Teaching in Nature

Teachers' plans - Auchmuty High School in Loch Leven NNR

Planning Visit to Island, Loch Leven 26.5.10, Joan Brown and Jill Darroch

  1. Prospective plan for pupils' visits in June:
    • Pond-dipping at St. Mary's Knowe
    • Boat trip to island and castle
    • Findatie area and bird hide
  2. Discussion with Neil (SNH)
    • We would park at Kirkgate to go to St. Mary's Knowe. Wellies not needed for pond dipping. Primary age children tend to enjoy this sort of activity most. Nesting birds are a great restriction on practical tasks in June.
    • Possible practical task for September – raking.
    • Possible practical task for Feb – tree planting.
    Alison Couch of SNH should know her availability next week re her availability for the June visits.
  3. Trip to island.
    • Each boat carries up to 12 passengers. Spoke to Simon, the Scottish Heritage manager at Loch Leven, who hopes to be able to provide 2 boats for each day (on Friday this involves overtime).
    • There are plenty adult-sized lifejackets. Passengers do not usually use them. There are 12 child-sized ones between all boats but adult-sized ones will be appropriate for most, and likely all, of our pupils. Avoid bumping your head on the boat roof.
    • View of Kinross House from island. Owned by David Montgomery (his son is called James). David Montgomery owns the island and castle, but lets Historic Scotland manage it, and also owns the loch and surrounding land, which SNH manage. Kinross House gardens are open to the public.
    • When on the island, the emergency numbers to call are 01577 862670 or 07778 040483.
    • If the weather is wet, the boat driver can unlock a small room (seen) where we could eat lunch.
    • There are toilets: 1 male cubicle (currently out-of-order) and 2 urinals; and 1 female cubicle. No handwashing water – gel hand sanitizer dispensers instead.
    • There are a few picnic tables plus some benches around the island and 3 tables plus some benches in the castle. Each table could seat up to about 8. Possibly we could also take waterproof sheets so pupils could also sit on the ground to eat.
    • There is a woodland walk. It's probably is best to stay inside the metal fence, owing to nesting birds.
    • A reasonable time allowance for a visit to the island is probably 1½ to 2 hours.
    • There were midges!
    • The castle: there is a hazard sheet on the website for Loch Leven Castle; care needs to be taken on the spiral staircase, and walking around the walls is not allowed.
    • There is a shop, café and toilets at the jetty and an information room.