The annual Welsh adventure for Year 7 is as old as Wilson’s buildings in Wallington, with Lower School students attending a version of this trip since the early 1970s.

While much of the format has changed over the years, the philosophy of living and working together in an outdoor environment, learning new skills and having fun, remains unchanged. From the various centres, pupils are encouraged to make good use of their free time away from electronic devices, instead playing cards or board games or organising sports. Pupils will have spent a day on the Wye, learning to canoe and turning their hand to raft building. Using intermediate technology, log planks and barrels to fashion a river-worthy craft, teams of pupils either successfully rode their rafts down-stream or watched as they collapsed and paddled to collect the various elements of their failed craft!

The pinnacle of the trip is the climb up Pen-Y-Fan, tallest of the Brecon Beacons, the highest mountain in South Wales. It is a physical challenge which affords those fantastic views of the Bristol Channel and beyond. The peak stands at 2,907 ft above sea level and all those who made it up can be rightly proud of their achievement. Mr Burton and Mr Walters would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff of the three centres, Big Pit and Black Mountain Activities and the eighteen member of staff who accompanied the pupils, but also those who covered in their absence and those who administered the trip, without whom none of this could have happened. Thanks also go to a great set of pupils who behaved impeccably and threw themselves into the week with the usual great enthusiasm!