Page 27 - LION YEAR MAG 2017_FS_R_Neat

This years group of Year 10 Students have returned from an adventurous
mountaineering expedition in the little visited mountain range of the Sierra Nevada
in Southern Spain. After completing an acclimatisation trek in the foothills of the main
range, the team hiked up into the main mountains, to make ascents of several notable
peaks. During the week, they summited both the highest mountain in mainland Spain
(Mulhachén, 3482m), the second highest peak (Valeta, 3394m) and enjoyed some
exposed scrambling along the knife edge ridge of Pico de la Caldera.
Carrying everything they needed for the week, the journey involved some
considerable effort and even a little drama, when on the highest summit, the team
experienced the (literally) hair-raising experience of being a little too close to an
electrical storm!
The accommodation was in a mountain refuge for some nights, but the best night
was camped out in a remote mountain shelter. We all shared the one big Alpine Bunk,
and would have slept soundly were it not for someone’s sleep talking and someone
else’s un-naturally load snoring. There was no electricity or
running water, so we had to melt snow on the
camp stoves to cook for ourselves. Sierra Nevada - Spain
On the last day we descended
back to sea level and had a
swim in the Mediterranean to
freshen up on the way to the
airport!
This term saw what must be a first
for Colwyn Bay RFC as Head of PE
at St David’s College, Daniel Lycett Form pupils. The new course (Specialist BTEC
and student and 1st XV Captain
Harri Jones took the field in the
Conwy Land Rover Plate final on
the weekend for their game
against Caernarfon Rugby Club.
This event saw the two with a
mere 21 years separating the two
Martin players.
Head of PE, Daniel Lycett said: “It
Ian is a real pleasure to see one of the • Alternative Activities in Outdoor Adventure Level 2,
students doing so well and he is a
credit to the school, he has shown
real progress over the last two
years both on and off the pitch”.
Harri Mostyn Jones, who made his
senior debut in the semi-final
victory of Bro Ffestiniog RFC, said:
“The experience was enjoyable
and challenging at the same time;
it was fantastic to experience the
changing room in a cup final, there
was a real buzz! It’s a proud
moment for me to play at this level
at my age”. Harri hopes to continue
playing whilst at university and
aims to travel back to play for
Colwyn Bay also.
26
BTEC - Sport / Leisure
Martin
Ian
Two years ago, the Outdoor Education (summer and winter),
department made the decision to change the orienteering, geo-
BTEC course we were offering to our 6th caching, bushcraft, via
ferrata, kayaking,
canoeing, sailing (dinghy
Level 3 in Skills and Activities for Sport and
Active Leisure (Outdoor Education)) is and keelboat), surfing, white
designed to equip pupils with the skills and water rafting and powerboating.
experiences that they may need in order to
start work in the outdoor adventure industry. All of this activity is underpinned by
classroom and school based lessons in navigation, safety and the theory
The new course consists of 6 modules, taken behind why outdoor education is such a powerful educational tool.
over two years through the 6th Form. These
modules include: In addition, the group have organised and undertaken a multi-day
• Taking Charge of Sail Craft expedition to Borrowdale in the Lake District, and passed a number of
National Governing Body (NGB) qualifications including RYA Powerboat
RYA Short Range Certificate, Canoe Wales
paddle sports certificates, RYA dinghy
sailing certificates and NICAS
• Outdoor and Adventurous Expeditions indoor climbing awards.
• Land Based Activities
• Water Based Activities I would like to say a
huge thank you to the
• Outdoor and Adventurous Activities first group through
this course, for
As the first intake on this course come making it such a
to the end of their outdoor studies success, and always
with us, I think I can say that the being up for an
course has been a great success. adventure!
The group have undertaken practical
activities including climbing (indoor
and outdoor), bouldering, abseiling,
caving, mining, gorge walking,
canyoning, coasteering, mountaineering