Students packed their pick axes, ice shovels, walking boots and choir robes as they headed across the world on extra-curricular trips.
Groups of students from Ellesmere College travelled to Iceland on a geography trip, to Amsterdam on a choir tour and to Scotland for a cadet mounting climbing expedition.
Over 70 students from the north Shropshire college spent valuable time learning resilience, leadership skills and life skills over the Easter holiday.
Stephen Mullock, Deputy Head External Relations at Ellesmere College, said: “We have been fortunate enough to be able to offer these exciting trips to students who have a range of interests and passions.
“The trip to Iceland really is a once in a lifetime trip and the annual international choir tour, this year in Amsterdam, is always a wonderful occasion where students experience performing in splendid locations to a new audience.
“Our cadets also showed determination and teamwork surviving three days in remote Scotland, but were rewarded with wonderful mountain views.
“But in addition to the experiences, on each of these trips our students have come back having understood more of the world, they have grown in confidence and maturity and taken another step closer to becoming life ready.
“The impact these trips have on their educational achievements is also always very clear and it shows just how valuable these extra-curricular activities are.”
During the trip to Iceland the sixth form students saw the northern lights and explored the Gullfoss and Seljalandsfoss waterfalls, Geysir hot springs, and black beaches. The group also enjoyed a glacier hike and lava show.
The Ellesmere College Choir, which includes students from a variety of yeargroups, visited the Keukenhof Gardens, STRAAT Museum and Van Gogh Museum during their trip to Amsterdam, as well as performing in the English Reformed Church, a historic venue tucked within the Begijnhof, visiting the renowned Concertgebouw concert hall and leading the Sunday Eucharist at Westerkerk, one of Amsterdam’s most iconic churches.
Twelve adventurous cadets and their instructors who set off to the Scottish Highlands on an expedition phase successfully tackled Munro, Clu Mor, which is 849metres high before spending 11 and a half hours ridge walking and scrambling An Teallach and its two iconic Munros, 1062meter high Bidein a’ Ghlas Thuill and Sgùrr Fiona, which is 1060m.
Equipped with lightweight tents, they then spent three days and two nights climbing the iconic Suilven mountain.
“All students are now safely back at school ready to complete the academic year,” Stephen Mullock added.
“We have all heard a lot about their trips and the excitement has filled the school.”
For more information about opportunities at Ellesmere College visit www.ellesmere.com.
