Our annual Year 9 Watersports trip to the Ardèche is an amazing opportunity for students to spend their May half term in the open air and this year was a little special due to many of the cohort having not attended a school trip since Year 6, due to Covid restrictions:

The following account is from Missy & Tamsin in Year 9

‘When we first arrived, the weather wasn’t great, however, we were given a tour of the campsite by the friendly staff and soon realised that although the tent accommodation was ‘rustic’, the beds were surprisingly comfortable!  Having made acquaintance with the locals (bugs) we enjoyed a long-awaited sleep before a very ‘French’ breakfast of pastries and yoghurts which were most certainly needed before our first excursion which was the Ardèche descent!

Having geared up with our buoyancy aids and helmets, grabbed our paddles and hopped onto the coach, we arrived and watched a demonstration before heading straight off in our kayaks!  SIX HOURS of paddling 12km followed, interspersed with rapids, rock jumping and amazing mountain views before getting to our overnight camp where we laid out our sleeping mats and bags and slept in the open air overnight beneath the stars!  The next day, we kayaked back on a longer 16km route and returned to the camp.

Over the ten-day trip, we took part in many other activities, team-building exercises, high ropes, zip-wires and playing in the swimming pool.  We also ventured into town and did some shopping and sight-seeing.

The Ardèche trip was one of the best school trips ever for hanging with friends, making new ones and all the fun activities!’