Folktales, campfires and freezing temperatures

“It was lovely to see how much [my daughter] got out of it and I also know so many other parents felt the same.”

Twenty-seven bold Y7s (and four members of staff) braved the Beowulf Camp in late January. With temperatures set to drop to -3° overnight, their resilience was sure to be tested.

Based in the woods around the outdoor classroom, some chose to pitch and sleep in tents, while the braver souls chose to challenge themselves further by sleeping in a tarpaulin basher they constructed together. Conversation around the campfire the following morning suggested that those in the middle of this shelter enjoyed a snug night: those around edges, not so much… 

Using skills taught in the weekly OPS Challenge sessions, the group took collective responsibility for the lighting and sustaining of the campfire. Not only did it provide warmth for the duration of the camp, it was also used for cooking the evening meal of baked potatoes and late night hot chocolate and smores. The deepening darkness added atmosphere to the retelling of the saga of Beowulf and the South African folktale of the Tokoloshe Man. For many, the highlight of the evening was stargazing before bedtime; the awe and wonder was palpable as the children benefited from lower light pollution to identify constellations and the odd satellite. Conversations turned to interstellar exploration and the sheer expanse of space. And so to bed. 

There were some weary heads in the morning, but also those who said they had slept better than they do during the week. It had been a cold night and there were certainly a couple of people who needed the warmth of the campfire to defrost. A few likely lads noted the frost on the astro and absented themselves to create a “frost-angel” or two. Innocent fun. Back around the campfire, everybody attempted to make their own bread roll to accompany their breakfast of bacon and eggs. The queue for seconds (and thirds and fourths) seemed endless. Then, just like that, the camp was over. Tired eyes and wide smiles said their goodbyes and headed home.

“Thank you all so much for such a very successful camping night on Friday, [my son] had an amazing time. He loved sleeping in the bivi, looking at the stars on such a clear night and a eating a delicious fire-cooked breakfast.”