ghylls but no fish

The drying room was the start of today's activities as we tried to make head or tail of the array of wellies, coats, trousers, boots that lined the room. With some difficulty we matched everyone with one piece or other, whether they were ever issued with it we'll never know. Once finally ready we were bused off to two locations; one group to the climbing wall and the others to Hawes End Centre to pick up the guide, Chris, and a whole load of Huggy Bears, a.k.a fleecy suits to keep warm in once wet during the ghyll scrambling.

Now all ready eventually, Willie, our driver again, took us on a wonderful autumnal drive up to Borrowdale. Despite the greyness of the weather the colours are fantastic, even breathtaking at times. Chris gaves us the derivation of the Borrowdale name which derived from Viking times, when Vikings did what Vikings did. "Did they borrow stuff?" asked a voice from the back. "Yup, and they didn't give it back," Chris affirmed. Somewhat, makes me think of the Icelandics... taking stuff and not giving it back... nothing changes!

Getting wet on this activity was really the whole point and despite the gingerly taken steps at first it wasn't long before a welly was submersed, then knee, thigh, up to the middle and over the head. Sitting in a waterfall tends to ensure that water will end up down ones back. Half way up the ghyll the pupils dragged themselves though a drain that ran under the road. For this the girls bravely went first followed by the boys. I counted them in and I counted them out.

At another part in the climb they were asked to sit five abreast a flat rock thus forming a human dam. They held the water back as long as possible before being washed into the pool below. Quite what happened to the group of year 5 pupils further down stream as these torrential surges hit them I don't know. Some poor pupils probably ended up back in Derwent Water.

The final part was a jump into a deep pool thus getting completely submerged. If they were cold before this then they experienced something altogether more breath stopping as one's head felt the full chill of the water. I, of course, joined in fully with this activity, even to the point of taking the plunge in the final pool. Taking the role of tutor very seriously, don't let them tell you I was wearing a dry suit!

Climbing either followed or preceded this and took place indoors on a climbing wall, or more to the point a climbing room, where every wall, and some more besides, were covered in rock climbing holds and many of those held by climbers. It was a little like being in an ant's nest with ants going up and down the walls in an endless precession. Starting off on the gentle climbs to get aclimbatised (sorry, couldn't let that pass) they soon progressed to some very challenging overhanging routes. With each belaying the other and a third as a backstop, the pupils rotated each taking turns with remarkable fairness. Some even attempted the overhang in the bouldering area where a crash mat is provided for those attempts that don't stick long enough. It was a good day for the smaller lighter-framed pupils to do well and to show that balance and agility are more important than brute strength in this sport.

The evenings activity involved a little bit of field science and teams had to test some soil samples to discover the source of a mystery sample. It involved getting a little bit muddy, albeit indoors, and resulted in the discovery of some chocolate crispy cakes in the centre garden, although a slug had found the tin first. With all that physical exercise today sleep came quickly with no-one managing to stay awake long after lights out. Some hillwalking is on the cards for tomorrow, which will be the last day.