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David Brown - Ullswater, The Lake District, 1959
Boys in the photograph Left to Right
Top Row: David Brown (North Yorks), John Blackwood (Manchester), Chris Stevens (Bucks)
Middle Row: Mike Yeomans (Carlisle), Geoff Dayley (Manchester), Eddie Wilkinson (London), Ian Mc Dermott (Blackburn)
Front Row
Eddie Machin (Manchester), Roger Chester (Lincs), John Richardson (West Hartlepool), Chris Rogers (Leics), Karl Smith (Accrington)
I was 14 years old in 1959 and lucky enough to be selected for a North Riding of Yorkshire Education Committee Scholarship to attend Ullswater Outward Bound School on a 4 week course. It was a great privilege since only 2 grants per year were made for the whole County. I was Head Boy at Eston County Modern School, but having failed the 11+ examination, had to leave the school later that year since no examinations were offered and the school leaving age was then 15 years of age.
I kept a detailed log/diary during every day of the course and each day started at 6.30 am with a freezing communal shower, where as a patrol, we had to pull chains which released the ice cold water directly down onto our heads. The tutor in charge would count slowly to 10 and if any boy moved his head out of the shower he stopped counting. We would all look feverously round to spot the miscreant and shout 'Get your head under', upon which the tutor would start counting again.
In those days it was a very tough course and extremely challenging, particularly the camping expedition in the middle of March up Scafell Pike. However, the course introduced me to the beauty of the Lakes and I came back the following year on a youth hostelling holiday with a friend and at a later time with my wife for part of our honeymoon and camped in Langstrothdale.
I feel that Outward Bound toughened me up and I always remember the motto: "To seek, to strive and not to yield"�. This reinforced my self belief and after leaving school I went on to gain a Mountain Leadership Certificate, a first class honours degree and became Principal of a Further Education College.
Top Row: David Brown (North Yorks), John Blackwood (Manchester), Chris Stevens (Bucks)
Middle Row: Mike Yeomans (Carlisle), Geoff Dayley (Manchester), Eddie Wilkinson (London), Ian Mc Dermott (Blackburn)
Front Row
Eddie Machin (Manchester), Roger Chester (Lincs), John Richardson (West Hartlepool), Chris Rogers (Leics), Karl Smith (Accrington)
I was 14 years old in 1959 and lucky enough to be selected for a North Riding of Yorkshire Education Committee Scholarship to attend Ullswater Outward Bound School on a 4 week course. It was a great privilege since only 2 grants per year were made for the whole County. I was Head Boy at Eston County Modern School, but having failed the 11+ examination, had to leave the school later that year since no examinations were offered and the school leaving age was then 15 years of age.
I kept a detailed log/diary during every day of the course and each day started at 6.30 am with a freezing communal shower, where as a patrol, we had to pull chains which released the ice cold water directly down onto our heads. The tutor in charge would count slowly to 10 and if any boy moved his head out of the shower he stopped counting. We would all look feverously round to spot the miscreant and shout 'Get your head under', upon which the tutor would start counting again.
In those days it was a very tough course and extremely challenging, particularly the camping expedition in the middle of March up Scafell Pike. However, the course introduced me to the beauty of the Lakes and I came back the following year on a youth hostelling holiday with a friend and at a later time with my wife for part of our honeymoon and camped in Langstrothdale.
I feel that Outward Bound toughened me up and I always remember the motto: "To seek, to strive and not to yield"�. This reinforced my self belief and after leaving school I went on to gain a Mountain Leadership Certificate, a first class honours degree and became Principal of a Further Education College.