I won the climbing competition with a time of 28 seconds! That was climbing up 7 metres then abseiling down!

Lewis G – best day ever going to King’s cave where Robert the Bruce hid from the English soldiers.

Max – Dead proud of myself because I conquered my fear of heights and won the climbing competition with a time of 24 secs.

Emily – I won the competition where we had to dangle from a horizontal bar for as long as we could. GIRL POWER!

Chloe – Today I learned to ride a bike – I only fell once! Not bad, eh?

Skye – My instructor said she was most proud of me because I exceeded my climbing goals. That felt good.

Victoria – today was the best day ever! I learned how to ride a bike – thanks to Adam our instructor. I was really scared at first but he was so patient especially as I thought I was going to fall but he talked me through it and gave me the confidence to just go for it. Also, I climbed to the top of the climbing wall – 7 metres tall! WOW! I’m so pleased with my achievements today.

Becca  – I loved today especially as we went orienteering at Brodick Castle. I managed not to get lost! Big achievement for me!

Connor – I loved chopping down rhododendrons as part of a conservation exercise. This will go towards our John Muir Awards.

Leo – Rhododendrons were brought to Brodick Castle from Turkey and Iberia during the Victorian times and unfortunately they have now taken over a large area of land. We have helped conserve natural trees by chopping down the rhododendrons so our native plants can grow better.

William S – Have had a fund day orienteering – I didn’t get lost and I managed to complete the whole course. We ate lunch in a Bavarian Summer house which was built about 180 years ago. WOW!

Arron – Best part of today was cutting down rhododendrons and building tunnels and dens. Fabulous time.

Myren – Great day cutting down bushes.

Taylor – Very active today – best bit was melting marshmallows over a hot campfire. Heaven!

Chloe – Slept like a log last night. My room mates said I was snoring but I know nothing of that!

Reiss – Had my favourite breakfast this morning – Weetabix and toast.

Lewis R – I really liked chopping down trees with a bow saw! It was fun!

Barry – loved the activities today – fun, fun,  fun.

Ethan – It was fun as well as helping the environment and all the plants.

AJ – Fun day especially standing round the campfire after all our hard work and eating melted marshmallows.

Teegan – I had a great day orienteering and cutting down trees. It was just fabulous.

Lucie – Today was great – we made a fire and burned the trees we had cut down. Tonight we’re going out night walking – it’ll be great fun in the dark.

Skye – I really enjoyed roasting marshmallows and cutting down trees.

Emily – I enjoyed cutting down trees and making a fire because we had to work as a team.

William A – I enjoyed putting the marshmallows in the fire. We had to be careful they didn’t fall in!

Victoria – I really enjoyed orienteering with Dave and Adam. It was a blast and I think we all worked well as a team.

Xander – We learned a lot today about the environment and how we need to look after it.

Robbie – It was great fun cutting down trees – we were working as a team using bow saws and tree loppers.

Caleb – My favourite activity was when we worked as a team cutting down trees and collecting them for the bonfire.

 

We all arrived safely after a calm crossing in the boat.

Calvin was amazed at the sheer size of the Arran ferry. When we arrived in Brodick we were met by some of the centre staff who transported our luggage and us to the centre. Emily says the centre is awesome – her room is very cosy and comfortable. After being welcomed by all the staff we were given our kits for the week. Then we packed a lunch to eat for a picnic! In November? It was great!

Here are some comments:

AJ – today’s been fantastic – we went hillwalking and it was tough but the views at the top of the hill were well worth it.

Leo – Brilliant! Full of fun – can’t wait till tomorrow. I could live here forever!

Connor – Arran is absolutely amazing. We went to King’s cross and then along the beach – so cool! Can’t wait for the rest of the activities.

Teegan – I’ve had a great first day. Hillwalking was amazing. I tried my best and it was really good.

Becca – I had an awesome first day – lots of fun. We walked 5km! My knee hurts but I’m good!

Reiss – walking up the hill was fab! I’m tired but happy.

Taylor – favourite part of today was going to the beach and finding an old historic fort.

Chloe – Loved walking in the hills and spotting farm signs.

Barry –  I’m just loving it!

Caleb – I had a wee laugh when AJ fell over a fence – he laughed too.

Josh – We climbed to Dun Fionn – scary, muddy but thrilling!

Max – Today when we climbed Dun Fionn we saw beautiful views of Goat Fell covered in snow and the Holy Isle. I took loads of pictures of my team.

Lewis R – It was very windy at the top of the hill but it was fun!

Caitlyn – Climbed a very high hill – A maz ing!

Skye – Awesome climb up Dun Fionn!

Aimee – We went beach walking and learned a bit about the history of Arran.

Ellie – Thrilling to go hill climbing as a team. We all helped each other.

Lucie – Brilliant climb up Dun Fionn. I can’t wait for the rest of the week’s adventures!

Robbie – fantastic start to our week here. I really struggled but my team mates helped me. I feel I’ve achieved a lot already!

Victoria – Great first day here – beautiful scenery. I walked for 5km – the most I’ve ever walked before. I’m so proud of that!

Myren – Fab to be here. Brilliant views from the top of Dun Fionn.

William A – great fun exploring the hills of Arran.

Arron – Loving it here – fun activities – my room is big and comfortable. The food is delicious.

Ethan – Great exercise walking up hills – I’m exhausted!

William S – Fun but scary when we were hillclimbing – I fell along with Mrs Breen but we clung on to each other and survived! We had a good laugh about it.

Lewis H – I’m loving it here. So many things to be impressed with – the centre – cool bedrooms, scrumptious food! Hillwalking was superb!

Lewis G – Scary but exciting first day. The Centre is AMAZING!

Xander – We went for a walk along the beach and learned about Holy Isle and other interesting things. I’m loving it!

 

 

 

 

We have a small group of children in the class who are in a national Maths competition. They have to solve three brain teasing problems all on their own. They have to write down all their working to show how they’ve solved the problems. We got Round 1 results last week and Becca is in the lead. Well done, Becca!

 

We used the sorting hat and Mrs Breen’s wand to choose our House teams. Our groups for this term will be Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and, of course, Gryffindor!

 

As part of our Literacy we went to Saltcoats Library. We completed some challenges about the Harry Potter book we’re studying this term and also learned how to find our way round the library. Some of us didn’t realise the many things on offer at the library – Homework club, DVDs, Teenage book section and many other things. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and look forward to going back later in the year. The staff were all really helpful and kind. Thank you.

 

We recently wore it pink when the Charities Thinking Team asked us to help raise money for cancer care.

We all tried our best to join in the fun. All credit to Lewis for being brave enough to wear the pink bow!