Off-roading

 The destination for Primary 3 this week was a Nature Reserve at Alfrick called "The Knapp and Papermill". This is a peaceful walk through wild meadows along a little stream called Leigh Brook.

Eventually the trail winds its way up through some woodland to the top of a bank.

The peacefulness of the area is astonishing (until our class walks through!!) and the feeling of remoteness is only exacerbated by the darkness of the woodland and complete lack of traffic noise.

Many of the old drover tracks and rides in the woodland are criss-crossed by wind-blown tree trunks and these are a great way of testing the pupils balance and courage. There is always a number of the class who are keen to test their mettle.

On the return leg to the bus, the class were faced with some pretty challenging terrain and gradient.

Some of this is a little more of an issue for some of our pupils, but with a little encouragement and guidance, the psychological hurdles that they can overcome are considerable.

This in turn, creates a reliable mental platform that they can return to when faced with similar challenges in the future.