Passing on the knowledge

THE SHARING

PUTING IT ALL TOGETHER

All the hard work that has been done by Holly over the past few months towards her Discovery Award had been worthwhile for today she proved that she had listened, learned, and was able to discuss and answer questions about her time in the forest.

She began her sharing in the carpark explaining to one of her guests, Christine Matu, what the forest experience was all about. After Holly had given a brief explanation of what her time spent in the wilderness had meant to her another two of her guests had arrived, Miranda Morgan the John Muir Inclusion Officer, and Mark Birchall the Forest Ranger.

Holly took her guests to Sean's plot in Bowkerstead, one of the wild places she has being exploring, to talk about about her work and the need to understand how nature fits together. She was asked some very tough questions by all of her guests about the work she has done , what she has got out of the John Muir experience, and where she would like to go with her work. She answered all of the questions well, taking time to think about some of the more difficult ones. She remained calm throughout not getting flustered by lots of questions.

It was a fantastic sharing for Holly!
She went on to talk about her experiences on her Duke of Edinburgh expedition practice, and how she has gained a much better persepective of how she fits into her natural environment. Well done Holly.

The Dalesway volume two

Anything you can do we can do too!



Getting ready to continue the exploration in the wilderness.


Working with little help from staff is a great way of gaining confidence in the wild place where you may find yourself and for gaining confidence in your self and the group that you are working with.

The camping proved to be be little problem to the group, they were all organised and ready to work hard in setting up an organised area and get the cooking under way.

Not to be bettered by the boys, the girls also went down to the river side to see what was there to interest them.
But not before getting in touch with themselves and the beautiful peace and tranquility around them.

The last day, they all succeeded in braving the wilderness and learning to understand themselves just that little bit more. When asked if it was worthwhile their response was unanimous:
"It was not just a good trip, but an educational one and when can we do it again?"
The trip had all the elements of what John Muir is about, self sufficiency, working towards achievement, learning, and fun.

The Dalesway - Dentdale

The expedition was to walk a section of the Dalesway, an 82 mile walk from Ilkely to Bowness on Windermere. The section they were covering was in Dentdale, a beautiful part of the Yorkshire Dales and a fantastic wilderness to explore.



The group of intrepid explorers were fortunate with the weather as it was fine for the entire trip. This made the heavy packs lighter and navigation easier.



The discovery of new skills (being able to carry large packs, helping each other when the going gets a little bit tougher, navigating using a comapass, cooking your own tea, pitching your own tents, sorting out your own personal space... the list goes on) is an exciting experience.






The students had the thrill of adventure coursing through their veins and were ready for a night under canvas, but not before a spot of fishing by the nearby river so that they could have a fish supper. The rods were fashioned form the braches of trees and the hooks were borrowed from the supply of safety pins. The noise and sight of the fishermen sent the fish swimming into the distance. You could almost imagine the fish laughing at the spectacle.

The Dalesway - Dentdale

Quite a few of the students who are using the natural classroom of the forest as a place to learn new skills have also taken up the challenge of the D of E scheme. It would seem that the call of the wild is strong within these young ones and the chance to get out and have an exciting adventure is just too good to miss!
One of the best parts of an adventure the beginning, before the discomfort begins to take its toll. It is a time for checking your pack and helping each other, and for good natured banter between people who are sharing the same experience.

Journey of self discovery

It was interesting to listen to what Megan and Shane had to say about their sharing experiences in a residential home, they found it a little nerve wracking. I asked them about how they felt when they were in the forest and doing their sharing and they replied that it was a much more natural experience for them. What I did not realise is that they had been taken out of their comfort zone and placed in a potentially threatening environment; because I was so confident in their ability to be able to talk with ease about what they had learnt in the natural environment, I had forgotten that they were now talking in front of people that they were unfamiliar with and it had made them nervous! But they both managed to overcome their fears and perform to their own high standards.
The journey that these candidates are taking is not just one of being in a different environment, learning about habitats, photosynthesis, how people impact on the balance of nature, but one of self discovery and being put in a position where you have to feel uncomfortable before experiencing the great feeling of relief.

Abbeyfield

The Conserver Award candidates are beginning to explore the 'big wilderness' that is all around them. They recently asked permission to be able to go into a local residential home, Abbeyfield, to give a talk about the work that they have done, and are currently undertaking in Grizedale Forest.
Megan and Shane have completed their Discovery and Explorer Awards and are working towards their Conserver Award so they have a great deal of experiences to talk about.


The residents were very interested in what they had to say and related some of their own experiences from the vast knowledge they have collectively gained.
The students were asked how they felt about the talk,
"I was really nervous, a lot more nervous than I thought I would be, but I enjoyed it ,nearly as much as being in a wild place!" Megan's answer summed up her feelings,
"That was very difficult!"
The exchange of experiences was really interesting, listening to the residents tell of their exploits and comparing it with the adventures of the two students. It was a fantastic opportunity to share and one that will repeated as the depth of experiences that the candidates gain deepen.