Freeman ahoy!

For the second last week in June, Camas welcomed a group from Freeman College in Sheffield. The weather throughout the week was beautiful, allowing for all the usual Camas activities, as well as a beautiful evening kayak and a trip over to Iona where the group got to sample the delights of the fair isle. Meat was bought. Abbey was explored. 

The highlight of the week was the camp at Market Bay. Fish leapt out of the water in front of a glorious sunset, a pod of dolphins swam by, and some of the group were even brave enough to sleep under the stars, kept warm by stones heated by the fire! Sheer bliss...

The Camas Challenge was equally blissful – pirates were the theme, with the common room filled with candles, nets, ropes and even our bell from out in the bay. Pirate names were created and moustaches were drawn. We feasted on burgers, rolls and salad inside our makeshift ships cabin. Following the meal we played loads of games including balloon races and a vicious game of crab football, and we ended the evening sitting round the fire writing songs about the past week.

Thank you Freeman, we loved having you here!!

Hartlepool + Camas = Epic week

This week we worked with students from a school in Hartlepool. It was a week packed full of activities and the chance to kill each other off in the epic game, Mafia. The islands were explored, the seals were watched and many a foot went into the bogs. Note, do not take your new white trainers on the boggy walk to Markey Bay, they stand a 0% chance of staying white. If you appreciate a boggy brown tinge however, feel free.

Great achievements occurred during this week, some of which I am still astounded by. Two students and a leader managed to rock climb up the abseil wall, a feat achieved by only seven people since the activity started.  The MOST delicious lasagne was also made, a lasagne I’m sure most of the staff here are still fondly dreaming of. And then ... The raft race, which watching was definitely my highlight of the week.  It had all the qualities of a truly great race. Both rafts overturned and threw their crew into the water within seconds, and both rafts were promptly turned straight back over in a bid to win. One raft didn’t quite enjoy being righted and quickly fell apart.

Barrels rescued by the laughing onlookers, and off the team went, two barrels down and rather unstable. Don’t worry readers,  they came in a close second. All in all, it was a fantastic week of never ending table tennis challenges, of games, activities and a lot of laughs had by all. A brilliant and fun group to have with us, thank you for all your hard work and efforts. It’s been a blast.