School camp photos

I promised that I would put some photos on - here are the first ones. If you haven't seen any pictures of camp yet, here's your first opportunity.

Mr Devereux

The Low Ropes Course

The team try to escape from the Titanic, while Saltire and Fudge try to help each other balance.

The High Ropes Course

Bramble and Whisky just hanging around after swinging on the trapeze. Bramble is also showing off her belaying skills.

On the high ropes course

Paul Burn demonstrates how to do the cows' tails while The Human Nessie prepares to climb.

Preparing to go night swimming...outdoors!

In the forest

Bramble finds a grass snake and goes, "Aw..."

The Tarzan Pool

Camp photos

Mr Devereux's final thoughts on camp

Most embarrassing moment:
Not recognising Adder in the disco and asking him, "Which school are you from?"

Best moment:
Doing the water slide at the end of the gorge walk.

Most bizarre moment:
Paul Burn getting a big bump on his head...after having been hit by...a Boost chocolate bar.

Best overall thing:
Dry, warm weather for all of camp.

Most frustrating thing:
Not catching Neap during tig!

Noisiest moment:
When Pink's So What was played at the disco.

Scariest moment:
Seeing Bramble pick up a snake (guess who doesn't like snakes!).

Best ghost story:
My own one!

Most repeated question:
"Are we nearly there yet?" (on the bus).

Best meal:
Fish and chips.

Voice I heard most often down the girls' corridor after lights out:
Tinkerbell!

Camp eating award:
Paul Burn!

Most amazing moment:
Seeing Rob Roy MacGregor lying back relaxing in the Tarzan pool as if she were in a hot tub while everyone else was shivering and freezing to death in the arctic waters.

Last to sleep:
Hawthornden Primary staff @ 2 am.

Well done, everyone, on meeting so many challenges and being such a great crew. You were toptastic!

Mr Devereux

Benmore Blog, day four (Nettle)

We did the ropes course today. It was so cool because I jumped off a trapeze and climbed really high. We also did canoeing. We had a race and my team won. We also got the results of the raft race and we came 3rd. I am going home tomorrow and the disco in tonight. SCARY SCARY! Better go because I really need the toilet! Tonght is the last night I write my Benmore diary.
Nettle
xxx

Benmore Blog, day four (William Wallace)

This morning we went on the ropes course which was fun especially the Trapeze when adder and me started walking up each other to try and hang upside down. In the afternoon we went canoeing in Loch Eck. After canoeing we turned a canoe over and started jumping on it until it flipped over and threw us off. Highlander and Thistle threw me head-first into the cold water. Tonight we have the disco. Dinner was roast potato and Yorkshire pudding.

Benmore Blog, day four (Ally McCoist)

This morning we did canoeing and we went sailing and we never got wet totally. In the afternoon we went on the ropes course which is a 40-50 foot climbing thing with ropes and when we did that at the end we went on the trapeze.

Benmore Blog, day four (Turnip)

It was great this morning because we went kayaking. We attached two canoes together and paddled down the loch. We then put up a sail and sailed the rest of the way. It was a bit wet but still great. We then went on the ropes course in the afternoon. It was really scary looking at the course but when you got up it wasn’t too bad. We climbed up about 50 feet and then jumped off. It was really exciting. We then stood up on a really high platform and swung onto a trapeze. It was great.

Benmore Blog, day four (Stardust)

Last day.
We had breakfast, did canoeing again (hurray) and did sailing at the same time, lunch (boring), gorge walk. Slides were great. Tea. Janina’s cake for pudding. Now disco time.

Benmore Blog, day four (Adder)

Last day.
Best day!!
I really enjoyed today. We went on the ropes. I did trapeze with William Wallace. Today felt really long. After lunch we went canoeing. We rafted them together. We are about to go to the disco. I hate dancing!

Benmore Blog, day four (Neap)

It was really fun today. This morning we went canoeing. It was really windy so we tied the canoes together and used sails to ride. In the afternoon we went to the ropes course which was great. We had to climb up all these logs and ropes and then jump off and there was a trapeze. It was great. You climbed this really high wobbly post then with a partner, jump off and grab it then swing. After tea we got cake and not just any cake. It was a birthday cake with my name on it! I was really pleased and the class got extra cake.

Benmore Blog, day four Tinkerbell)

This morning we did the ropes course. It was WOW!!!!! My favourite! It was really scary especially the trapeze. Me and Thistle just jumped off together screaming!!! Then we went canoeing and got soaked, stuck and then sank eventually.
Tinkerbell xoxox

Benmore Blog, day four (Highlander)

In the morning we did the ropes course. It was super-high but very fun. There was one point where we had to jump on a trapeze and that was FREAKY. In the afternoon we went canoeing. It was very windy so we rafted the boats together. At the end we got very wet. In about half an hour we’re having a disco and that’ll be FUN!

