Always worth it

A simply superb day of outdoor learning today. Although the girls I was with would just say "we've been adventuring!"
The girls (age 10/11) made all the decisions about where we went, what we took with us, what the boundaries were and worked out what risks they were willing to take. In the process they've been learning to be kind, fair and encouraging. To take risks, dare to fail and to revel in thier own and each others success. To be brave and to know that it's OK to be scared. They've worked together and decided when it's OK to go it alone. To make decisions and live with the consequences. To champion each other. They've tested out ideas come up with creative  solutions.
Of course they wouldn't tell you any of that. They'd say that they dammed a stream, jumped off high rocks, got swallowed by bogs, built a den, listened to silence, made a seesaw, went for adventure wees, dunked heads in the loch and had lots and lots of fun!
Fun though it was, I needed a quick escape before our whole team meeting this evening. Umming and ahhing about whether a quick paddle was worth it, a run would be easier. Went for it and was rewarded with cool clouds, a rainbow and just enough breeze to float home with a freshly cleared head.