Caving - going underground

Lesson: Learning Outside the Classroom

Class: Year 5 Year: 2016 - 2017

We have had a fantastic time today at Ingleborough caves.  A very warm coach drive down with some amazingly behaved children.  Followed by a beautifully scenic walk surrounded by trees and streams and noisy sheep! The children managed the mile walk with smiles and singing, with a stop every so often for a pose or two (see photos below).

When we finally arrived at the caves the incredibly hot temperatures plumeted as we entered. The beautiful scenery changed but was still spectacular.  Replacing trees and streams for stalagmites and staligtites, the children (and teachers) wore their helmets carefully as we ducked down through the low ceiling caves and watched in awe at the Victorian grafitti, and evidence of explorers past.  Although very dark the beauty of nature was very clear and the stories of how the caves were discovered and expanded upon left the children captivated.

Even the very recent stories of a discovery in the caves last year of a wooly rhinocerous tooth that was the oldest ever discovered.  We are all very excited to hear about the present explorers and more secrets the caves uncover.

The Garswood dinner hall was converted into a babbling brook where the children tucked into their sandwiches. Change the temperature again to a hot and sticky walk back to the coach and some sleepy Year 5's enduring the hot drive home.

We couldn't be more pleased with the impecable behaviour of the Year Five children and the interesting questions they asked along they way.  A fantastic day had by all!