Gorge Scrambling

0930 – Myself, Stewart Cowlishaw (Pastoral Manager) and Nigel Seddon (Joint Funder) along with 9 Unity College High School children departed for the 1st trip of 4 we are running up to Summitreks (Griezdale Forrest).

1015 – Nigel Seddon organised for us to make a stop at Dewlay Cheese Factory in Garstang where we were given a guided tour and an up close look at the impressive £5 million pound wind turbine recently erected in November 2010.

1230 – Arrived at Coniston Lake where we parked up in a layby and had our pack lunches and a walk around the lake shore. The children also decided to have a game of manhunt in the forrest.

1330 – Arrived at Summitreks where we were all given wetsuits, lifejackets and helmets. Then a briefing from the two instructors.

1400 – The Gorge Scrambling begins as we follow the instructors up the stream immediately the children encounter some challenging climbs up the rocks and already we are all pretty much soaked head to toe! As we continue to climb the Gorge the instructors set challenges for the children.

1 was a in water wrestle challenge where they held onto each other’s lifejacket and to win you had to dunk your opponents head under the water! Another challenge was to climb/traverse along a wall to the other side and if you fail you fall into the water below.

Once we had got to the top of the Gorge the instructors explained that we could do some jumps if the children were up for it (which they were) so working our way down they completed 3 different jumps.

These jumps weren’t easy and required a great deal of courage and determination from the children who you could see loving the adrenaline rush of it all.

All in all a huge success for the 1st trip to Summitreks and the children were a credit to themselves and the School.

PCSO Paul Dickinson