Bonaly Scout Centre next to the Pentland Hills has been transformed into a huge outdoor adventure arena for thousands of Edinburgh school children as part of a special ‘Epic Day’ out.
More than 3,000 Primary 7 pupils are descending on the site and into the Pentland Hills Regional Park for an innovative initiative run by the Outdoor Learning Team at the City of Edinburgh Council.
During the pandemic, and in line with Scottish Government guidance, there have been no P7 residential trips to our outdoor learning centres at Lagganlia and Benmore. The team has therefore decided to bring the outdoor activities to the city and provide a taste of the full residential experience in one extended ‘Epic Day’ out.
Pupils take part in a variety of activities such as: hillwalking in nearby Pentland hills, archery, climbing wall, bushcraft, crate- stack, nightline and low ropes course. This is then followed by an al fresco hot meal, games and a camp fire.
The Outdoor Learning Team, including staff from Benmore and Lagganlia, are being supported by Active Schools Coordinators and the Council’s school catering team who will provide hot meals to everyone taking part.
Councillor Ian Perry, Convener for Education, Children and Families at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “This is a special event for those P7 pupils who have missed their residential trips this year due to the pandemic. Pupils are taking part in a series of exciting activities which will give them a flavour of the full residential experience in one extended day! It’s been an amazing effort by our Outdoor Learning Team and everyone else involved to pull all this together and I know the pupils will love every minute of it.”
Peter Casebow, Chair of the Bonaly Scout Centre, said: “It’s been fantastic over the last few weeks to see and hear Bonaly Scout Centre full of young people having fun and learning again. The hard work by the team at Council in partnership with ourselves has really paid off. I’ve been really impressed by the detailed planning of the Council team to manage the complexity and scale of the event in these Covid times.