After a long journey we arrived yesterday at the Outward Bound Ullswater Centre and after being briefly shown to our rooms – each with it own en-suite facilities – groups were introduced to their instructors and our week of action and adventure had begun.
It seems that from its onset, the OB has a tradition of a ‘jog and dip’ to test the mettle of new arrivals and sure enough, despite it being October each group, after a range of settling in activities, went for their ‘jog and dip’. This consisted of a short jog and then a dip in the lake. To pass you had to go in at least up to waist height, merit up to shoulders and distinction complete immersion. Just about everyone passed and more than a few brave and hardy types achieved distinction, which they followed by jumping off the jetty into the lake and swimming back to land. It was at this point, that I realised we really had come somewhere special where the children and adults would be challenged and encouraged to achieve far more than they thought they could.
After a hearty evening meal, it was then back out again from 6.30 – 8.00 pm for yet more activities, each group doing something different but ranging in diversity from getting group members over an 8 foot sheer wooden wall, to orienteering, to going through tunnels, to getting a marble from one end of courtyard to another using bits of piping and guttering- all outside and in the dark . Then hot chocolate before finally bed – and this was all after leaving Norwich at 5 am that morning. Not surprisingly, they slept well.
Breakfast – a full English plus porridge or a variety of cereals and toast if you wished – before the start of another action packed day. Groups were kitted out in full waterproofs, warm clothing and wellies for scrambling up a gorge or quality walking boots and Gortex waterproof jackets for hill walking and then it was off in the centre minibuses for the day.
And what a day it was but you will have to wait for the next instalment… of Year 6’s trip to the Lakes.