Staff tackle epic canoe challenge

UCLan Outdoors staff undertook an arduous canoe expedition in Northern Canada during August.

Loel Collins, Simon Allfree, Chris Eastabrook, Andy Hall and Karl Midlane encountered polar bears, beluga whales, moose, eagles and white water in a 700 mile, 23 day expedition up the South Indian Lake in Northern Manitoba via the Seal River system, to Churchill on the Hudson Bay coast.

They paddled, hauled, lined and portaged their fully-loaded canoes for three days before moving over the water shed, via the historic Keskamutinawok Portage, into the South Seal River.

After 10 days on the South Fork, a system of exposed lakes and difficult white water, the team reached the confluence with the North Seal and continued towards Hudson Bay.

The lower Seal drops north from the Canadian Shield, onto the Arctic tundra through a series of long and technically challenging rapids and massive lakes that lead to the coast. The team eventually entered the complex river delta before returning to Churchill Township.

UCLan Outdoors would like to thank Palm Equipment International and Equal Adventure - both long-standing research and innovation partners - and the Cree First Nation for their assistance.

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Scottish Winter Skills Enhancement

Our students recently tackled the Scottish Winter Skills Enhancement course as part of their studies. Two of the group - Hannah Smith and Jack Whiteside - have provided UCLan Outdoors with a record of their time in Scotland. Jack's video can be viewed above, while to read Hannah's blog please click here .

A number of the UCLan Outdoor team presented at the Adventure Sports Coaching Conference at Plas y Brenin earlier this year demonstrating the continuing participation of staff in industry Presentations included: Prof Dave Collins and Dr Loel Collins : Redesigning Training and Accreditation Systems in Adventure Sports Coaching Dr Howie Carson and Chris Eastabrook : Adaptive Automaticity in Adventure Sport: Contemporary Views And implications Sharon Rosser : Understanding successful aging through Nature Challenge Activities, insights from the older adult climbers, cavers and sea kayakers Dr Paul Gray : Using Social Interaction to promote, All good coaching is individualised Dr Helen Hooper, Rosemary Smith and Cath Wilson: Learning through sharing experiences: critical reflections of the experiences of three female outdoor instructors. Abstracts can be found here

Lodge hosts welcome week activities

First year undergraduates visited a local outdoor education centre as part of their induction week programme. The group took part in a team building trip to Hothersall Lodge in the Ribble Valley, where they enjoyed a range of outdoor activities designed to whet their appetites for the months ahead. Hothersall offers students the chance to gain experience and National Governing Body qualifications throughout their time on the UCLan Outdoors programme. For more information about the Lodge please click here .

UCLan Outdoors Division

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