Heatree House
Year 6 are going again to Heatree House on Dartmoor this summer for a week's activities. These include a high ropes course (see picture on left), kayaking, archery, abseiling, low ropes team building courses and orienteering. Based on Dartmoor near Hound Tor, Heatree House is situated in impressive grounds with easily enough space to accommodate the hundreds of schools
and other groups who come to stay in the house whilst enjoying the activities on offer. Our Year 6 children have been going for this week away since 2000 and it is definitely one of the highlights of the year.
 |
 |
 |
| going in... | little monkey | "the pointy end goes this way" |
 |
 |
 |
| "was a long way up that hill!" | anti-gravity boots | "who wants more salad!?" |
This year there were a couple of changes at Heatree in the activities - a newly built climbing tower which has 4 sides built onto a frame around a tree rising about 40ft. Scary. the other change was a team challenge at the end of the week called "Mission Impossible" in which each of the 4 teams had to collect 'currency' which they obtained by finding markers on an orienteering course. This currency they then used to buy materials used to build a raft which they needed to get to a small island where they planted their team flag. Easy.
As well as those activities were archery, a high ropes course, a low adventure course, kayaking, a camp fire and a team initiative challenge on the first afternoon to get us in the right mood for working well in teams. Mud provided one of the most attractive locations and was preferred by most of the children to anything that might clean them.
 |
 |
 |
| going up... | new mud limbo course | "and then the horse said..." |
 |
 |
 |
| oh dear | hit and hope | the human fly |
Once again the trip was a great success for the children and the brave members of staff who went on the trip. Having the week away rather than a single day out reinforced the focus of teamwork and all the teams developed well and by the end of the week had come to learn to trust each other, listen to others and to speak up themselves. The variety of activities during the week meant there was a challenge for everyone, in different forms. Definitely one of the highlights of the year!