HSOG Hits Europe

The High School took education on the road (and into the air!) in February, as two groups of pupils headed further afield, taking in the frozen splendour of Iceland and the historic charms of the German capital Berlin.

...

The Land of Fire and Ice

Our Geography Department were the first to travel, as they took the short trip north to Iceland for an unforgettable adventure packed with geography, culture and natural wonders.

After a walking tour of Reykjavik, taking in the iconic church and Jón Gunnar Árnason's famous Sun Voyager sculpture, the group experienced the country's dramatic landscapes up close: a guided glacier walk on Solheimajokull, the thundering waterfalls of Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss, the black sand beaches of Reynisfjara and the world's only live lava show in Vik. A visit to the stunning Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon and black 'diamond' beach completed the journey east.

The final day brought more highlights - a soak in an outdoor geothermal pool at a balmy 38°C while the air outside hit -18°C, a fascinating tour of tomato greenhouses in Freidheimar powered entirely by geothermal and hydroelectric energy, the mighty Gullfoss waterfall, the erupting Geysir and a guided walk through Þingvellir National Park - where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates are visibly pulling apart.

The perfect send-off? The Northern Lights dancing overhead as the group made their way to the airport in the early hours - a truly magical end to an incredible trip. 

History Comes Alive in Berlin

Heading south rather than north, a group of nearly 30 Fifth and Sixth Year pupils travelled to Berlin for an immersive four-day journey through some of Europe's most powerful and significant historical sites.

Arriving on Friday, the group headed straight to the iconic Reichstag Building before settling into their hotel in the heart of the city at Alexanderplatz. Saturday brought a guided walking tour, taking in the Brandenburg Gate, the Holocaust Memorial and Checkpoint Charlie, followed by a visit to the Topography of Terror Museum and a trip up the famous Berlin TV Tower.

Sunday was perhaps the most thought-provoking day - a guided tour of Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Memorial offered a deeply moving insight into one of history's darkest chapters. The group then visited the Berlin Olympic Stadium and the Wannsee Conference House, before rounding off the evening with a more light-hearted but well-earned game of ten-pin bowling.

The final morning was spent at the German Resistance Memorial Centre, exploring the stories of those who stood against the Nazi regime - a fitting and inspiring end to a trip that brought the classroom to life in the most powerful way possible.