Day 3 at Dol-y-Moch did not disappoint! This afternoon, we went out to the woods to test our orienteering skills. Working in small groups, the children had to find their way around a circuit while reading a map. There were teachers hiding in the woods on the route to make sure the children didn’t make any wrong turns. Fortunately, the staff weren’t needed as we watched the children demonstrate their teamwork and geography skills to find their way around – the prize of a packed lunch at the end of the trail might’ve had something to do with their enthusiasm and determination!

After a picnic by the lake, we set off to the beach. The children searched for items on the shore, dodged a rouge crow, paddled in the shallows and made some beach art in small groups. After realising the crow wasn’t going anywhere, we decided to walk along the beach to get a much-deserved ice-cream.

The children have just eaten a filling tea of pizza, beans and wedges followed by chocolate cake – the food proved very popular with lots of empty plates! Our evening will be spent completing one final orienteering activity: Photo Trail. It will be the perfect opportunity for the children to use their torches and teamwork. The weather is still dry, which it has been for most of the day, and, amazingly, we even saw the sun today! The children are all doing so well, making Cannon Park proud.

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Heavy rain met the children on wake-up this morning: the day looked bleak. Despite the weather, the children woke up happy again after a second good-night’s sleep. The breakfast choices included shredded wheat today, which proved a popular choice for many!

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After breakfast, the rain clouds disappeared, and the sunshine made a welcome appearance just in time for our orienteering activity around the Dol-y-Moch centre. The children worked in small groups or individually to find different points around the centre with only a map to aid them. This afternoon, we’ll put our newfound orienteering skills to the test in a nearby wood before heading to the beach after lunch for more fun and ice-cream!

The day started with a 7am wake-up call for the children. They (mostly) shot out of bed, happy to start the day – parents, you’ll be pleased to know they slept soundly through the night! After a breakfast of cereal and toast, we met our instructors for the day and prepared for the activities.

Our day was split into two halves – kayaking at the lake and bouldering at the beach. Despite a light rain, the children were all in good spirits during kayaking, developing their paddle skills during a variety of fun games. The session ended with the infamous ‘Dol-y-Moch dive’ – it’s amazing to see so many children happy to be pushed into freezing cold water! They all came out shivering but smiling and wanting to do it again. Fortunately, the fireplace was burning back at the house ready to warm us back up.

The time at the beach was spent attempting various different challenges from bouldering to scrambling to jumping. The children showed lots of enjoyment in approaching the tasks with such a positive attitude.

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Some quotes from the children:

‘The dive was really cold and the kayaking was brilliant. It taught me a lot about how to kayak.’

‘The water was freezing but I enjoyed it!’

‘The rock climbing was excellent because I completed the leap of faith!’

We have arrived safe and sound in the Welsh countryside. After a lovely tea, the children worked as teams to make their beds – some needed more teamwork than others! After a brief welcome from the staff, we are all ready for a good sleep before a busy day tomorrow.