Dungeons and Dragons!

Good evening All!

Today was a memorable one for the children. We visited Warwick Castle, the highlight of which was a visit to the Dungeons. Ms Rosanne and I did not go in as we stayed outside with the children who were a bit too scared to enter. Before you enter, a Jester dressed all in black and with a face made up to look really evil, gives you a brief introduction to the 'delights' to be seen in the dungeon. Whoever she was, she was a fantastic actress and suitably scared the children. So we told them no-one had to go in and some chose to stay outside while the rest went in with Ms Maris, Ms Isabelle and Ms Mary Anne. They thoroughly enjoyed the experience and will have lots to tell you about the visit when they get home. Even Ms Maris admitted to feeling slightly shakey during the experience!

We also watched a falconry display with some magnificent birds of prey. One highlight was watching a huge merlin being chased and scolded by a tiny sparrowhawk.

We visited a reproduction of a Victorian weekend party in the Castle and the children said how much they enjoyed seeing what life was like in those days. The boys were impressed by the fact that the footman only earned £32 a year and the girls really loved the Victorian nursery with all the beautiful baby clothes and toys.

The children saw a working water mill and learned how electricity for the castle was generated by the mill until the Second World War.

A beautiful castle-like playground built all in wood was the site for our picnic lunch. It was a lovely safe place for the children to run and play. The deep layer of wood chippings covering the ground intrigued the children greatly. They said it felt like walking on sponges.

We then saw a re-enactment of a trebouchet being fired. We all gathered on a slopping lawn overlooking the river with the trebouchet on the other side. But I think the children were more impressed by the mother duck and her ducklings and the swan who came and walked amongst us. The children's cameras were going like mad and you'll have plenty of pictures to see!

The children and teachers then walked the battlements of the castle, climbing some 530 steps in all! The view from the tower was magnificent and cameras were clicking like mad again.

Speaking of pictures - since I am borrowing the reception computer to send this blog, I haven't yet managed to download photos to it. Tomorrow afternoon we go shopping in Stafford so I'll buy a pendrive there. I can then download the photos from my laptop to the pendrive and access them from this computer. It never occurred to me to bring a pendrive with me! So sorry you will have to wait.

Some of you have already spoken to your children by now but I will reassure you all that all the children are well and happy and eating quite well, too. Some took a little while to get to sleep last night but after all the fresh air today I am sure they'll be knocked out at bedtime.

At the moment they are working on their scrapbooks of the trip and hot chocolate and cookies await them before bedtime.

Best regards to you all!