Year 6 Oaklands residential

Oaklands 2017

On Tuesday 2nd May, the Year 6 children and their teachers set off for Oaklands in North Wales for their residential. They were told to pack light but we were not convinced all of the children followed that instruction considering the size of their bags as we left school. Nevertheless, an hour later we were in North Wales, arriving at Oaklands which has been Wirral’s base for outdoor pursuits for many years and the children were keen to get into their dormrooms and start unpacking.

Following an adventure walk with our instructors Gethin, Andy, Joel and Brendan, the day concluded with an activity known as “The Dingle”. Following an issue of waterproof clothing from the centre the children attached themselves, via a harness, to a rope suspended at shoulder height, through the woods and given blindfolds to wear. They then had the task of making it to the other end of the rope which would have been easier had the instructors and Mr Ashton not taken the opportunity to slow their progress with buckets of cold water and, eventually, a hose pipe!

There was some chill out time before dinner which was chicken goujons, wedges and vegetables followed by salted caramel profiteroles!. 

On Wednesday, the children were treated to a visit to the Rhiwbach slate mine where they spent the entire day. Given waterproofs, harnesses, helmets and headtorches, the children set off into the mines. Whilst in there, our fabulous instructors talked to the children all about how the mine was created and how it developed over the years. Inside, we had a boat ride, a zipline and even climbed a waterfall up a mine shaft. It was a very memorable day and, when you include the 3 mile hike there and back, an exhausting one! 

On Thursday, we went canoeing and gorge walking. We canoed over the lake to the gorge where some children had a go on the zipline and some children abseiled down a waterfall and explored a candlelit flooded cave. On the way back, the wind was so strong that one group used a parachute as a sail and sailed their way back to the minibus.

It was a very memorable trip and the children were impeccably behaved throughout. They were an absolute credit to the school.

Click here for more photographs from the residential