William Pike Challenge- Rock Climbing

 

Monday 20th June, 2016

On Monday the 20th June, the year 7 and 8’s went Rock Climbing at CattleStop Crag, which is in the Port Hills. We were going Rock Climbing for the William Pike Challenge Award. We all travelled by car, I was in Andrea’s car with, Jacob, Prudence, Bella P and Bella N.

At the start of the morning I was very anxious and excited at the same time. I was anxious because I’ve hardly ever been Rock Climbing. And excited because I was glad I got to spend a day with my friends and a day away from school.

Finally when everyone got to school we set off to the Port Hills! Immediately as we got to the top of Summit Road we jumped out of the cars, we all grabbed a helmet and harness and followed our instructors Josh and Steven down the track to where we were going to be climbing. Then Josh talked to us about the values of rock climbing. Our Values were “Pride and Resilience”. And then he told us how they affect our everyday lives. ‘Resilience’ means to be tough and don’t give up. And ‘Pride’ means to be pleased with your own accomplishments.

After Josh and Steven finished explaining what we were going to be doing, they chose six people to go abseiling while everybody else was climbing.  When it was my turn to climb, I decided to start on the easiest wall.  I started climbing up the wall, I was having a bit of trouble at the start because

I couldn’t find a place to put my feet. I eventually made it up to the top. Now it was time to climb down.

I was very nervous about climbing down because it was a long way down.

Eventually I started climbing down slowly but quickly.

When I got to the bottom, I said ‘I want to do that again’.

Sadly it was nearly time to go back to school, there was only three people left to go abseiling, it was Base, Prudence and I . We walked over to the hill where we were going to be walking backwards off a cliff! Prudence went first, Base went second and I went lucky last. When it was my turn Steven asked me if I knew what the best part of going last was, I said no, he said it was because you get to make a grand entrance. At first I thought it was only Mrs Royfee, Prudence, Base and Jacqui, but it turned out that everyone was down there. When I got down to the bottom everyone got asked what they were proud of. I said making it up to the top of the rock wall.

I really enjoyed our Rock Climbing for the William Pike Challenge and can’t wait for our next!