Borrowdale

We explored the area around the Youth Hostel more today with a 'guided' walk in the morning, highlighting the 3 different areas we could carry out our investigations in later in the week (Woodland, grassland and freshwater stream) and then we spent the afternoon planning our investigations. Topics varied from moss coverage on walls (mine) to flatworms in freshwater streams. It was interesting to be able to take an independent project and plan it, including what equipment is best to use, without much input from teachers. We did however have to go through plenty of waiting in queues to get the go ahead from the teachers.

That evening we did a great orienteering exercise around the area we'd walked earlier in the day, with 10 different 'check-points' which we were awarded points for. We were given staggered starts and had exactly 1 hour to complete it - if we were early or late we were deducted points. There were other tasks we had to complete too, such as design a hat (and be wearing it when you arrive back), bring back wool and a feather, find a strange shaped stick, a team photo not at a checkpoint etc. It was fantastic and we really enjoyed it (except maybe the midges!)