During the first half of the summer term, Year 4 went on a trip to Cuffley Camp and enjoyed a day learning to build shelters, make fires and perfect our orienteering skills.
The first activity was shelter building. The main thing about shelter building is that the branches have to be stable and thick and the floor can’t be tilted, otherwise the rain will come right through. To protect ourselves from the wind we had to face our entrance away from south east. Our tutor asked our teacher, Mr. Jones, to pour water over our dens to see if they were strong.
The next activity, building a fire, was good, because it made us get warm very quickly. We made fires using sticks, bark strip, cotton wool, steel and flint on a string. Luckily, there was a wood nearby the campfire so we went in there to collect all the objects. The hardest bit was lighting the fire with the flint and steel, because you had to get the swipe of the hand just right.
Finally, we went orienteering. Orienteering involves map reading to find points or areas in the landscape. This is done by using a detailed map of the area & a compass. It can be enjoyed as a walk in the woods or as a competitive sport. We had to locate letters situated on signs either fixed to buildings or fences that spelt two sentences. They were: ‘I beat the Cuffley Trail’ and ‘Orienteering is great!’