It all started in the classroom, we were really excited to finally get to Castle Espie! We waited until everyone was ready and then got on the bus. (We had to sit near the front because the both of us get travel sick).
We were on the bus for around one hour and ten minutes - it took a little longer than we expected because there was a road closed.
When we got off the bus we were met by Joan and Sharon. They led us into the building but every time we went through a door we had to walk over disinfectant mats - this was to make sure there were no germs on our feet that could be harmful to the animals. We had a snack before we headed off - we were STARVING! When we had our snack we were led past the area where the bird were but couldn't go inside it unfortunately.
Our class group then gathered at the Gunpowder Store - this was the meeting point to start and end our day. Then the adventure really got started! We met Ava the osprey at her nest and she asked us to help her to find out about her family and any other animals that we might come across. Our class then divided into 3 groups - red, green and blue. Each group went to three different areas. (But we all made sure to check out the fun spots!)
The green group went to the Dragonfly station first and saw a rope bridge, it was extremely mucky with a massive puddle running down it but we loved trying to balance to go across! We had to find a quiet place to close our eyes and relax, then listen to the translator device that gave us some information about the animals and our surroundings. The green group also went to visit the Reed Warbler station and the Otter - this took ages to find!
The blue team went to the Willow tree first and their task was to blindfold a person and then pick a tree to direct them to. They then had to listen carefully to a bird and try to imitate them. The green group also visited the Water Vole station and the Lapwing - gathering more information at each point.
The red group stopped at the Marsh Harrier, Woodlouse and Grass Snake. The Grass Snake station was the best because it was close to the castle which was great fun to play on! We really felt like we were right in the middle of nature with so many beautiful sights and sounds around us.
Everyone got a chance to play on the swings, castle, and the speedy zipline. We then gathered together at the Gunpowder Store - the views across the water were stunning! The class walked back to tell Ava what we had found out about her family and the other facts we had gathered along the way. She tried and tried to fly and eventually found the strength in her wings to fly to her family in Africa.
Castle Espie was a fantastic venue for a school trip - we were so lucky to be the first group of Primary 7s to have the opportunity to visit the wetlands. The ospreys are amazing birds!
Now that we are back in class we are enjoying completing the tasks set through Generation Wild. It is helping us to understand and appreciate nature and we can understand the importance of looking after it for future generations!
By Ola and Junilce P7C