Benmore Blog, day four (Thistle)

The ropes were AMAZING! They were definitely my favourite. I did the cancan halfway up a log and danced on the pole. The trapeze was so fun. But I had to clamber up Tinkerbell to hang off it!! It was soooo fun!!!
The canoeing was fun too! We all really enjoyed it. We roped two canoes together and all went together. We all had a race and we won!! It was great!!!

Benmore Blog, day four (Bramble)

Human Nessie woke me up today I was really tired it was so annoying. We went down to have breakfast. We had bacon! Went out to see Pete. We’re going abseiling. We got ready and walked down to the indoor climbing wall. I managed to do and overhang. WOW. We finished there then walked to a huge boulder. We walked up a path to the top and attached ourselves to ropes. We abseiled down. it was 50 ft then we walked to and other rock and climbed it. We went and had lunch then went to the gorge. We started with some scrambling then had to walk over a log then fell in. We kept on walking then got to a slide. I slid down it really fast. We got to a rock called the keyhole we had to crawl through a really tiny space to get out. We got to a steep bit and Grabbed a rope. We pulled ourselves up and got to a bit called Africa. We had to crawl under a rock (in the water). We got back. It was freezing. Had tea then Janina’s birthday cake. Yum.

Benmore Blog, day four (Berry)

Well this morning we went to a big house and got to climb these big rock things and then we went climbing and abseiling but I only did the climbing. In the afternoon we went gorge walking it was great fun because there was lots of water. Tomorrow we are going home and I am excited. Tonight we are having a disco.

Benmore Blog, day four (Highland Cow)

We went canoeing and to the ropes course today!!! It was really fun! There was a high ropes course. We tied 2 canoes together and used a sail. It was sooooo fun! I had a great day!

Benmore Blog, day four (Whisky)

In the morning we had breakfast and then we did abseiling. We practised first in the building and then we went outside. It was really good fun and I enjoyed it lots. In the afternoon we went on a gorge walk. We climbed up the river and slid down a water slide. The best bit was going through a tunnel with water coming in your face! Scary! Tonight we’ve got a DISCO!

Benmore Blog, day four (Robin Red Breast)

It was really fun today because we went on the ropes course. We had a harness and I climbed up the really high ladder and I walked across the log. I got scared on the high log but I still did it! When we jumped off I floated in mid air. It was AWESOME! The canoeing was cool. I went in the front and got soaking! I’m looking forward to seeing my family again but I’m sad to leave.

Benmore Blog, day four (Rob Roy MacGregor)

We did the ropes course in the morning. It was absolutely brilliant. After lunch we went rafting. We had a race and were playing games. The dinner was good. I am so looking forward to seeing my mum, dad and my dog Scooby.

Benmore Blog, day four (Saltire)

It was amazing today! We did the abseiling and climbing! We went in the indoor one to practise and then the quarry! Then the gorge walk which was amazing and I got soaked! I liked the human dam. Disco the night!

Benmore Blog, day four (Fudge)

I had a really good day today! We did the gorge walk and abseiling. The gorge walk was really fun and challenging. We got to slide down the rock in the gorge!! It was really fun. The abseiling was challenging and fun too. We abseiled down a rock. It was 50ft. We are going home tomorrow. I am a bit sad.

Benmore Blog, day four (Tartan Terror)

Yet again it was great! My team won the raft contest with our craft “edible fish”. Our first activity was canoeing. We tied two canoes together so we had four people in a boat. We had two four-people vessels. When we were halfway across the loch the wind picked up so we put up a sail! It was exhausting! We all flopped into the van when we were done!
After lunch it was the ropes course. There was a trapeze that was above a tiny platform. Neap and I jumped off together. When I was climbing up I had another panic attack but when I got up it was awesome. We were on harnesses so it was fine! Tonight is the disco. Looking forward to seeing you. Love lots.

Benmore Blog, day four (Loch Ness)

Sorry - not allowed to start with ‘today’ so – Today we went canoeing. We attached two canoes together and then paddled in. It was great. Then after lunch we went to the ropes course. I climbed up a huge post then I jumped off it with Turnip (the platform on top was about the size of a pizza box!), then we jumped of it at the same time onto a trapeze and dangled. It was sooooooo……cool! Going home tomorrow – a bit sad.

Benmore Blog, day four (Chris Boyd)

This morning we went canoeing. We had to join the canoes together so we got divided into two groups. We sailed down the loch and back. Then we put a sail up and sailed further down the loch. Then the bus came to pick us up for our lunch.

Benmore Blog, day four (Haggis)

This morning I woke up at 7.10am then had breakfast. We went on the high ropes. It was amazing! Then we had lunch then went canoeing. It was tiring. We kept getting swept back. Then we had to clean our waterproofs and boots. After we had free time. Then tea of roast beef and Yorkshire pudding.

