Day Two - Kilvrough Blog

"Things you always wanted to know about a wetsuit and were too afraid to ask."

Evening Folks - here is your next instalment of the Kilvrough Manor residential blog which I hope you enjoy. You will also note that I have managed to include a few more photos today, having devised some creative ways for snapping children whilst out on 5 different activities despite only having 2 cameras.

It's strange the things that you learn while you are away on residential; like for example it's easier to put on a wet suit if you keep your socks on, lots of children are not good at putting on a wetsuit without quite a lot of help (sometimes from a whole team of people) and never suggest a wetsuit size to a female member of staff...'Hmm Mrs Roberts I think you're about a size 12..." I'll just leave that one there. Additionally, the girls are much better and more uncomplaining about lugging surf boards and body boards down to the beach, than the boys! Overheard today (following complaints from one of her male classmates) 'Oh for goodness sake, give it here I'll do it...I'm bored of waiting...!' (I'll leave you to guess who that could have been).

Well, the weather is holding up so far with a pretty-much uninterrupted day of sunshine today (yes we have reminded the children about sunscreen and drinking lots of water) and a glorious day at Pobbles Beach for my and Mrs Brown's group who were both climbing and abseiling. Check out the picture which is first on the slide-show for an idea of our view today; it's a tough life but someone has to do it. I read somewhere recently that two of the beaches on The Gower have been included in the most beautiful beaches of the world guide - and when you're here, you really can see why. The children in both our groups showed huge courage lowering themselves backwards off the rocks to abseil gracefully down only to alight minutes later 30 feet below. As well this, they took responsibility for belaying each other up three climbs of increasing difficulty and helping to assist their classmates back to the ground again. All in all very impressive.

Two groups have been out canoeing today and learning how to steer themselves through the countryside via one of the local canals and guess what... no one fell in! I think there were a few water fights along the way so they didn't stay entirely dry. I'm canoeing on Thursday and fully expecting the falling in ratio to increase by at least 1.

The children are still eating well - bacon rolls this morning, chicken curry, followed by chocolate-Oreo-cheesecake this evening. Bedtime went well yesterday evening and we had near silence by just after 9:30pm; something of a record I believe - sadly, the same cannot be said for this morning when I heard the pitter-patter of little feet on my landing at about 5:45am. I'm hoping the exhaustion of the day will fix that for tomorrow. The children are currently on a den-building activity in the grounds of the house (which are enchanting) the game ends it seems, with Sam the instructor tipping a bucket of water over the occupants of the den to see how adept they are in the world of water-proofing and roof building.

Right I'm off outside to see how the construction is progressing - enjoy the pictures.

GUY BRIGG