Year 5 John Muir Award Walk – Minions, Bodmin Moor

It’s a wild, remote and beautiful spot, and a great place to introduce them to the essence of the John Muir Award – which they will all be involved with this academic year. There are four aspects to the award, with the wild walk forming part of the ‘explore’ section of the award.

Our route took in plenty of industrial archaeology, in particular features of mining, such as engine houses and quarries. The children also considered the effects of geology on incredible rock formations like the Cheesewring – and the views from the top of Stowe’s Hill, across the moor were sensational.

Other notable landmarks on the walk included the Pipers and Hurlers Stone circles.

What about memorable moments? I suppose, if I had to choose just one…then walking in complete silence for five minutes was blissful. The children were asked to pop their cameras away, and carefully pay attention to nature. It was lovely to see how everyone paid greater attention to the beautiful landscape surrounding them.

What did Year 5 think of the wild walk?

How does Mr Macquarrie know everything about industrial archaeology? (Silas)

It was cool eating lunch in the middle of a huge quarry! (Wilf B)

The engine houses looked incredible from the outside… (Calum)

Sally Luxton