Benmore Blog, day four (The Human Nessie)

In the morning we were climbing and abseiling. To start of we practised both on an indoor climbing wall, then we went to a massive rock. We walked up a path the got all attached to the ropes and had to lean of the edge. After that it was just an easy walk down…….a cliff. Once we were down we then went to another bit of the cliff and climbed up. It was really fun.
After lunch we went to the gorge. After a while of climbing up a river, we stopped to slide down a rock slide. Once we were at the top we all sat down and dammed the gorge. The water all built up behind us until eventually we all went flying down the rock slide. It was soooooo fun! See you soon.

Benmore Blog, day four (Paul Burn)

Today I went climbing and abseiling. It was amazing, so cool! This afternoon I was gorge walking. I got soaked.

Benmore Blog, day four (Braken)

I had good fun today because we were climbing, abseiling and gorge walking. The abseiling was high and steep and the gorge was cold but I really enjoyed it. I was quite scared to abseil because it was quite high but it was fine once I started. I got soaking wet doing the gorge walk. See you soon.

Benmore Blog, day four (Mr Devereux)

Today I joined another group for the morning and returned to Loch Eck. However, instead of repeating kayaking I took part in some canoeing. Pairs of canoes were lashed together to make catamarans. The wind was amazingly strong and we paid an unplanned visit to the caravan park on the opposite side of the loch! It was very hard work for the team to paddle back into the wind and return to the correct side. We did it though. We all loved Neap’s birthday cake. Bramble and Thistle devoured the crumbs left on the plate as if they had never been fed before. Everyone got very excited about the disco and the girls spent a long time getting ready. It was rather loud but the class really enjoyed it. A nice teacher from Hawthornden Primary set up a games room for children who don’t like discos and that proved popular too. I showed some of the class how to play Monopoly.

Benmore Blog, day three (Saltire)

Today we did caves in the morning and kayaking in the afternoon. Caves were amazing. The best part was getting lowered down to the dark, damp and deep cave! It was really good anyway! We didn’t get time to do the second because we got more time for swimming and kayaking.
After lunch we got our stuff and headed straight out! It was cool. Some people capsized! Then we jumped in for a swim at the end!

Benmore Blog, day three (Bramble)

Today we did caving and kayaking. The caving was scary. We walked up a hill for a while then came to the cave. Pete set up the equipment and we got lowered down through pitch black on a harness to the cave. We turned our torches on at the bottom and started to walk through the cave. There were jagged rocks and big black openings. We saw lumps of quartz and layers of rust in the dark rock. It was like a narrow high tunnel. We got to a bit where we had to climb down a rope and then we walked through the caves for a while then came into sunlight and climbed up a rock with rope. We went for lunch then came back to kayak. We kayaked on Loch Eck which means white horse. It was really windy and at one point there was a whirlpool. We just paddled around for a while then played a game. Pete was the shark and when he tapped our kayak we had to go back to shore. We had a race to grab a pink buoy and Whisky and Bracken fell in while reaching for it. I dropped my paddle and had to paddle around with my hands. I was reaching for the paddle and fell in. Brrr! We went swimming in the loch and are about to built a raft.

Benmore Blog, day three (Chris Boyd)

Today we went with Morna to the gorge walk and I fell but I’m still living. We went down a chute. It was lots of fun. In the afternoon we went caving and I got stuck but eventually I got there. It was wet inside and dark but we got torches. Eventually we climbed out and went back to camp. Tonight we are doing raft building.

Benmore Blog, day three (Whisky)

Today we woke up and had breakfast. Today was going to be good. In the morning we went caving and in the afternoon we went kayaking. The caves were dark and damp and some parts were really narrow. We got lowered down by a rope and went off to explore! It was good fun.
In the afternoon (after we had lunch) we went kayaking. We had a boat each and it was really hard to balance because it was quite windy. Me and Bracken and Bramble fell into the freezing water. I t was really good fun and we had oars. Benmore is really good and the weather is brilliant!!
Whisky xxxx

Benmore Blog, day three (The Human Nessie)

Today, in the morning we had room inspection. We got 10 out of 10! For our fist activity we went caving. I had to be lowered down first into the dark, dark cave. Dun dun duuuun!! But it was okay because I had a torch on my helmet.
For our second activity we had kayaking. It was so fun. Once we knew how to turn and go straight etc. we got to play games. In one of them we all bunched our kayaks together and we stood up, one at a time, and walked along the kayaks. I, of course, fell in. Bramble, Whisky, Bracken and Paul Burn all capsized at one time or another, so we all got good and wet. At the end we all went for a swim. After we’ve finished this we are going rafting! We are all going to work in teams to make rafts! It’s going to be fun!
Bye,
The Human Nessie
xx