A very soggy day on the Mendip Hills

Today I was again out on the Mendip Hills AONB with Level 3 public services students from Bridgwater College. This time it was the turn of the 'A' Group.

The day was pretty much a mirror image of Wednesday's session with the B's except the weather wasn't as kind to us. Heavy rain and a biting wind on the open moorland gave the students an insight into the importance of bring the right kit and carrying spares. The day finished a little earlier due to cold and wet students but a lesson learned by those who were not quite as prepared.

Only one photo today, my camera decide to give up its battery life in the cold.

Ultimate Frisbee session for 'Sports Leaders- Level 1'

As part of the Sports Leaders Uk, Level 1 qualification students are required to look at 'Fair Play' and the 'role of the official'.

To achieve this I decided to use 'Ultimate Frisbee', a game played with no referee. It is played purely on trust via self officiating.

The session started with a quick warm up and a re-visit of the different  throws and the basic rules. This followed with 10 minutes play where the students were in two teams of 4 and self officiated. The game flowed and there were no disputes.

To understand the 'role of an official' the students then took it in turns to officiate the game for 5 minutes while I stepped in to make the teams even. As the session developed and the students became tired their competitive edge started to appear and the official was questioned, players tried to bend the rules and failed to play 'to the whistle'.

we concluded that certain sports require an official to keep the game flowing but with the right attitude you can compete in a sport without the need of a referee or umpire.

The first 10 minutes played with out an official really highlighted 'Fair Play' and all the students said how much more they enjoyed it than the 40 minutes that followed.

Expedition Experience on the Mendip Hills

The Mendip Hills AONB was the venue for todays practical session with the 'B' group from Level 3 public services students from Bridgwater College.

The aim of the day being to introduce basic navigation skills and assess the equipment required for a day walk on the hills. Time was spent in Rowberrow forest and on the open moors of Blackdown. Students learnt to orientate their map and navigate using map to ground. Studying the contour lines and using the features on the map to identify their location. Some time was also spent looking at timing and pacing.

Sports Leaders Course with Level 2 Outdoor Education Students

As part of my work with Bridgwater College I am delivering a Sports Leaders Level 1 course with an outdoor education slant to the Btec Level 2 Outdoor Adventure students. In todays session we started to look at the delivery of Team development and problem solving activities.

The first hour was spent with me delivering a range of energisers, main activites and review activities. In the second hour the students were paired up and given an activity to deliver to their peers, to spice things up the students who were participants were given poor behaviour scenarios to act out. The pair delivering were tasked to deal with the behaviour and tyhen continue delivering their activity. The students did very well and in a few more weeks will be ready to go into a local primary school to deliver these activities to year 5 students as part of their assessment.

White water kayaking on the West Dart

 Team 'Burn' On show at the get in!

 Dan French from Exmoor Adventures

and again!

Gwilym Starks from Wet and High Adventures

With the water levels dropping after the recent storms I thought it would be good to get out on the river for my first white water trip of 2014 with Gwilym, Dan French and Mick. 

As the levels were good we chose to paddle the west dart which needs plenty of water, usual levels would mean a scrape down the river and not a whole lot of fun.

It is always good to get out and paddle a river that you haven't done before. The west dart lived up to its reputation and left me and the others with a smile on our faces after. At this level it was a solid grade 3 section which made you think. A few sneaky rocks to catch you out and some fallen trees made it entertaining before our get out at the East Dart/West Dart confluence some 7 kilometres down stream.

We finished off the day with a quick blast down the Loop section of the main River Dart which was also at a great level. 

Thanks to Dan (Exmoor Adventures), Gwilym (Wet and High Adventures) and Mick for good day on the river.

Happy New Year!

To all of my clients, friends, colleagues and followers, I would like to wish you all a Happy New Year.

I hope 2014 brings you fun, adventure and the chance to try something new.