Day 1
We made good time from London to Wales and everybody was very excited when we crossed over into Wales.
The mountains rose up to greet us as we neared Pendarren House situated outside the village of Llangenny.
The staff were all waiting to greet us and they welcomed everybody to Pendarren for the week.
The children were given a guided tour and they took their cases to their rooms before having lunch.
In the afternoon we had our first activity of the week.
It was exciting to be able to stroll across the fields on a nature ramble in this beautiful part of the world.
Such a change from our city surroundings,with the mountains and valleys in the distance.
After lunch we visited the Pendarren greenhouse to learn all about growing different plants and vegetables.
Later the children made their beds,unpacked their suitcases and were ready for the very appetising evening meal.
Tomorrow we are off to the Gower coast.
What a glorious day here in Wales!
The weather is marvellous and really brightens up everything.
The children were awake very early and ready to start their day.
With only birds singing in the morning how much quieter it is in the countryside.
The instructors loaded up the minibuses and we set off for the Gower coast.
We arrived in a place called Langland Bay on the southern coast of Wales.
We set off on a walk across high zig zag paths to Caswell Bay.
On the way we were lucky enough to see four seals swimming in the sea.
On arriving down to the beach we had lunch and then went rock pooling for creatures left behind at low tide.
The children gathered up carefully a variety of sealife such as crabs and starfish.
The highlight of the afternoon was going for a paddle in the sea as the waves broke on the shore.When we were back in Pendarren the excitement continued with a go on the zip wire across the field.
Tomorrow we will be visiting Big Pit coalmine and going on the Adventure Journey.
Greetings from Pendarren, the children are all well and enjoying the wonderful weather.
Today we went to Big Pit coalmine.
We were given a helmet, a light and then taken down the mine in a lift.
The children were given information about working in the mine back in Victorian times.
We learned how children sadly as young as six years of age worked down in the mine.In the afternoon we went on an Adventure Journey up through a valley and followed the course of a stream.
Near the end of the stream we found a beautiful waterfall tumbling water from a height.
Afterwards we were taken back across country by minibus to Pendarren House.
Today the children were on the high ropes course.
They had to work as teams to help each other.
There were lots exciting new experiences and they did really well.
Canoeing was another activity which the children found to be very enjoyable and they soon learned the techniques.There are lots of evening activities to do.
We took the children up to the Pendarren tipee to enjoy stories and have some last night entertainment.
Tomorrow we will visit Abergavenny to go to church for St Peter and St Paul’s holy day.
We will also visit Abergavenny Castle.
See you tomorrow at school at 5.30pm.
Day 5
Today we were up early to get ready for our journey home.
Before leaving Wales we went to mass for the feastday of St Peter and St Paul at Abergavenny.
We were made very welcome by the priest who mentioned the name of our school at the beginning of mass.
The welcome did not stop there because we were all invited in to the local primary school beside the church.
The whole party was given refreshments and our children played football for playtime.
This week has been a wonderful experience for all.
See you sat 5.30 today at the school.
