The Other End of the World...and back!

As the rest of School were heading home for their Michalemas half term, 41 Upper Sixth biologists (missing a number suffering from flu), accompanied by SMI, CEG, CAMH and EGMS, began a coach journey to what felt like the other end of the world! After 6 hours of reading road signs for places such as Abergavenny and Llwynhendy we finally arrived at Dale Fort Field Centre in Pembrokeshire, a modernised and converted fortress in a remote corner of South West Wales. The girls were delighted to discover their rooms were well equipped with underfloor heating, ensuite bathrooms and wireless internet! The boys accommodation was a little more basic but had a lovely view of the sea!

After a rather early Saturday morning for the start of half term we set off walking to a local saltmarsh to study succession. On the way we had to cross the “Trench of Doom”, a very muddy river channel in the saltmarsh. Some found this more of a challenge than others… with several wellies being left behind firmly stuck in the mud! We put into practice some of the sampling techniques and theory we had learnt at school and before we were cut off by the tide we went back to the centre for tea and cakes, and to the classroom to analyse our data. Everyone worked very hard as the chance to watch X-factor was too good to miss!

Blessed with good weather, over the next 2 days we sampled examples of sheltered and exposed shores with some groups discovering (or imagining) some rather unexpected creatures like lobsters! Evenings were spent finishing off work, watching TV in the common room or stargazing the clear night skies sat on the old walls of the fortress. On the penultimate day we carried out individual projects collecting our own data. The techniques and information learnt in the classroom came to fruition and allowed us to complete our projects successfully.

On the day of our departure we finished our trip on a high with a quiz before a quieter, and quicker, trip back to Repton. All in all everybody enjoyed the trip more than expected and thank you to the teachers who gave up their half term as well.

To view more photographs of the trip please click here