Staff from the Leeds Rhinos Foundation are in Thirsk this week with 40 junior rugby players from community clubs in Leeds for an adventure week at Carlton Lodge Outdoor Centre. Hear more about the camp below in this blog written by the staff about the week with todays day 3 and 4 roundup
Day 3
The third day of the adventure week started in familiar fashion with a few tired faces turning up to breakfast at 8am after a tiring day off site and plenty of physical exertion from the boys throughout the previous day again.
On the agenda for the Wednesday was another day almost guaranteed to add to the already large pile of wet and muddy clothing in the drying rooms at the centre with a day of Kayaking, raft building, bushcraft, including learning how to build shelters and create a fire and indoor and tree climbing added to the fun.
Highlight of the day was seeing the lads build a raft that actually kept afloat for 10 minutes enabling most of them to circle the island in the middle of the lake. This didn’t last long as most ended up in the lake after the rafts began to all apart.
Kayaking games were also much enjoyed, as we could see from all the smiling faces with games including Bulldogs Kayaking, steal the rubber ducks.
Night time and a special guest arrived in the shape of Brian McDermott. Brian took time out of his busy schedule to talk the lads about teamwork, creating good environments, honesty, trusting your fellow team mate.
Brian spoke passionately about Attributes of a professional player and what is needed to succeed. The young lads listened and then asked their own questions to Brian.
Day 4
Day 4 was a reverse of day 2 where 1 group went to How Stean Gorge and the other went to the Caves nearby.
Richard and Chris the team leaders gave a great account of the day’s activities and by far the gorge walking was mentioned as the best activity, splashing about in water and plunging of the side of the river bank, rolling, sliding down rocks.
The caving is still an activity that tests the lads, taking them out of their comfort and pushing them to the limits of their fitness.
James and Dan went to Brimham Rocks with their groups and another top day of interesting knowledge of the area and the rocks, physical climbing, bouldering and abseiling was had by all.
George and the other Carlton Lodge staff took the groups around the rocks giving them an insight to the shapes. We saw the bear rock, the turtle, the flying eagle and running the lads through lovers leap.
Climbing also tested the lads and some of them excelled and were up the rock face in know time.
Night time was spent doing educational personal development and Mixed Marshal Arts and self-defence.
There were plenty of opportunities tonight to practice their performances for the presentation on Friday afternoon and some of the leaders have become quite competitive, let’s see tomorrow how they go.