We reopened for the autumn term last week. Numbers are usually down on the first week, however this time they were boosted by a couple of new children joining.
The session was geared towards the camp that we held last weekend with the children practicing putting up tents and talking about what to bring, what they were short of and what we were to do that weekend. Meanwhile I answered questions from parents about the weekend.
On Friday we set off for the camp, which was at Height Gate, the woodcraft camping barn just below Stoodley pike. Unfortunately the previous group was late returning the minibus, which meant that we were loosing light, which made the journey difficult and caused problems putting up tents.
The children were wild, as usual, and kept going until past midnight.
After breakfast the following morning we made packed lunches and walked down the hill and along the canal into Hebden Bridge to visit the alternative technology centre. After consuming our lunch we then visited the traditional sweet shop. While I myself didn’t go inside I can confirm that it’s as things use to be. My daughter came out with a couple of packets of candy cigarettes in the old style cigarette packets. I confess that I thought they had banned them!
Since everyone was very tired we caught the bus back to the bottom of the hill. On the way up everyone collected firewood for the campfire. The children then played a “wide” game that a couple of them had prepared earlier. Meanwhile I laid the campfire. After tea the children took turns with a packet of matches attempting to light it. I think that it was the first time any of them had used matches as invariably the match either went out before it reached the wood or it was thrown at the wood. Finally I retrieved the matches and the fire was lit with a single match.
That night most people chose to sleep in the farm bedrooms. It had been very cold the previous night and few were adequately equipped.
The following day we cleaned the building then went to a children’s playground in Heptenstall where we traditionally eat our lunch on the Sunday. After lunch we went to Todmorden baths to ensure that the children were not too smelly on return to their families.