Queens' School Sixth Form Visit Edale Youth Hostel

Nag's Head Hotel c1955
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Edale Youth Hostel is an adventure centre with organised activities like caving, abseiling, rock climbing and archery. Each September for many years I accompanied two coach loads of sixteen year olds who had just joined the Queens' School Sixth Form on a four day stay at this Youth Hostel. We provided them with a full programme of adventurous activities and some lessons and timetable planning for the coming two years of study by way of an induction to the Sixth Form. Although the YHA had qualified instructors the school staff needed to accompany each student group on their activity and so it was that I was introduced to caving and abseiling! I shall never forget abseiling for the first time from the top of a viaduct in Monsal Dale - I had a Mars Bar in my anorak pocket and as I went over the edge the safety rope took my weight and tightened around my waist crushing my pocket. By the time I reached the bottom 120 feet below I had a Mars Bar just a quarter of an inch thick but a foot long!!! The Sixth Formers thought it a huge joke! On that same trip I went caving as well and had no fears about this although several of my students were anxious. Staff and students had so much exercise that we were happy to eat the huge hostel supper each evening and we slept well every night of our stay. Edale Youth Hostel is actually at Rowlands Cote around two miles east of Edale village which was just a pleasant half hour walk through some fields and a gorse patch ( ! ) from the Nags Head pub. I had a beer or two there to recover from the daytime adventures!