Apologies for the delay. I had some technical issues getting these uploaded.
Still fine weather as I write but there is rain and wind forecast later – doesn’t matter here as the bairns are soaking wet half the time anyway!
Today the groups have cycling, archery/problem solving and sailing or sailing, cycling and raft building.
I am so impressed by the bairns so far. They are all up for the challenges and really doing themselves, the schools and their families proud.
There are a few tired faces – mainly staff!
Not a bad view to wake up to!
This morning the bairns are in their big cat groups, lions, tigers, leopards and pumas.
The lions and tigers have skiing, windsurfing and kayaking to look forward to today. The pumas and leopards are looking forward to windsurfing, canoeing and skiing. Hope to post photos later!
Wow! What a busy day.
We were all up at 6 for breakfast on the boat. The bairns all did ever so well again, being polite and well behaved. They all left their cabins ship shape!
We left Aberdeen at 7.30. A lot of excited chatter from all the bairns on the bus. We stopped at Tesco in Huntley for a snack and then set off for Landmark.
We arrived at 11am. The bairns really enjoyed exploring the park and challenged themselves to try the activities. They were all very independent and responsible. A lot of supporting and encouraging each other.
We set off for Loch Insh and arrived at 4pm. We had dinner at 4.30 and then had a short while to unpack before having our briefing talk.
The first activity was called ‘Wayfind’ and it was exactly that. Teams of 4 used map reading skills to solve clues. This all helped the bairns find their way around the site.
Supper and phone time followed at 9. Lots of the bairns were asking to go to bed! They have had a very busy day and were all tired! No wonder.
They are all asleep now and I’m looking forward to our first full day in Loch Insh. It is absolutely beautiful here. I’m sure we will have an excellent day tomorrow. I only ask for a little more wind to blow the midges away!
On Monday the 4th June I went with the South Mainland sports team to compete at the County Sports competition at the athletics track. I was competing in 3 events. I did really well in the long jump coming 2nd with a new pb 4.03 metres. I also did quite well in the high jump coming 3rd and the highest height I cleared was 1.20m. And in the 400m I came 1st and I don’t know my time yet. It was a really good day and I would love to relive winning the 400m again.
by Ciaran
On Monday the 4th June Ciaran, Jacob, Ayla, Cameron, Lewis, Archie and I all from our school got to go to theCounty Sports which was at the Clickimin. I was in the 400 and 800 races, cricketball throw and the high jump. I didn’t do as well as I’d hoped but I really enjoyed myself. Overall our South Mainland team did really well and got 16 medals. I really enjoyed the day and would do it all again.
by Lily-Jane
Yesterday 7 people from Dunrossness got picked to go to the Clickimin to do County Sports. I took part in the high jump and the 400 metres race and I also had to stand in and do the sack race. Our team won the relay race and we won 16 medals between 18 of us. It was a really long day but we all tried our best. Overall I really enjoyed it.
by Ayla
I was doing the 100 metres and high jump. When we got there the events started almost immediately and I had to wait until midday for my events. I did high jump which I don’t really like and I went out quite quickly. I then did the 200 metres and enjoyed that. Then there was the medals presentation and Archie got five medals. Overall it was really fun and I would love to do it again.
by Jacob
On Monday 4th June the P7s went to Kergord and we took a mini-bus. It was a 40-45 minute drive. When we got there Pete Richards told us what to do and we walked into the woods. John took us on an obstacle course around the trees.Then we went in a broken-down house and had our snacks.
After we got split up into 2 groups to build dens. I was in a group with Molly, Michaela, Lauren and Bertie.
Our den was okay but the other group’s was better. Then we went back to the house to have lunch and John got a fire going and told us about John Muir. Later we went into the middle of the forest and played a game similar to Hide and Seek. Overall it was an amazing day and I would love to do it all again. (by Declan)
I really enjoyed going to Kergord to do our John Muir day. It was really fun going round and up the trees. I would love to do it again. (Fearghas)
I really enjoyed Kergord because it challenged me to do different things and have fun in the woods. we did flips over logs and walked on logs over burns and we made dens out of twigs we found. it was just overall a great day. (Carys)
Yesterday we went to Kergord Woods, I was really scared because I hadn’t brought any of the essentials. Luckily it was a very gentle activity. When we got there we were told to smell the grass and the soil, then we went for a trek around the forest, across the stream, bridges and up trees. Then we arrived in a small den which was absolutely FILLED with midges. We had a snack then we were told to find a good spot and build a shelter out of nothing but wood and then we had a pretty woodland home. After lunch John hosted 5 games of Hide and Seek, but with a slight twist to it. Then it was time to go back on the minibus and be driven back to school. Overall I really enjoyed the experience and would quite like to go again sometime. (By Bertie)
When we got there we walked up a small hill to get to the woods. First we all lay down on the grass and we had to smell it. John said it made him feel calm and he liked the smell……. After lunch we built dens and played a game called ‘The World’s Best Game’. I really enjoyed it and would do it again. (Eve)
Yesterday we went to Kergord on a John Muir Day. We did an obstacle course, climbed trees and later on Pete told us a story. We built dens and played a game of Hide and Seek- it was really fun and I hope to do it again. (Michaela)
…….Once we had lunch we played a game like Hide and Seek and then we headed back to the mini-bus to go back to school. It was a really fun day and I would definitely want to go back again. (Emily)
,,,,,,,We went to Kergord forest and it was great. We climbed trees and there were some logs over a burn and we had to walk over them. There was an old broken building that we went to. We had our lunch and snack there and John lit a small fire and Pete told us a story. We also built shelters and played a really fun game. I really enjoyed it and can’t wait for the next John Muir trip. (Lauryn)
I had a really fun time at Kergord with Mrs Leslie, John and Pete. First they gave us a backpack, a water-proof jacket and some water-proof leggings……
…….Then we played the best game in the world where someone was in the middle and everyone else had 30 seconds to run away and hide. The person in the middle had to stay where they were and see if they could spot anyone. If they couldn’t then the time would get less and less down to five seconds and the closest one to the middle person wins. Then we ate a clover and it tasted like a green apple. (Molly)
When we arrived we got out of the mini-buses and got told to face-plant the grass and smell the soil and grass. We got to climb up trees and walk across big logs………
……. Then we had lunch and Pete told us a story called The Cat’s Whiskers. After lunch we played a version of Hide and Seek. (Zara)
On Saturday Ally went to Lerwick to receive his trophies and certificate for his achievements in archery.
