This year, some of our pupils took part in a residential camp in the Lake District for three nights. It was a brilliant experience for all involved. You can read all about it below
The Journey North
Tuesday began with a long journey north. It was obvious there was an element of nervousness once we left Kingsmead; most of the pupils had never been so quiet! For some, this would be their first time away from home, and as far from home as they had ever been. Over four hours of traveling covered the 200-mile journey to YHA Honister Hause, at the highest point of Honister Pass, situated between Keswick and Lakes Crummock and Buttermere. This would be home for the next three nights.
On the way to the accommodation, we stopped at Penrith to do the food shopping for the week. The pupils helped with a shop at Aldi before being offered some time to get snacks for themselves. Once we arrived at camp, after everyone had organised their bedrooms and helped with putting shopping away, it was straight back out for a short ride to Crummock Water. This was a good spot to spend a couple of hours with a short walk through the woodland to the shore at the north end of the lake.
Exploring and Settling In
A great spot for the pupils to appreciate the scenery they were in, explore the area, and, of course, skim a few pebbles into the lake! We then headed back to the minibus and back to camp for dinner – pizza and wedges for a quick meal following a long day. Pupils helped with cooking and cleaning before settling down for the night. After showers, there were some games of chess, cards, and a trivia board game all taking place. A really nice evening. Staff were pleasantly surprised that all pupils agreed to go to bed at approximately 10 pm, and having been reminded to be respectful of others, everyone was very quiet for the night
A Day of Hiking
Following a very pleasant evening and a reasonably early night, staff were once again surprised at how well everyone woke up and got ready for another big day, this time, a fairly big hike. It was a beautiful morning with a little snow, particularly high up. Pupils had breakfast whilst staff organised some packed lunches to take on the walk.
We left YHA Honister Hause at around 9:15 am and headed to Keswick. The plan was originally to meet James before heading around Derwent Water and potentially up Catbells, a hill on the far side of the lake. However, when driving to Keswick to park up, Gav noticed that the original walk was flooded along the route. The route was then changed to suit the conditions and would now take the group up Latrigg, a 368-meter high peak overlooking Keswick from the NW. This wasn’t easy, but it was very rewarding. Gav didn’t start recording the walk at the very start, but nevertheless, the group still recorded over 10 km. A very good effort by all. It was particularly pleasing to see the group interact with members of the public on the way and the support shown to each other.
James met up with the group at the summit, just before the rain started and in time for lunch. The group took some time to relax and take a well-earned break at the peak of the hill whilst getting some great pictures of the scenery. The group were then led down the opposite side of the hill and headed back into Keswick, via a pit stop for a snack and a milkshake once back on the main road.
We had planned to have a ‘chippy tea.’ It was decided to sit in and eat at The Old Keswickian Fish and Chip Shop. This in itself appeared a new experience and a good learning opportunity for some pupils. Again, they behaved very respectfully and were well-mannered around the public and the chip shop staff. After eating, we walked back to the minibus, then drove back to our accommodation and settled in for the evening. The games came back out, and some pupils taught others how to play different card games, and others taught pupils how to play chess. A very entertaining night followed by another 10 pm bedtime in preparation for the most challenging day to come on Thursday.
The Mine and the Bridge
This was the day we’d been building up for! It was planned to be quite a testing day designed to push people outside of their comfort zones, give them a new and memorable experience, and provide opportunities to lead and support each other. First, another good breakfast to start the day well.
We had to walk just next door to Honister Slate Mine, where we would take part in a mine tour. We met our tour guide and then hopped on a bus that delivered us up the mountain at the entrance of the mine. Our guide showed us around inside, explained how mining slate works, talked to us about the history of Honister Mine, showed us some of the tools used through the years, and explained that most of London’s most famous buildings used the slate from this mine due to its longevity. We were amazed to find out that miners were often as young as eight years old, and even more so when he explained that the youngest registered miner was only four! We were shown the way that mine was extracted from certain parts of the mine and methods used to access the slate itself. Then we walked further through the mine and were surprised to find a cinema screen there where we watched a film on the history of this particular mine, its impact on the local area and the economy, and how it came into the hands of its owner.
Once the tour was over and we had returned down the hill to return our helmets, we met our instructors for the next activity, The Infinity Bridge. This is a very daunting 190-meter wire bridge suspended 1,000 feet above sea level and several hundred feet above the valley below. We got our harnesses and got back on the bus to go back up the hill. Before we started this activity, we were taught how to use the equipment safely to enable us to reach the start of the bridge, as this required us to use two carabiners simultaneously to make sure we were always clipped to the safety wire whilst climbing ladders and large staples in the rock face.
