Y6 Residential – Hollowford 2019

It’s interesting that the journey to Hollowford always seems to pass more slowly than the journey home – possibly because we are all awake for the whole time, whereas on the way home most children sleep for part of the way. Still, we passed the time with Top Trumps, boxes, hang-man and consequences. I love the moment when, “Are we nearly there yet?” and, “How much longer?” turns into gasps as the scenery changes into the Derbyshire hills, and the hedges are replaced by stone walls and the children start showing us that they speak fluent sheep… “Baaaah!”

The first task, once we have unloaded the bags, is to make our beds by using the inside-out duvet cover trick. It looks easy when the centre-leader demonstrates, but takes some mastery and there are always one or two children (Isaac!) who seem happy to settle for their duvet being balled into a lump in the middle of their cover.

Anyway, all the beds having been nicely made, we ate then set out for a walk to Odin’s Mine. This is a beautiful romp across the fields, over brooks and stone walls and up the hill towards the foot of Mam Tor where there is an old lead mine. We saw tiny new-born calves – and it turned out that many of the children were fluent in cow too – especially Kira.

We chatted about caves and mines, and relived parts of the Sherwood Hoodies. We stopped to watch two cows butting each other, then made our way back to the centre, nicely worn out and ready for bed.

So, now the children are tucked up in bed with their cuddlies in their hands and – hopefully – already dreaming about what they will be doing tomorrow. They are certainly nice and quiet

We had a little bit of drizzle this evening, so let’s hope the weather holds out for the week.

Mr Leicester