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Our learning objectives for the day had been set and included the historical tour of the gardens, an insight into the plants that had been chosen and the uses that many of them had. We seen new ideas for fruit, herb and vegetable gardens that we constructed off the ground and so were accessible to all! Our day concluded with a practical activity where we used compost, medium sized pots and clusters of bulbs of different varieties. Potting them up and labelling was the task we had to complete and once again we achieved this by working as a team. Our thanks go to the staff at The Hidden Gardens Glasgow for a fantastic learning experience.

We started our learning experience over a hundred years ago as Rhona told us the history of the Hidden Gardens, describing the Industrial Heritage of site before it became a haven for Plants, Pollinators and Wild Life. She told us stories of champing horses and thundering slow moving trams using story boards that helped us all imagine what it must have been like! As we moved through the garden we could see the mosque in the nearby distance and smell the aromatic smells of lunch and dinner being prepared. We talked of the cultural aspects of the area and all agreed that it would have been great to stay for dinner! However we had tasks to complete so on we went.....

Today we were deep in the undergrowth while at the same time finding ourselves surrounded by roads, busy traffic, honking horns and peace and quiet!! Where were we? Glasgow's Hidden Gardens!! Driving through the gates at the gardens was an experience for us all and in particular those who hadn't been here before. The contrast from the busy streets to the tranquil surroundings of the garden really took some of the learners and support staff by surprise. This educational visited was provided by Amanda and Andrea (Hidden Gardens) with the session being delivered by the wonderful Rhona.

Gazing into the bottom of the sea coming face to face with sharks didn't faze us as we made our way through this learning experience. We walked through a tropical ocean tunnel as the sharks swan above and around us before heading to the cafe upstairs for a 'quick bite'!! Our day and adventure continued in the afternoon as we learned how the most beautiful turtle had been rescued from fishing nets, you can see from the images we took just how amazing she is! Being given the opportunity to see this uniquely different 'environment' has really sparked our imaginations as we continue to Outdoor Learning Adventure.

We were genuinely grateful to be given this learning opportunity today. Each week we discuss and learn about our environments, what impacts them and how we should look after them. Little did we know that this week we would be allowed to 'Dive Into' our learning experience with an Educational Visit to the Sea Life Centre in Loch Lomond. This was an amazing experience that allowed us to see, smell and even touch creatures who live in our oceans and rivers. We were amazed at the many creatures being taken care off at the center, from star fish and crabs in rock pools to the amazing otters who were full of mischief and play!

Today we were fortunate enough to be invited along to see the two new (seven day's old) additions to the family at Pollok Park. Allison and Fiona arranged for us to visit the new born calves at Pollok looked after by the Amazing Mel! We learned the story how they were born and they got a surprise two for the price of one, we learned how they need to be cared for during the first few weeks of their young lives. Mel told us about how the cows are part of the park and how they are managed and how out-with Pollok the cows travel and encourage sustainability in other countries such as Ireland for example. Getting to see these amazing animals was a genuine experience for us all and one that as we continue our journey into learning about our environment and how we all play our parts in it we will not forget!

The GREAT thing was that we didn't find a huge amount of litter and we discussed and came to the conclusion that maybe people are becoming more aware of the impact that simply dropping a 'Sweetie Rapper' or 'Plastic Bottle' can have on the environments we lived in. We talked and laughed as we worked and Colin told us that a previous group has been in this area over a year ago and had made a huge difference. Allison and Fiona talked to us as we worked and told us about the negative impact of negative attitudes in relation to dropping litter! We learned about the strange items that we simply discard and found these scarfs tied together - The end or maybe even a 'wrap'!!!

We set off with the help of Countryside Ranger Fiona and Allison Grieg - Senior Countryside Ranger for Glasgow on a mission to clear any litter and debris from in and around the Riverside Car Park and surrounding woodland. We ensured that we had the correct tools for the job and considered the safety aspects of the days task as we made our way around the autumnal woodland. Working in small teams with the help of our amazing support staff we scanned the area and were left with a small bag of litter and mixed emotions! To 'always' be continued.....