Grafham Water

A few months ago, Charlotte asked me if I was interested in chaperoning the year 6 residential (over night field trip) to Grafham Water in June.  I inquired before agreeing to go, and she said it was a great weekend where we did water sports at a lake.  I was ecstatic!  Who wouldn't sign up for a weekend where you got to sit on a dock, soaking up some sun while dangling your feet in the water, watching as the kids splash around?

When I agreed, it was in early spring and it did not even cross my mind that June might still be chilly.  We southerners never use the word "June" and "chilly" in the same sentence.  So, the weekend was nothing like what I first pictured, but it was lovely all the same.

Friday afternoon, we left straight from school and headed to a sort of camp on Grafham Water, a reservoir in Cambridgeshire.  Here we spent the weekend keeping the kids busy with activities such as sailing, canoeing, high ropes courses, archery, bushcraft and of course line dancing!

It was in no way a vacation for me as I did things like stop nose-bleeds, pick up wet clothes from boys' bathrooms, comfort a child who was sick throughout the night and sleep in a bunk bed, but I also got to do things that I don't usually get to do!

As far as I can remember, I've never been sailing before and I thoroughly enjoyed it!  After donning the wetsuit, which was a new experience all in itself, and then layering up with a waterproof jacket and life vest, Laura (another teacher) and I boarded our lovely mini-sailboat.  It was a blustery day, which meant the sails worked perfectly and there was very little work we had to do!  The only difficult part was getting the boat in and out of water while wading waist deep in the frigid water.

Laura and I suited up for canoeing! 

For canoeing, we geared up in waterproof clothing from head to toe, so that I had on about three layers in most places (not exactly the clothing I was picturing for a weekend at the lake!).  We put two canoes together to give them more stability and allow each group to have an adult with them.  While the weather was perfect for sailing, it made rowing very difficult, especially since it was working muscles I hadn't thought about in who knows how long!  We, thankfully, didn't travel too far before stopping at a little beach for snacks and some fossils searches.  Emma, our guide, told us about a few special fossils that we could look for along the beach and to my surprise, the kids and I all came up with a few pretty cool ones!

I found several of the bellamites (sp?) you see on the far right.  They are supposedly ancient squid heads that have solidified over thousands of years.  The real treasures that were found were really the small stars which about three kids in my group found.  They are bits of ancient seaweed that hardened.

In the bushcraft activity, children used logs and a tarp to build a shelter and then used flint and steel to start a small fire.  The children enjoyed archery, partly because it was indoors and the biting wind was no longer pestering them.  They were fairly good though and it was a sport that they could all quickly improve upon which is always rewarding.

In our "down time" we had a disco, did a treasure hunt, watched Ella Enchanted and enjoyed eating some fantastic "camp" food.

While it was certainly not the weekend I had first pictured, nor was it a relaxing weekend away, I had such a great time being with the kids, seeing them away from school where they could be free to truly be themselves and let loose.  And hey, my cheeks still got a little rosy, although it was from the wind rather than the sun... :)