by Marlene Bogensperger and Class 4e
This year, it was our turn to visit Moorland Hall in West Devon, England. We had an amazing time and took part in some really fun and interesting activities like kayaking, high ropes, crabbing or archery. We want to share our experiences with you, so here are some entries from our blog to keep friends and families updated on our exciting journey.
Arrival at Moorland Hall
Upon arriving at Moorland Hall, we were immediately overwhelmed by the beauty of this special location! There are two houses and a huge garden with a football field, swimming pool and a small high ropes climbing park. The girls stayed in the main house, while the boys slept in the coach house. Fortunately, our rooms were cosy and clean!
In our free time, we gathered in the living room, played games or the piano (depending on the musician, it was more or less enjoyable), or we just chatted and relaxed on the big, comfortable sofas.
Exciting Activities
We enjoyed activities like kayaking, the thrilling leap of faith, and crate stacking, which was both great fun as well as a demanding team-building exercise. Two people stack crates on top of each other, trying to get as high as possible. The record was 18 crates, achieved by Bene and David. Congrats, guys!
Trip to Plymouth
We also took a trip to Plymouth and visited the starting point of the „Mayflower“ in the city’s harbour. This famous ship left England in September 1620, setting off for America with the Pilgrim Fathers on board. We also played volleyball next to a huge lighthouse and enjoyed fish and chips in a real English pub. Yummy!
High Ropes and Archery
Have you ever tried high ropes or archery? Those were definitely memorable experiences for us. Becca and Meg, our instructors, taught us the basics, like how to hold a bow and shoot an arrow.
On the high ropes we climbed about seven meters off the ground. It was scary but so cool! Overall, it was a thrilling and challenging activity, and we think everyone should try it at least once in their lifetime.
Coastal Walks and Crabbing
We loved the coastal walks along the beaches of Devon and Cornwall. The wind was blowing hard, but we enjoyed spending time together in the nature. We were fascinated by the tides and loved the changing colours of the sea. We even took a ferry to a lovely little town called Padstow. There, we tried crabbing (catching crabs with strings) and were really successful, explored the town, and shopped in tiny, cute stores. This day was definitely one of the highlights of our trip!
Free Time at Moorland Hall
Every day, we had some free time to spend on the grounds of Moorland Hall. When the weather was nice, which it was most of the time, many of us played football, often until after 9 pm. One night, we made a campfire, had stick bread, and we played “Capture the Flag” on the moor right behind the house.
Visit to Tavistock
On our last day, we visited Tavistock, a gorgeous little village near Moorland Hall. The houses and shops in Tavistock looked very British, and the most popular one for us was the bookstore. There was also a lovely market, a beautiful river, an old town hall, and a cathedral.
Journey Home
Sadly, our journey ended too soon and we all would have preferred to stay longer! On our way back to Heathrow, we stopped near Stonehenge and caught a glimpse of the famous rock formation from the Bronze Age.
It was a bit of a shock to hear that our flight was cancelled, but we were quickly rebooked on an even earlier one to Frankfurt. There was also a surprising family reunion when Paul met his dad at the airport by chance! We landed in Salzburg at 11 pm, where our parents were happily waiting for us. Everyone is going to miss Moorland Hall a lot!
… But maybe some of us will be back in the summer!
