Students get to grips with maps

Their first challenges were a set of team building activities where the careful reading of the instructions, use of initiative, teamwork and communication were key to their success.

Students needed to use clue-solving skills, maths, English and their newly acquired understanding of cardinal compass points to solve who killed the world-renowned biscuit baker, Gary Bauldie.

It was a tough challenge with the two teams using different tactics in order to solve the clues without giving help to the other team.

Everyone did fantastically well and made it around a tough challenge, however special mention to Luke who solved many of the visual clues whilst the rest of us were still scratching our heads, and to Jake, whose navigation, patience, and leadership skills were very much evident.

We highly recommend Treasure Trails as a fun way to practice your navigation and map-reading skills whilst having fun in the process – there are hundreds of cases to solve all around the UK.

Week two of the map reading challenge saw students split into two teams to try their hand at orienteering at the Outwoods in Loughborough.

Using a compass, an orienteering map and taking headings, students navigated around the woods to hunt down the café for a hot chocolate and a cake.

This was a little more challenging with students needing to approximate distances on the map to the footpath and taking headings using their compass. Lots of great teamwork, problem-solving and resilience were shown, especially as the weather turned wet earlier than expected.

The key learning of the day: Take a clear plastic cover for paper maps; they don’t work so well when very wet!!

PS: No one got lost (for very long…)