A Night In A Bare Mountain!
A number of years ago when I was a much younger guy it was my pleasure (!) to organise an outward bound type trip for a few of kids aged between about 10 and 15. The idea was relatively simple, I was to drive one minibus load of them with my then fiancee (now wife) following with another. Our destination was the Welsh seaside where we were to stay at a centre for one night, the subsequent day drive into the country and walk up into the hills, spend the night in a cave, travel back down the subsequent day and spend yet another night at the centre before our journey home.
The plan went rather well, the trip to the seaside was no more than 2 hours and was uneventful with only a couple of complaints of hunger and car-sickness no more than you could anticipate from a load of kids seperated from their parents. Immediately after a substantial meal we went to bed because we had an early start and a busy schedule the subsequent day.
As we were to stay in a cave (in truth a disused slate mine) there was no need to take tents however we did have all our warm clothes, food and sleeping bags to carry. An entertaining but hot and sweaty time was spent hiking into the peaks and enjoying mountain-type activities such as abseiling. The idea was to tire them all out because the evening was certain to be not easy sleeping on the floor. Right after our dinner we settled down and Zoe read aloud the section from The Hobbit regarding Gollum in the cave. Irrespective of this we all slept comparatively well and were up bright and early the next morning to leave into the daylight. A number of the younger ones were beginning to show the strain and were slowing down slightly. Zoe, showing her cruel streak, stayed back setting a couple of candles on the ground and lighting them. After rejoining us again she suddenly let go a shout exclaming look out, Gollums following us you can see his eyes glowing. Youve rarely seen so many small lads feet run so rapidly or witnessed a funnier scene.
Returning back to the activity centre Zoe recounts the sight of the lead minibus abruptly screeching to a stop, the rear doors being swung open and the youngest child being ejected to be instantly sick all over himself. On getting back to the centre there was a decent meal prepared but as we were sitting down I observed the very same kid was absolutely mucky, although I must say none of us were particularly clean following our trip, I sent him off to wash his hands. 20 seconds later he returned saying I do not know where the bathroom is, heaven only knows what he did on our initial evening there.
Bedtime brought on the typical larks within which one of the older lads stumbled over some furniture and snapped his arm. After all that outdoor activity who would have thought it? We in the end managed to convey 20 shattered, grubby but satisfied boys back to their mums and dads. This affair took place more than 30 years ago and has certainly not been repeated, it in all probability would not even get off the ground today being a health and safety and risk assessment nightmare, nonetheless quite memorable.
The plan went rather well, the trip to the seaside was no more than 2 hours and was uneventful with only a couple of complaints of hunger and car-sickness no more than you could anticipate from a load of kids seperated from their parents. Immediately after a substantial meal we went to bed because we had an early start and a busy schedule the subsequent day.
As we were to stay in a cave (in truth a disused slate mine) there was no need to take tents however we did have all our warm clothes, food and sleeping bags to carry. An entertaining but hot and sweaty time was spent hiking into the peaks and enjoying mountain-type activities such as abseiling. The idea was to tire them all out because the evening was certain to be not easy sleeping on the floor. Right after our dinner we settled down and Zoe read aloud the section from The Hobbit regarding Gollum in the cave. Irrespective of this we all slept comparatively well and were up bright and early the next morning to leave into the daylight. A number of the younger ones were beginning to show the strain and were slowing down slightly. Zoe, showing her cruel streak, stayed back setting a couple of candles on the ground and lighting them. After rejoining us again she suddenly let go a shout exclaming look out, Gollums following us you can see his eyes glowing. Youve rarely seen so many small lads feet run so rapidly or witnessed a funnier scene.
Returning back to the activity centre Zoe recounts the sight of the lead minibus abruptly screeching to a stop, the rear doors being swung open and the youngest child being ejected to be instantly sick all over himself. On getting back to the centre there was a decent meal prepared but as we were sitting down I observed the very same kid was absolutely mucky, although I must say none of us were particularly clean following our trip, I sent him off to wash his hands. 20 seconds later he returned saying I do not know where the bathroom is, heaven only knows what he did on our initial evening there.
Bedtime brought on the typical larks within which one of the older lads stumbled over some furniture and snapped his arm. After all that outdoor activity who would have thought it? We in the end managed to convey 20 shattered, grubby but satisfied boys back to their mums and dads. This affair took place more than 30 years ago and has certainly not been repeated, it in all probability would not even get off the ground today being a health and safety and risk assessment nightmare, nonetheless quite memorable.
Source...