Lough Dan Camping Trip 

Camping - Amber O'Donohoe

On the 13th of September our year group set out on our TY camping trip to Lough Dan. 

I really enjoyed this trip. Even though it was cut a day short we were still able to pack it full of activities. Before we left we all had to learn organizational skills when preparing for the trip.  This was enjoyable in itself trying to figure out how much we could cram into our bags and what foods like marshmallows were a necessity! I enjoyed the two hikes we did as it gave me an opportunity to see the amazing nature and wildlife that is in Wicklow. This was a rare opportunity for me to take time to appreciate the natural beauty of Lough Dan and the surrounding area. I also got a chance to talk to new people on these hikes.

I also had great fun with all my friends setting up the tents when we arrived in Lough Dan. We set up our tents and prepared our first meal together. It definitely took some getting used to not being able to use proper cooking equipment, but nonetheless it was enjoyable trying to figure out how to cook our meals.

Although this trip was very enjoyable we did face some challenges throughout it. The main challenge being the weather. Unfortunately it rained during the evening of our trip. We all wrapped up well and tried to avoid the small puddles inside our tents! We also faced a challenge with our two hikes.These were long and sometimes difficult. But were ultimately so worth it when we got to experience the beautiful views of the lake and surrounding area.

After this trip I definitely came away having learnt a few things. One of these being how to make the best of a situation even when it’s not perfect. Even though we had to leave early because of the rain I still really enjoyed this trip. We learnt how to persevere and keep going even when the weather was not ideal. 

As a result of this trip I think I will definitely try to spend more time out in nature no matter the weather, as even in the rain the time spent outside was very enjoyable. Overall this trip has brought us closer as a year group and has shown me the beauty of the surrounding Wicklow area.

Camping - Ruairi Philips

I enjoyed the Camping trip. I had a good time with my friends and grew closer to the year group. I also enjoyed the walks. They were better than I thought they would be. I had fun cooking with my tent 

I was challenged by surviving in the wild. I had to set up tents, cook food, and keep our area clean and organized. The walks were challenging at times, I felt tired and wanted to give up but I’m glad I kept going. I was very disappointed when we were told that the trip would end early as I was looking forward to camping one more night in a tent. I enjoyed the chats and fun of the previous night's antics and hoped that the following would be even more crazy. I was challenged as I wanted to sulk and be sad of what could have been rather than what was.   

I learnt a lot about our year. We haven’t been the closest over the past couple years but over the course of the trip we really bonded and got along well. I learnt that sometimes it takes some mandatory time to become friends with others. I also learnt a lot about myself and how I deal with difficult situations. When I was tired from a rocky night's sleep I found that I become grumpy and lash out at small things. I'm trying to be more calm and collected and compose myself.   

As a result of this trip I’m going to try to spend more time with different people in the year and try to develop new friendships. I really enjoyed hanging out with new people and making new friends. As a result of the trip I have grown as a person and developed new friendships.

Our camping trip was cut short, but that didn't stop us from making memories to last a lifetime. These photos are great moments captured during our trip.