The school trips we used to go on...
AS any former school pupil in Coventry will tell you, we were pretty lucky to go on a number of school trips across the region - and country.
It’s time to reminisce back on school trips in both primary and secondary school...
Warwick and Kenilworth Castles: Two classic school trips we’re sure most school pupils went on in Coventry and Warwickshire.
Kenilworth Castle was a favourite in some primary schools, with the interactive workshops. It was here we learnt a huge deal about our Warwickshire history and how the castle was defended.
It was an incredible experience as a seven or eight-year-old to explore the Tudor gardens, medieval kitchens , great hall and castle or walk around the almost complete outer walls.
Hearing of all the ghost stories where staff have encountered ghostly figures, this was an exciting trip for us in school.
When pupils got to go to Warwick Castle, it was the ultimate castle dream.
From looking at the spectacular birds of prey, the grand great hall and learning all about our medieval past, to the stories from inside the walls, and how the views from the top of the turrets tell more of a story than just displaying a beautiful vista.
Dol Y MochSchool: Children from Coventry have been enjoying adventure breaks to North Wales ever year for the past half a century.
You don’t forget the Dol-y-Moch experience - a place where you learn to work together, to get ready for the big step to secondary school and also for later in life.
Being at Dol-y-Moch is
like being in a rural Coventry.
It’s a home from home for everyone, and with plans to raise £250,000 to create more space, the centre can welcome even more than 100,000 children over the next 50 years.
Fond memories include visits to Borth Y Gest beach to rock climb, kayaking at the centre’s lake and that infamous swamp - we’ve all been caught out there!
Lunt Roman Fort: The Lunt has been a destination for school trips for years.
The fort sits on a high plateau with a steep wooded slope overlooking the River Sowe.
The site’s defensive situation and its proximity to a crossing point in the river made it an ideal location for a Roman fort.
Archaeological investigations have uncovered small amounts of Roman armour and horse equipment suggesting that cavalry units were stationed at the Lunt.
On your school trips here, many a student will have learnt about the local fort and how it played a huge part in our history.
Coventry Cathedral: One a lot closer to home is a very important school trip we all went on.
As both a primary and secondary school pupil, we made the short - but important - trip into the city centre to learn about the city’s history and both cathedrals.
It was where we first learnt about peace and reconciliation, and what it means to our city.
The striking cross at the end of the cathedral ruins, and the statue of the two people locked in each other’s arms, are images we’re sure school pupils across the city will never forget as they first walk into the ruins.
And over to the new cathedral, we learned of its importance to the city to have such a magnificent place of calm.
Drayton Manor: Anyone remember those Fridays at the end of term when you were let loose at Drayton Manor?
Stormforce10, ponchos at the ready. But could you handle the terror of Apocalypse as you drop from the air? Or maybe your first upside down ride was on Shockwave?
We all remember buying copious amounts of sweets to eat on the way home - don’t think our parents were too pleased when we rocked up bouncing off the walls.
Brandon Marsh: Set in 220 acres and featuring a wide variety of large pools, bird hides, woodland walks and wildflower meadows, this former quarry has been transformed into a European Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Schools from across Coventry went there to explore the wildlife conservation.