Thursday

Dark, wet and windy … just like the corridor leading to the Room of Dangling Doom.

Breakfast and associated jobs.

The most important meal of the day. Apart from lunch, dinner and supper. Never in the field of human cookery has so much been eaten by so few.	Chloe not quite getting the hang of eating toast. Kimberley is regretting using her superglue deodorant this morning.
No.2, Schnitzelgristle and Piblotto forming the Low Mill Synchronised Sausage-Eating Team.	I pity the hash browns. And the bacon … and the sausage … and the tomato … and the egg … and the poor, unfortunate, misguided soul in the Manchester United shirt.
Melissa modelling the latest in vacuum technology on the Low Mill stairs. What atmospheric lighting. Perfect for vacuuming.	Washing up: an essential part of the morning routine here at Low Mill. Except that most people washing up don’t look as happy as these two.

Climbing

Due to the wet and windy weather, we couldn’t go climbing on the centre’s climbing tower this morning. Group 2 were taken to the zip-wiring quarry and let loose on the climbing wall there.

Under the guidance of Sarah, one of the Low Mill instructors, Katrina makes it up the quarry wall.	John leading the way up the second climb of the morning. This photo doesn’t do justice to the pouring rain, the howling wind and the suffering of the photographer.
Lorna, John, Katrina, Baldrick and Schnitzelgristle posing after climbing the quarry wall.	At the foot of the quarry wall, debating the wisdom of leaving gloves, hats and warm clothing behind in the dorms DESPITE several warnings to bring them.

Zip-wiring

Group 2 also got a chance to go zip-wiring whilst in the quarry this morning.

The view from the launching platform of the zip wire. Smell the fear.	Jarred’s propensity for falling asleep at inopportune moments meant he never fully appreciated the zip-wiring experience …
A helping hand to unclip from the rope after completing the zip-wire descent. Teamwork has been crucial this week at Low Mill.	ZOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Caving

After an exciting morning of zip-wiring, Group 2 headed off to Ribblesdale for some caving. Thanks to Instructor Richard for the photos!

The soggy moorland near the caves in Ribblesdale.	Our intrepid band of cavers buried deep underneath the Yorkshire limestone.
Baldrick finds that subterranean water sources tend to be a tad chilly.	Craig finds himself trapped in an Indiana Jones’ “The walls are closing in around me and I must push them apart again” situation. Possibly.
Laura makes a big splash after squeezing down a water slide in one of the caves.	This is the photo that Mrs Buckton really didn’t want on the website. So naturally I didn’t want to anger her by including it with today’s selection. Oh, hang on a minute …………

Walking in Wensleydale

This afternoon, Group 1 have been on a walk around Wensleydale and have been building shelters in the woods. You never know when the skills they’ve learnt today will come in handy! Probably at some inopportune moment and when you’ve just planted some nice shrubs in the garden.

Perhaps this photo lets you appreciate why Group 3’s gorge walk was cancelled. A gill in spate is not the place to be taking 4-feet tall schoolchildren!	Putting together a shelter. Although some people only seem interested in posing for the camera: take a bow Robin and Peter!
Cold, wet, miserable? That’s all part of the Low Mill Experience. You can never have too much vile green tarpaulin.	The run-off from the Low Mill shower rooms is always an impressive sight late in the afternoon.

Day Four – rain, wind, hail, cold, hotdogs and tuck shop.

7:00 a.m: woken by the melodic sound of pouring rain and hurricane-strength winds … well they sounded hurricane strength to me. Then the less melodic sound of Dangling Doom, Long Churn and Thistle & Runscar awakening from their peaceful slumber.

The weather today has been atrocious. It’s poured down for most of the day but the children were in excellent spirits, fortified by a hearty breakfast and the immense tonnage of messages on the guestbook that we had to get through last night after supper. Group 1’s gorge walk had to be cancelled due to the sheer volume of water in the gills – a little bit disappointing perhaps, but they got the chance to go abseiling instead. Not a bad alternative! And they also got a walk around a number of impressive waterfalls and cascades later in the afternoon.

Group 2 have been zip-wiring, climbing and caving today – meaning that they got cold and wet on two separate occasions in a single day. Despite this, their attitude has been very pleasing: they have helped each other out in cases of nerves and have worked well together as a team.

Group 3 have been orienteering and zip-wiring this afternoon. The zip-wiring took place in steadily worsening weather but the mood was light in Group 3 since they got repeated opportunities to pelt Mr Beadnall with beanbags as he came down the zip line. Only Scott proved himself to be anything approaching a decent shot however, landing several beanbags in several tender areas of Mr Beadnall’s anatomy.

At this very moment, we are preparing for the Talent Show (perhaps a bit of a misnomer) and the hailstones are pelting down outside. It seems to be the pagan gods who inhabit these areas of Wensleydale expressing their displeasure at the thought of 34 Year 6 children performing endless jokes, songs and impersonations of varying quality.

As usual, we will be ending the evening with supper and we will share all the latest messages from the guestbook. Last night I managed to put up a few messages for people back home from the children here at Low Mill and I will endeavour to do the same later this evening. Please check back on the guestbook later this evening or tomorrow to see if your child has left you a message! The suspense will be worth the wait, I’m sure.

Don't forget to keep leaving messages on our guest book. Just follow the link from the first page.

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