CAS trip to Wales

I asked the students about their expectations of the week ahead when we sat down for the evening meal in the Woodlands Outdoor Education centre in Glasbury on Wye, Wales. A number answered that they wanted to get fit, others talked about getting to know other students from the school, and one mentioned CAS credit. Some Chinese students explained that it was too far to travel home for just one week. This was the first step in creating a team from the group of St. Clare's students that would spend the next seven days in the mountains, rivers, caves, rock faces and woodland areas around the Brecon Beacons National Park. The Oxfordshire County Council operated centre at Woodlands offers a range of challenging outdoor activities and residential routines which develop our student's self awareness, ability to work with others, communication skills, responsibility and initiative. Throughout the week our students were given the opportunity to lead and were taught about hazard recognition and risk control.

The activities on Monday included rock climbing, gorge walking and orienteering. The rock climbing and gorge walking took place at Sychryd which is located in the Ystradfellte (Waterfall Country). A number of our students are members of the rock climbing club which visits the indoor climbing wall at Brookes University. Climbing outdoors offers a different experience. In the afternoon the students, dressed in bright red boiler suits and helmets, made their way down along a river valley. This involves diving into the water at times and crossing beneath waterfalls. After the evening meal the students completed an orienteering course.

On Tuesday the team completed the 3 Peaks Challenge, Corn-d, Pen-y-Fan and Cribben. The peaks provided the students with an opportunity to deal with a range of personal experiences such as elation, fear, fun, hardship and success. Sarah Shalisi found the climb at the start difficult but really excelled in the afternoon. He Zhou kept our spirits high with songs and good humor all day. Tyra Lagerberg and her partner Maria Sviridenko did some excellent navigation through dense fog en route to the highest point at 886 metres. After the evening meal the challenge was to build a camp with two shelters from basic raw materials.

Kayaking on the River Wye involved the students in decision making with clear consequences. Philipp Gerhard did a wonderful job all day encouraging and supporting others. Yu Iguchi decided to check the water temperature twice for the group when she fell out of the kayak, however she remained positive and completed the 8 km journey, ending in the town of Hay-on-Wye. That evening the students completed a high wire assault course.

The caves at Porth yr Ogof are famous amongst Oxfordshire students with features such as the letterbox, (thin slanted passage), the death ledge, (a crawl on your belly which has a drop on one side), the wetterbox, (a crawl through a slanted water passage), the crystal room, (a large chamber with condensation on the wall which lights up like little crystals) and the toilet, (a vertical drop, using ledges to get down into the sewer where you crawl in knee high water). This unfamiliar environment provided exciting physical and mental challenges for Sum Mo Kim, Si Pei Liuand Shuangying Han.

On Friday the team completed a full day of mountain biking on the Begwns with Tyra Largerberg excelling. This work on the bike allowed our students to take responsibility for themselves and other team members.

The students completed some worthwhile conservation / community service work on Saturday for the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority. The National Park Wardens provided us with the history of the Llangorse Lake, which is the only natural post glacial lake in South Wales. The group concentrated on clearing scrub and overhanging branches around the lake.

The CAS Trip to Wales helps our students to develop a deeper understanding of themselves and the contribution they can make to group success. They have developed a broader understanding and appreciation of the natural environment and how to reduce the impact that we have on fragile habitats. Oh! I almost forgot; they do get CAS hours!

A big thank you to Vicky Hahn-Hennessy for engaging in and putting up with my childlike enthusiasm for Outdoor Education.

Kevin Hennessy
Head of Activities