SU student group, Adventure & Expo, recently organised and expedited a weekend trip to Dartmoor with freshers' students.
Group organisers shared with us an overview of the trip and their success with introducing more University of Plymouth students to new activities and to the beautiful local countryside....
This past weekend (30th September - 1st October) we held our annual first-weekend trip to Dartmoor. Staying in the Dewerstone Cottage on the South of Dartmoor, our members had a choice of walking, climbing, bouldering, and caving on both Saturday and Sunday.
We had over 40 members join us on this trip, capped only by the size of the bunkhouse!
Saturday began early, with some very sleepy-looking walkers meeting just before 8, where they were then driven to just north of Sharpitor. They walked through the moor to Nuns Cross, over to Cadover Bridge, and through the forest to the bunkhouse. Whilst they were walking, climbers were taken to Sheepstor, where Naima Humpage and our Climbing Sec Sophie North had pre-rigged top ropes ready to get people climbing outdoors, many for the first time! Boulderers were dropped off nearby at Lakeside Boulders, with some cool features and a mix of grades -- there was something for everyone! Whilst this was going on, Owain Garrill-Perkins, our Caving Sec and James Moody, our Kit Sec were busy organising and sorting caving suits, ready to bring a group down Pridhamsleigh Caverns -- a muddy and often tight cave that promises you'll get wet! As the afternoon rounded off and the rain started to come in, we reconvened at the bunkhouse for dinner and some classic climbing/caving games.
The Sunday began with a lot of tired-looking freshers having a quick breakfast before starting to clean the hut. Boulderers and climbers left first, heading to the Barn indoor climbing wall - an old school gym just past Tavistock. Walkers set off in the drizzle on a similar route to yesterday but aiming for Yelverton, where they stopped in the pub before getting the bus back to Plymouth. A new group of cavers went down Pridhamsleigh Caverns, again getting very wet and muddy!
Overall this trip was a huge success, with many people getting to see Dartmoor, or trying climbing or caving for the first time, being pushed out of their comfort zones and meeting like-minded individuals.
We've had many positive messages and support from our members who thoroughly enjoyed the weekend, and getting to do activities they wouldn't normally have the opportunity to. If you'd like to join us for the next one, or any of our other activities, take a look at our upsu page or our social media (linked down below).
This trip couldn't have been put on without our trip sec Emily Whitham, and the support of all our committee who worked tirelessly all weekend, and for the weeks before to plan, organise, and execute this trip. Thanks to everyone who helped out, and for everyone else who came along and made the trip so successful!
Feedback from students who attended this trip:
"It was a fun and enjoyable experience with breathtaking views at Sheepstor. The logistics of the trip was spendidly done and we had everything we needed for our activities. The planning of the cars were done well and nobody was left stranded without transport." -- Ng Ed Wyn, 1st Year
"Thank you very much for organizing the trip this weekend, it seemed to be much better planned out than last year's trips and was great fun of course!" -- Maddie Collins, 3rd Year and long time member
"Thankyou so much though to everyone that organised everything and took us out for each day, had lots of fun with amazing, skilled people, as well as met loads of new people!! Can’t wait for more!" - Jenni Howell 2nd Year, 2nd year in the club.
Follow Adventure & Expo on social media:
Instagram: @adventureandexpo
Facebook: facebook.com/groups/276915489052434
Send them an email: adventureandexpo@gmail.com
