Need a Knapp?

Just returned from North Devon, Northam to be precise,after 4 nights away on a school residential to Knapp House Activity Centre.
Have always wanted to go away with the children, as everyone knows, holidays are a major part of my world!! Anyway, when staff volunteers were wanted to help take 35 eleven year olds on a land/water activities week I had no hesitation whatsoever, knowing that Rob would cope admirably in my absence(so long as he had a long list and timetable of what was needed and when!).


An early start on Monday and then a 4 hour coach journey, complete with sick bags and bucket(thankfully not needed), and we arrived in clotted cream land.


No time to rest and find the all-inclusive bar on this trip...it was straight off for a lovely walk into Appledore for an afternoon of crabbing and a trip on a fast boat. The boat was superb, taking us out into the estuary at break -neck speeds. Thankfully my pate sanis stayed in my tum!


Tuesday morning was the activity I was so looking forward to doing....body boarding on Westward Ho!(note the exclamation mark) beach. Memories of many a childhood holiday in Polzeath, Cornwall.


However, there was a bit of a wall to climb in order to do this activity in that I had to put on a wetsuit - something that my body had not yet had the pleasure of fitting in to! Well they had one to fit me, so after a struggle in the hut (which also led to me standing on my sunglasses ) I finally was modelling my black and red cling film suit! (Rob has kindly doctored the pic a bit as there were children in the background, but sadly could not make me a size zero!)

Anyway, it was brilliant in the water even tho the waves weren't very big and I felt as though I was 10 once again!

Through the rest of the week, the children were pedal-carting, tunnelling,dangling on ropes,boating, climbing, abseiling,riding on ringos, building rafts and generally having the time of their lives. The smiles on their faces as they achieved things that they were scared of was fantastic and shall stay with me for a long time. It was so good to be part of their achievement and help them make the most of their week. It was great to get to know the children well too - shame they leave in 4 weeks!!

It was good to get home though on Friday evening and see Rob, Dan and Cam. I had missed them as wanted to share the week with them as they would have loved it too. Still, Cameron will hopefully go next year.....lucky thing!