Fond memories of Wales walks (From Redditch Advertiser)

Fond memories of Wales walks

4:32pm Tuesday 15th July 2008

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A TEACHER from Walkwood Middle School is saying "Hwyl" to his students after nearly three decades of taking them walking in Wales.

Science teacher Bob James, 60, has been travelling to the Nantmor Mountain Centre in Beddgelert, Snowdonia with his students for 28 years and is thrilled to take so many memories from him.

"It's been brilliant," he said.

"The trips take the kids out of the classroom and let them use what they've learned there in the real world."

Some of the activities include hill walking, orienteering in the dark and a whole lot of cooking as the centre is unstaffed and the school contingent is completely self-sufficient when it goes.

"It's a really different experience, and something that a lot of the kids have never done before," added Mr James.

"They have to learn to live as a community, doing their fair share of the daily chores, and what you really notice is the way the kids always seem to gel as a body when they are there.

"They go up as individuals and turn into a unit that has to work for each other."

Mr James thanked all of the ex-pupils, parents and other colleagues who have helped him over the years but won't be saying goodbye to the centre entirely as he is still the warden there and has even been asked back by a few of the pupils to do the cooking.

Mr James has set up a Facebook group called I Survived a Walkwood Wales Trip and any ex-walkers are welcome to join.

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