Trips & Visits

About ten students set off in a school minibus to Wales for a long weekend full of adventure. On arrival, we discovered a beautiful campsite waiting for us, on the shore of a vast lake. The nights were so clear that we could see the Milky Way, and in the early mornings, mist would rise off the surface of the lake like something straight out of a fairy tale. Despite the cold nights, sleeping out in nature was one of my favourite parts of the trip. We spent our evenings sitting by the campfire, letting off lanterns and watching them float up to join the stars, and toasting marshmallows.

On the second day, we woke up early to summit Mount Snowdon. The experience of climbing Snowdon itself was intense. Everyone at the start of the hike was full of energy, but by the time we could actually see the peak the group needed a break. Eating lunch halfway up a mountain, with breathtaking views of lakes and valleys below was an unforgettable experience - it was a beautiful day and we could see for miles. Refreshed, we continued up the peak. The terrain got tougher and we lost the path a couple of times, trekking over slippery rocks and along narrow pathways, winding around steep slopes. Many of us found the journey difficult, but the group banded together to support each other, and together we made it up the mountain. When we finally reached the peak the view was like nothing I’d seen before, with all of Wales stretched out below us. I know the entire group felt an incredible sense of achievement.

The day after climbing Snowdon, we went white water rafting. I had no idea what to expect at first, but the sheer excitement the instructors oozed made it impossible not to enjoy ourselves. Everyone got absolutely soaked racing down the river, doing challenges like getting dunked under a wave and splashing the other team; it was great fun! After rafting we stopped at a cafe for lunch, then spent the afternoon at the beach, buying ice cream and relaxing after an intense first few days.

The next day, the forest coaster and giant swing were some of the most fun we had on the trip. We sped down a hill through a thick pine forest in individual carts with full control over the speed, all trying to get the fastest finish time. The giant swing involved getting slowly dragged upwards, then, without warning, dropped and swung out over the hillside. The afternoon took us to Portmeirion, a beautiful Italian-style village filled with colourful houses and breathtaking coastal walks. Despite the rain we had a lovely time, enjoying the architecture, Japanese gardens and our gelato. Moving from the campsite to a youth hostel right at the foot of Snowdon, we ate pizza and watched the sunset through the valley.

Finally, the last day led us deep underground, into old slate mines filled with precarious climbs up slate piles and across yawning chasms. Each time we thought we couldn’t go any deeper, we’d descend down into another cavern, walk across another underground lake, balancing on just a metal pipe, or zipline into another tunnel. At the lowest point publicly accessible in Wales, in a charming underground grotto, surrounded by fairy lights and hundreds of metres of stone, is where we ate our lunch. After spending most of the day underground, we began the long drive back to England. The Snowdonia trip was some of the most fun I’ve ever had, and from all the people who went on this adventure, a big thank you to Mr Shandley and Mr Herriott for making this trip possible!