Here is Ally with his trophies from 2018
Here are some or Ally’s awards from previous years.
Top left for shooting new junior archery record (253 points)2016
Top right under 12 boys champion 2016
Bottom left under 12 boys champion 2017
Bottom middle improvment on score (13 points) 2016
Bottom right competing in Montrose archery trip
Two medals from Montrose archery trip(second in age group 2016 and 17)
Trophy ‘c’ league champion
Top left improving on score by 1 point
Top middle for competing in Montrose 2017
top right for shooting a new junior archery record (254 points)
bottom left under 12 boys champion 2018
bottom right ‘b’ league champion 2018
Written by Ally and Fearghas
This week was the Music Festival. People from our class had several performances. On Monday 12th Carys did a piano solo and got gold, Cerys & Michaela did a duet in the open duet and got a gold, and Carys, Niamh and Molly did woodwind solos.
On Tuesday the 13th Cerys, Jemima and Emily ( The Dooblington Trio) performed as a fiddle trio and got a gold.
On Wednesday the 14th It was our class performance. We performed as a instrumental choir and played White Clifffs of Dover and Pack Up Your Troubles. We got a gold. Lauryn, Ayla, Niamh, Molly, Carys and Zara each performed a vocal solo. Fearghas, Jacob and Michaela performed an accordion solo. Niamh was invited to play at the young musician with her clarinet solo. She didn’t win but said she really enjoyed it. Rebekha Tregonning ( who used to go to Dunrossness) won senior young musician of the year.
On Thursday the 15th we were invited back to perform at the Gala concert. We went on first. There was a raffle and Niamh won a bag of Bressay tatties.
Niamh – Getting into Young Musician was an amazing experience.
Carys – It’s always really fun going to the Music Festival.
Eve – It was a good experience and I enjoyed it.
Jake – It was good, It was really fun.
Christie – I thought it was good and I really enjoyed the schools coming together.
By Cerys, Jemima and Emmy
Primary 7 Jarl Squad- ready for the big day!
Michaela- The Jarl……enjoying every minute of the celebrations.
Michaela commented, “SMUHA is one of the best days of the year and having the honour of being the Jarl makes it even better.”
Today is SMUHA and I was part of our school Jarl Squad. First of all we came into school and got into costume, and got our helmets and cloaks. Then we headed outside and it was very cold but I soon warmed up. As we were walking to the football pitch everyone started singing the Up Helly Aa song and The Galley Song, over and over again, until we got there. (My throat was very sore!) After that everyone threw their torches into the galley. We watched it burn for a little while and then went over to the Boddam Hall for snack and to do our acts.
Our act was called The Axe Factor. After all the practising it turned out really good! It was a brilliant day but it was hard keeping it a secret. Written by Emily
Today was SMUHA 2018. I was in the P7 Jarl Squad. It was a very good experience. At 09:15 we left to go to the Boddam football pitch where we burned the galley, which was named Lia after Lena, lsaiah and Alex. Then we went into Boddam Hall to do the acts and to wait for the real 2018 Jarl Squad to come. The Squad acts were very good. I especially liked the one about the teacher disco. For our Squad act it was The Axe Factor. After the act a lot of people (mainly P5/6 boys) said, “The cringe crew should have won!” But it doesn’t really matter.
When the real Jarl Squad came it was really good and they could sing so loud! After all that we went out to see the big galley. Then we went back to school. All in all it was an amazing day; the costumes, act and everything else in between. I also enjoyed all the support, from, what they called themselves, ‘No 1 Cringe Crew fans’. SMUHA was amazing and I would love to do it again. By Ciaran
Carys said, “ It was a great day, I loved it. I really liked seeing the big Jarl Squad and I’ve got a sore throat from all the singing!”
”It was really great fun. I would do it all again. Michaela was a really good Jarl.” (Niamh)
Emmy commented, “I really enjoyed the Squad acts and it was worth the wait.”
”It was amazing and I would love to do it all again,” said Ayla.
”I really enjoyed walking down to the pitch. Everyone was singing and cheering as loud as they could,” said Lauryn.
”It was amazing. I really enjoyed seeing the big a Jarl Squad and their galley.” (Lily-Jane)
