Over the half-term, eight young people and two staff went away paddling at Matlock (Peak District) on the River Derwent for two days. This was the young people’s first taste of white water and an opportunity for them to put the skills from their training sessions on the Basin and on the Thames to the test. The river was running pretty low, but this didn’t stop the paddlers from having a good time. They got to try out ferry gliding, breaking in and out, some stern dips and even a few Eskimo rolls. They enjoyed running the sections of rapids forwards and backwards. Aside from kayaking, the young people also got to try out a bit of swimming down the river and a couple of rope swings found along the way.
The two slalom trainees for the Youth Games found the opportunity to train on the slalom course at Matlock invaluable, and no doubt this contributed to their impressive achievements of individual silver and bronze medals in their categories.
The trip was a great success and all young people had a fantastic time; even the forgotten tent poles and pegs weren’t enough to dampen their spirits. They also had a good time bonding with the peacocks who live on-site at the Barn Farm campsite as well as the resident herd of cows.
Comments