Once at the start of the bridge, we were then clipped to a pulley system that kept us fixed to a line that spanned the distance of the bridge, so we didn’t have to unclip, and the carabiners would create friction on the wire. Gav had said from the start that whilst he encouraged everyone to attempt this, he also understood this was a very challenging activity and would push people to their limits. Five of the seven attempted the start of the bridge, four started walking out, and two made it the entire way, joined by the staff. Anyone who hadn’t walked over the bridge walked through a tunnel in the mountain to the far side of the bridge and still supported and encouraged those coming over – this was very welcome and very much appreciated by pupils and staff. This activity was a huge test, and the staff were very pleased with the efforts of everyone. Those who didn’t take part in crossing the bridge still overcame their fears by heading to the other side to support their teammates. It was nice to hear them cheering on those crossing and pleased that there was no judgment for not crossing the bridge, too. It was then back on the bus for the return trip back down to base where we had time to shop for souvenirs and get lunch, either at the café or back at our accommodation.
Scale Force Waterfall
We weren’t quite done yet. The staff team wanted the pupils to take on one final challenging activity before the trip ended on Friday morning. Gav and James agreed on a walk to Scale Force, the highest waterfall in the Lake District, which at one point is 170 feet high. This would involve more walking, but once again through some amazing scenery. We parked in Buttermere, and this time headed clockwise around Crummock Water. Once on the west side of the lake, we headed north until we reached the valley that led us uphill to the waterfall.
A couple of well-deserved rest breaks along the route gave us time to watch some RAF fighter jets fly through the valley and time to really appreciate the environment we were in. We discussed some pupils being inspired to return, and some even realizing they would happily live in an area like this in the future and began considering careers that might offer that opportunity. Upon reaching the waterfall, we had time to get some pictures. It was then time to head back down to the bus before the sun started to set. In total, this walk was another 7.5 km, but well worth one final push to see the beautiful hidden waterfall. Once back on the bus, we went back to Honister Hause for dinner.
Reflection and Farewell
Dinner tonight was Spaghetti Bolognese. Gav pushed some tables together and asked for everyone to sit together. Everyone displayed great manners, waiting for everyone else to sit with their meals before starting. Gav had explained that one of the reasons for this was to review the trip together. Before eating, he explained that we would go around the table and requested everyone to state their most enjoyable moment or activity of the week, something or someone each person was proud of, and gave everyone the opportunity to mention anything they hadn’t enjoyed. Everyone was very respectful of each other and their points mentioned. This was a very nice and meaningful hour full of discussion, and especially due to some of the points raised, there were some key takeaways.
Pupils explained that they were proud of themselves and some of the other pupils and staff for overcoming fears. Others mentioned how proud they were of themselves for various reasons, e.g., being away from home, surviving little to no technology, and for being kind and respectful whilst living with each other. One nice moment was one of the students saying that if there was one thing he would like to do again, it would be the bridge because he turned around and didn’t complete the whole thing, which he regretted. Staff explained that they were proud of him and everyone for their engagement, and Gav made a point to encourage everyone to really give any positive opportunity a go in the future so as not to regret not doing something. The pupils also took this moment to thank the staff team – Gav, Sydney, Rebecca, and James for the experience and expressed their interest in taking part in any future trips.
Following the meal, pupils tidied and cleaned, and then most went outside to stargaze. We were treated to a very clear sky and were able to quite visibly see Jupiter and Mars. Gav showed pupils how to find Polaris (the North Star) using other stars (Ursa Major).
Finally, to end the night, the log fire was lit, and we toasted marshmallows using homemade skewers before settling down for one final night at YHA Honister Hause.
Departure
Up bright and early on the final day and hit with the realisation of returning home. Many wanted to stay longer, despite the lack of signal!
The day started with bacon and sausage butties made by Rebecca whilst pupils started to return the accommodation to how we found it. Everyone worked well together to strip bedding, hoover bedrooms, wash pots, empty bins, and tidy up. Sydney organised bags going back on the bus. Everyone did everything they were asked to do, as they had during the whole week.
Once completed, and after eating, we headed home. This would be another long journey, but due to the work ethic of everyone, we were able to leave 40 minutes earlier than expected, allowing us time to stop for snacks and food etc. on the way home. The bus ride home was another quiet one; however, this time, it seemed less due to nerves and more through tiredness because of the effort the pupils had put in during the week, but also due to a reluctance to leave such a beautiful area so soon. Once back at Kingsmead, the pupils were still very willing to help make sure the minibus was clean and tidy, ready to return. Gav was very grateful for this!
