Last Friday after school 12 students from year 9 and 10 left the college to travel down to Ivybridge to camp overnight to be ready for the start of the South Moors Rivers Challenge walk early Saturday morning. The Rivers Walk was originally set up in order to give those students who didn’t manage to secure a place on a Ten Tors team the opportunity to experience a similar challenge albeit in a rather more relaxed and low key setting. The challenge is every bit as gruelling and in many ways more difficult in terms of the navigation skills required to negotiate the South Moor. After a two hour drive through the leafy lanes of Devon we arrived at Ivybridge School’s field high on the hills overlooking Buckfastleigh. The youngsters, in very high spirits enjoyed a bar b cue cooked by Mr Day  and a lot of fun before hot chocolate and some delicious cakes cooked by our official new cake provider Lorrie ,signalled bedtime. We all had a very early start in order to be at the school ready to set off at 8.00am.

Saturday was a beautiful bright and sunny morning and everyone, all looking very smart in new red tee shirts and their college expedition group fleeces was really up for the challenge in perfect walking conditions. The A team were Ryan Southern, Steven Cox, Oli Gibbons, Scott Braunton, James Vanstone and they were joined by Lilli Day from Budehaven. The B team was Richard Page, Elliot Somerville, Phoebe Blick, Courtney Jury, Nathan Chatfield and Ryan Roach. Unfortunately an accident at school on Friday resulted in Isaac Burnett not being able to take part this year. We were sorry to lose him. The teams, accompanied by veteran Ten Torers Rosie Day and Marc Day were soon off. While the leaders set off to walk to our checkpoint at Yealm Steps. Mid day and everyone was making good time and seemed in good shape. Unfortunately on our way back from the checkpoint we had a phone call to say Lilli Day had slipped, fallen and banged her head. So then it was a quick dash to Dittsworthy Warren to see just how bad the injury was. Poor Lilli had a very swollen eyelid and a very nasty graze so then it was a dash to Derriford Hospital to get her checked out. Being outside the time window both teams amalgamated and walked together from this point. Everyone arrived safely back at camp after a brief moment of déjà vu when we received a phone call to say they were not sure where they were. This was quickly sorted and although late everyone completed the first day and then spent the evening eating their way through an enormous amount of bar b cue, cake, dorritos and their reward energy drink Mrs Day was conned into buying them as a reward for getting everyone back.

Sunday morning too was lovely although windier and Mrs Day and Mrs Woolgar accompanied the groups for the first part of the walk. This was a very tough leg over a lot of bog and elephant grass. Their navigation was spot on and we made good time to Ducks pool where Mr Day was waiting to take over. Both teams made good time on their last leg and arrived safely back at Ivybridge School at 3.00pm earlier than expected. This was the first time every team member completed the  event, the only exception being a very disappointed Lilli. Once again a very enjoyable weekend with a group of young people we are very proud of. This is no mean challenge and for some it was the furthest they had ever walked. A brilliant achievement!

 See you at the presentation evening on  THURSDAY 12th JULY in the Devon Hall at 7pm.