It was great to wake to temperatures of 11 degrees and not the wintry cold of the last few weeks. The weather has been kind to us today and the kids have made full use of it. The bus left promptly at 9.35am and the journey to Newcastle was brief and bar a quick detour at Moneyslane pretty normal. The group arrived at 11.00am and were given a quick safety talk and fire drill with the instructors. The rooms were organised and the groups set off to the stores to gather all their gear and hang it up in the changing rooms. Some free time around the grounds was followed by a lunch of sausage rolls, spaghetti hoops and chips which was happily wolfed down.

After lunch the whole group went canoeing on Castlewellan lake which was great fun and ended with a lot of wet teachers and children! Dinner was a lovely chicken pie, carrots and creamed potatoes followed by apple pie and cream. Twenty minutes free time brought us to the night time activity of a moonlit walk along Murlough Beach. The weather was beautiful to start with but it soon changed and the wind and rain arrived as we headed back to the buses. A final stop at the shop of provisions and the £5 from each pupil was greatly appreciated by Supervalu.

Fifteen minutes in the common room with a few treats and then the group were heading up to bed at 9.45pm with lights to be out at 10.00pm. Great first day and some very tired P6's.