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So day 6 finds the team in the mysterious land of the walled garden. Being in the garden has the feeling that the outside world does not exist. We were introduced to Paul. Paul has been gardening behind these walls for the past ten years and has a wealth of knowledge to share. After a bit of instruction on the correct use of the tools, Paul was helped by lifting old concrete and planting shallots. He works a no dig system, that seemed to go down well with the pupils. The learned about the history of the walled garden and how it has been developed over the years. Thank you Paul for your time and we will see you soon. You can follow Paul on Facebook @ Nature's Delights, Walled Garden.

The front two beds are now fully cleared and the third bed and train planted are also near completion to being ready for planting. Men shed have kindly made us two benches and are in process of making four more. Men shed have also kindly made us ten planters. The skip arrived and is now nearly half full with rubbish from the garden, which was kindly donated by Patersons Quarries

We could not ignore that the birds at Saltwells NNR have become more active this week. Consequently, we decided to abandon our planned activity of winter tree identification, to watch and listen to birds at Netherton Reservoir and Razza Bank, in between grassland restoration work for our JMA conserve challenge. A buzzard glided through the woodland as our faithful friends the robin and great tit gave us a very noisy greeting. With spring song and the sound of squeaky bicycle wheels in the air, we walked across the car park to the footpath leading to Razza Bank. We saw coots on nests when we walked past Netherton Reservoir. A little grebe also put in a brief appearance before diving beneath the reservoirs surface, clearly unimpressed by us disturbing its peace and quiet. Before starting work we inspected our work area. An eagle-eyed member of our group spotted an incomplete nest in the scrubland close to where we had finished working the previous week. We immediately put plan b into action, focussing on cutting back sparse bramble in the centre of the grassland, well away from the hedgerow and scrub to prevent disturbance. We downed tools to pick up binoculars to watch cormorants on Netherton Reservoir and a spectacular show provided by three buzzards soaring above. Back at college we wrote up our JMA record books and shared todays experiences by reading aloud to our group. Next week, it is half term. Our students have worked hard making steady progress towards all challenges of the John Muir Explorer Award. Well done to you all and keep up your good work. 12 hours complete 38 to go!

Our investigation into the Environment continued today as we made our way to Tollcross Farm and Visitors Centre with Countryside Ranger Gavin. The Farm and Visitors centre has just recently re-opened and is found in the heart of the community in Tollcross. We looked at the cycle of life that lies all around us in every tree, field, crack in the wall or feather filled twiggy next high in the tallest branches of trees. Gavin explained to us how nothing is wasted in nature and that even when plants or animals die from disease, old age or hunger the remains will be used to the benefit of others. The visitors centre was great fun and interactive. We looked at skulls of animals long deceased, gazed through microscopes and with the help of Countryside Ranger Gavin talked about Wild Life Habitats and the food that is needed to sustain life. We wondered how the animals and insects living in our environmental and green spaces lived from day to day and are more determined than ever to find out more as we continue along our Journey into The Wilds!

Some of the things we looked at today was Food and how Animals Feed as well as Shelter and how animals Stay Safe! The first amazing example of this Screamed into view as soon as we were through the gates of The Farm as the most handsome of Birds a Male Peacock strutted towards us tail poised and reason to dazzle! We looked around a corner as Lama's and their young grazed and wandered around looking content and relaxed. Ponies peered at us through large dark pools of eyes while ducks quacked and feathers fluttered in the warm and safe homes used to house pea hens, chickens and much much more. Gavin told us about why the farm was here and how it had evolved over the years. He explained how we can all learn from places like Tollcross and with that we had to agree!!

Today we became Time Traveler's as we made our way ancient stone archways and descended into the life long loves of Sir William Burrell and his wife Constance Burrell. The Burrell is located in 'our environmental area' Pollok Park, a place we have grown to love as we work with Allison Greig's AMAZING Team of Countryside Rangers. Our adventures since August have been fantastic and this was to be no different. From the outside the New Home of The Burrell Collection always filled us with excitement as we worked close by or drove past on the way home, so to be invited in was a very exciting. The Warwick Vase loomed large as soon as we entered the building and we marveled at its story as our simply brilliant guide Sarah took us on our journey through time. We looked upon a 'man thinking' and then some of us had a go at doing this as well, to be honest we couldn't help it considering the treasures all around us. We looked at Chateau's and dived deep into the colours before watching a girl ride by on a bicycle complete with her little dachshund galloping alongside. It would be easy to continue but our journey had come to an end and there simply aren't enough pages in this blog to do so. We have been invited back to this wonderful place and look forward to doing so very soon.....