Today was definitely full on for me. Three sessions, all as part of the BBC Thrill Seeker campaign, was enough to keep me on my feet. The morning started off with an adult canoe session on The Mere in Ellesmere. Surprisingly there were only 3 takers this time, which was disappointing, but meant that we could take advantage of having more input per person. It also … Read More »
Category Archives: Paddling
Dylan’s Birthday
It's always nice to be invited along to someone's birthday party and today was no exception. We had actually been due to have the canoeing party at The Mere in Ellesmere yesterday, but the weather was so miserable for the time of year that I mentioned the idea of postponing it a day. Amazingly, all those that had been invited were available today as well, … Read More »
Youth Action Team Activity Day
Today I hosted a visit from the Base 25 Youth Action Team from Wolverhampton. This is a newly formed group of young people who aim to encourage others in and around Wolverhampton to get involved in volunteering. The Youth Action Team is still being put together by Base 25, who do a wide range of work in support of the local youth. Today was intended … Read More »
3 Star Sea Kayak Assessment
After completing the training 4 weeks ago, I had hoped to get a few additional sea trips under my belt before going into today's 3 star sea kayak assessment. Although I really enjoy getting out in a sea kayak, I find that I'm not able to find the opportunities very often, so my paddling is not as proficient is it is in an inland kayak … Read More »
Canal Trip
For the next few days I'm working for Ellesmere College. They run a few different holiday clubs / courses, and have asked me to provide a few adventurous activities for their Adventure + programme. The course ran for the first time last Summer and proved very popular with those that took part. There are a dozen youngsters this time, trying various activities in two groups … Read More »
Family Paddle
Having taken a week off to enjoy some time with the family, it made sense to take advantage of the fantastic weather by getting the children active outdoors in some way. The suggestion of paddling on The Mere in Ellesmere went down well so, with 5 boats on the car and neoprene on the kids, we headed to enjoy some time on the water. I find … Read More »
3 Star Sea Kayak Training
Some call it professional development, some call it playing. Either way, this weekend was a great opportunity for me to learn some new skills in sea kayaks. The 3 star training course was held over 2 days, and based on Anglesey which is a favourite venue for sea kayakers due to the combination of its stunning scenery and complex tidal systems. After a very uninspiring start … Read More »
Canoeing on Llynnau Mymbyr
I've just got back from running canoe sessions in Snowdonia for the the last two days. Students from University College Birmingham headed to North Wales for a few days as part of their Outdoor and Adventurous Activities unit, counting towards their BTEC in Sport / Sport and Exercise Science.
When I first arrived on Tuesday morning, the temperature was -6 degrees. The … Read More »
Thrillseeker Canoe Sessions
BBC learning and BBC1 have teamed up to promote a new initiate called Thrillseeker. The aim is to help thousands of people across the UK to experience adventurous activities for the first time, in the hope that more people will feel confident and knowledgeable enough to take their new interest further. I ran two canoe sessions this morning on The Mere in Ellesmere. Both groups were … Read More »
