Have you ever been down a slate mine, climbed a mountain and eaten a roast dinner all in one day? Well, Year 6 have! Our final full day of adventure was a fantastic way to cap off a great week!
Once again, everyone woke up happy and smiling this morning and, after devouring many bowls of cereal and too many rounds of toast, we got kitted out for our day in the Snowdonia mountains. The minibuses dropped us off at the foot of an old slate mine. As we walked steadily upwards, the instructors shared their knowledge about how the mining industry has shaped the geography of the area – there is even a few slate mines still in operation today!
As we approached the entrance to the mine, the clouds darkened but the excitement rose – the children couldn’t wait to get inside the mine. We had to use all our newfound scrambling skills to navigate the mine with only the light from our headtorches to guide the way. It was interesting to hear what life would’ve been like when the mines were in their prime. Our children would’ve been working down the mines rather than enjoying their education, as they do today.
After stopping for lunch and hot chocolate inside the mine, we continued onwards and upwards before finally seeing daylight again. The journey back down the mountain was just as entertaining – the children learnt the famous ‘bum shuffle’ method for getting down steep sections.
Upon returning to the centre, the children settled down to a freshly cooked roast turkey dinner before spending their pocket money in the gift shop – parents, you can expect lots of presents! All that is left is a big tidy of the centre to ensure it is ready for the next Coventry school to visit before one final night’s sleep and then the journey home.
Everyone is happy to be here but also looking forward to coming home tomorrow. This evening, the manager of the centre praised the Cannon Park children for their behaviour over the week; he commented that all of the instructors had really enjoyed working with the children.
