All back safe and sound

Very many thanks to Ms Craig, Ms Lester and Mrs Ruddy for all their hard work over the week.  Looks like another brilliant Benmore. 1800 views of the blog by today.

Cruising down the M8

That's us on the M8 now just leaving Greenock. Tired campers!

Google maps tells me 1 hour 34 mins to Leith Primary. 

Ferry crossing

That's us onto the ferry again and it's beautifully sunny. 

We're thinking it will be 12:30/12:45 that we will make it back to Leith but will update from the M8. 

All our bags are packed, we're ready to go..

Leith Primary School outside the door!

Three schools worth of lost property!

Yikes!

Last get up :)

Last get up and for some it was tough!

Before breakfast we've got to get dressed, pack, strip beds... for certain among us, it's proving a bit much and for others they're super organised and sitting back chilling! I'm still in pjs and not packed at all, I think I'm the worst in the group!

DISCO

Disco time and much bouncing!

Day Four

We're just about to start our team briefing for this afternoon and will soon be heading to the shore. 

Group One spent this morning at the ropes course and swung and scrambled like monkeys. Some hilarious climbs from Naveed and Expedito with a mixture of supportive comments and shrieking. I have to say that the girls were the best at climbing ;) with Shona making an excellent leap for the trapeze. 

Group Two are headed there this afternoon following a morning tramping though the woods. I think their shelters were a bit more impressive than yesterday and they even had scooshy cream on their hot chocolate heated on  the camp fire. (Shona would like it noted that the opinion on the shelters is mine and certainly not theirs!)

Low ropes 

High ropes

The view from the top

Kyle climbing up

Group two shelter building

Hiding out in the finished product. 

Good morning (Thursday)

We've just finished our bacon or egg rolls and it's chores time! One table are so keen, they were off before I could snap them!

Group One will face the High Ropes course this morning (I'm terrified but try not to show it!) and Group Two have a choice, they may go orienteering or try the Jungle bashing that we did yesterday.  It's raining fairly heavily just now so I hope the waterproofs dried out after yesterday's hosing! We may add 'how to hang clothes effectively' to the curriculum for the final term. 

1180

1180 views of the blog.
By Wednesday night the Benmore Blog has had 1180 views!

Many thanks to all the staff at Benmore.

Blogging

I hope you're enjoying our blog. We're currently sitting outside the dorms as the kids settle down for the night. I'm blogging, Ms Craig is downloading all the hundreds of photos from today and Mrs Ruddy is using her kindle fire to check out the blog!

Lights out in three minutes!

Hunt the Teacher

Ms Craig, Mrs Ruddy and I along with the teachers from Stockbridge Primary and Hermitage Park have spent the last hour or so hanging out in the rain in a game of Hunt the Teacher! It's great fun and we tried to make ourselves as tricky as possible to find! (It's lovely and quiet!)

Following last years selfie up a tree, here's another and also Ms Craig's view at the Japanese Ornamental Garden. 

Starving! We earned our lunch today!

Group One have spent the morning crashing around on mountain bikes. SUCH fun; muddy puddles and bumpy roads :) Expedito managed an impressive tumble (and zero injury) while he got used to the brakes! We also had some awesome races round a circuit in the forest. 

Group Two tackled the gorge. The keyhole was a tough challenge but sliding down the chute was a little easier!

Clean and dry gear is running low but it's absolutely worth it. 

Good Morning (Wednesday)

Good morning campers! A few sleepy smiles but plenty noise as we get up for Day Three. It's slightly greyer out today with fresh winds but we're all ready to go, just as soon as we've had our sausages and beans for breakfast :)

Morning boys 

And girls

And a wee look outside the front door. 

Day Two

It's bedtime again following a great day of adventures. 

Tonight we joined the pupils from Stockbridge Primary and Hermitage Park for a scavenger hunt around the grounds. The pupils mixed brilliantly, working together and having plenty of fun. 

I think there are a few tired faces headed for bed, although I can still hear plenty giggles coming from all the dorms!

Tea and cake time

That's us all back from a beautiful afternoon on the loch. Glorious sunshine and no wind meant fabulous conditions for paddling in our kayaks (my favourite!) 

Some delicious banana cake just now to see is through the free time until dinner at 6:15. 

So far, I've been hanging out with Group One. Shona, Caitlyn, Naveed, Alex, Expedito, Kyle, David and Jacob, not forgetting our instructor Scrutts!

Ms Craig and Mrs Ruddy have been with Group Two. Charlie, Jasmine, Mehmet, Connor, Matthew, Kieran, Zafar, Alexander and Zak with their instructor Mhairi. 

Group One on the loch

Group Two playing kayak games, JUST before Ms Craig took an unexpected swim!