GR10 and HRP Pyrenees Walking Routes April 28, 2008
Posted by Bill in : Outdoor Learning , 3comments
We have been starting to plan a route out in the Pyrenees taking in some of the GR10 coast to coast route and the HRP. Can’t quite decide which section to do but hope to do a mix of each route over three weeks during the sumer break. Should be good from some of the guides I have been reading. I am particularly looking forward to the food and some fantastic bivouac spots! I haven’t been out there for a few years. Last visit was on mountain bikes so will be interesting to visit a couple of places that I know on foot. Look forward to also taking in some of the higher peaks.
It’s been useful to use google earth along with a guidebook to map out the route. I hope to fill in the map with photos and route descriptions once we have actually done it. As you can see we intend to walk from the West edge of the Pyrenees on the French side to the central area. Early stages of planning though.
It must be summer… April 28, 2008
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Got the climbing shoes out and managed a few routes at Traprain Law this weekend. That is a sure sign that it is summer. Traprain feels a little bit more polished every time. The direct start on the Great Corner felt much harder than before. Traprain is however an excellent crag. I love the view from the top of the climbs looking towards Tynnighame.
Soon to say farewell Edubuzz…. April 22, 2008
Posted by Bill in : Outdoor Learning , 5comments
I have enjoyed tremendously posting on the Edubuzz site for some time now, it has helped me make links I would not have thought possible and challenged the way I have thought about teaching and working in Outdoor Learning. For a variety of reasons I have been looking at starting a blog independently now. I hope to keep the East Lothian links up and running to any new site but I wonder if anyone can advise me of a good host site for a website and purchasing domain names?
I still hope to post information about Outdoor Education in East Lothian but on a less school or group specific way. I hope that this will allow me to tackle more general issues on education, outdoor learning and training. I have also been approached by advertisers and this I feel I could not do or have on an Edubuzz site. It would also allow me to post more freely information on work I do outside the East Lothian Arena.
Any good advice from anyone on purchasing domain names and server space would be a great help.
No Edubuzz Blog format for Outdoor Education website! April 13, 2008
Posted by Bill in : Outdoor Learning , 5comments
At a meeting on a Friday the OE team decided they would not change the East Lothian Outdoor Education Service website to an Edubuzz interactive format that many of the schools in East Lothian currently use. I am of course a wee bit bias as I use the Edubuzz Wordpress format already and like it, but I wonder what our users(You) think? Click on the edubuzz examples below and the check out the East Lothian Outdoor Education Site and then leave a comment please.
East Lothian Outdoor Education Service
Thanks for your comments.
Blast off at Pencaitland Rocket Launching & Problem Solving day April 10, 2008
Posted by Bill in : Outdoor Learning , 1 comment so far
I enjoyed a great day today working with theP6 class at Pencaitland Primary School. There was great benefit in having a whole day with a class and using their immediate environment for activities. They worked really hard working in pairs, and small groups to produce some amazing results. A wide variety of problem solving and group activities meant that they all had a chance to get involved and there was opportunities for;
- raising self awareness
- positive self respect for others
- manage themselves and create their own active risk assessment
- make informed decisions while working with others
- communicating in different ways & apply critical thinking
- create and develop ideas independently
- have fun
- achieve success
- lead and organise
The way they organised themselves so confidently, creatively and maturely made me reflect on the previous day at the Challenge For Change Conference and the possible benefits to have leaders in East Lothian train in these sort of environments … possibly with pupils..often pupils can make the more difficult sides of leadership and management look easy!
Challenge for Change April 9, 2008
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I felt very privileged today to attend the Challenge for Change Conference today. Not being a manager I was a wee bit out of place but appreciated the opportunity to listen and feedback some of the comments at the workshop and plenary sessions. I think my facilitator skills need a brush up though as there was so much stuff coming out it was hard to channel it all into a few sentences, never mind right it all down!
It really brought home to me what a creative and committed work force there is within East Lothian and the fact that is acknowledged by the management team. It will be interesting to see what will result from the conference and how talk is transformed into practice, but certainly the drive its there to make things happen!
It all ran very smoothly which was down to the hard work and commitment of the organisers.
Easter Break April 4, 2008
Posted by Bill in : Outdoor Learning , 2comments
Easter break has been spent working on dissertation mainly but have managed a few walks in the Southern Uplands, the Cheviot and also the Southern Cairngorms. As well as being enjoyable I hope to use them for some walks with groups in the future. Thanks to Liz Layhe from Dunbar Grammar for her brilliant book on the Donalds (Scottish Lowland Hills 610m or above) which inspired us to do some walks nearer to home. Its a great resource. Click the above link to get a copy or from Amazon.
