Hollowford 2018 Day 2

HAPPY BIRTHDAY REBECCA!

Rebecca has been a bundle of joy all day long – smiling and laughing with a Cheshire-cat grin from ear to ear. The boys had made her a homemade card, and she had a present of extra sweets from us all, but the thing that she really enjoyed today was getting soaking wet in the raft-race.

Indeed, almost half of us got soaked to the bone today during the raft race. Henry (who made an excellent foreman, guiding, helping and directing the building of the raft), Gaia, Maisy, Tom and Jade’s craft – variously named Dory, Nemo, the invincible, the Titanic and Harry Kane went to Spain…  competed against Stanley, George, Rebecca and Amelia’s (less well constructed) boat called ‘The Titanic on a budget.’ Whilst the first group prepared boarding parties, cannon operators and rowers, the second group’s boat collapsed on the slipway. A few emergency repairs later, she was launched, only to throw her sailors into the murky water as she slowly came apart. Cue everyone deciding to abandon ship and leap into the pond. Merriment ensued.

Kyle and Brajan adventured onto the high ropes this morning and then went caving in the afternoon – they have loved both the highs and the lows! They say that the caving was their favourite activity of the day, but I know they also loved the mammoth 2 hour long football match played on the field this evening; we lost count of the number of goals Kyle scored.

Finlay and Jaydan have got on really well in Mrs Sheldrake’s group. Jaydan was really helpful with some of the less confident members of his group this morning doing the weaselling – which involves squeezing yourself through a series of tiny spaces on the top of Higger Tor. Well done Jaydan. Mrs Sheldrake was also impressed with Finlay’s manners – the first member of the group to thank the instructor: “Thank you. That was really good – I loved that!”

This afternoon, it was Jaydan and Finlay’s turn to build a disintegrating raft: mission accomplished! They were very happy to spend twenty minutes thrashing around in the pond next to all the pieces of their raft though!

Also this afternoon, Gaia, Maisy, Jade, Henry and Tom’s group drove up to Higger Tor with instructor Dave for their turn at weaselling. Dave has three rules: 1 – no dying, 2 – listen really carefully (which helps with rule 1), and  3 –have fun. They followed all three rules so well that he took them up to the doughnut, a natural hole in the highest rock on the peak – he said it was the first group he had trusted enough to take there in 12 months: well done Team 4 (the best team!)

Phoebe and Grace have really impressed their team leader too – they weaselled this morning and were on the high ropes this afternoon. Phoebe was described as being, ‘Amazing – she did everything. Super confident, really encouraging of others, and really happy.’ And Grace, despite telling me three months ago that she didn’t like heights and she didn’t like small spaces did all the weaselling and went to the very top of the high ropes this afternoon. What a star.

Well done Team Fressingfield!

Tomorrow we go and spend our pocket money in Castleton and visit Peveril Castle, before climbing Mam Tor in the afternoon. Can’t wait.