Beautiful Blea Tarn

Up silly early to assess the last little bit of campcraft from G1. In pouring rain they were in infectiously good spirits, something I admired from the comfort of the van with a coffee ;)

A wander around Blea Tarn as the rain slowly stopped afforded some opportunity for reflections; both visually and philosophically. A harsher Assessor than me could concur there have been grounds to fail these kids, but in reality those errors have been made by others who should have done better by them, the kids have done exactly what was asked of them. But more importantly, in the spirit of the award they've developed in lots of ways. The nervous almost fearful approach to the mountains from their practice has been replaced by a real enthusiasm. Many groups donate their kit on at the end of the program, a sure sign it hasn't engaged them (in my opinion). This group want to keep theirs and even asked if they could come up with next year's candidates. I've seen teamwork, camaraderie, endeavour and the learning and application of new skills. The quiet children of six months ago have become chattering laughing young adults - it's been a pleasure to see. That's enough for me, well done team, you deserve your pass. Go back to school and feel proud of yourselves and inspire next year's group to follow in your footsteps.