Pupils from Prestatyn High school took in the delights of Iceland on their first residential field trip since the start of the pandemic.
The geography department at Prestatyn High School took 37pupils to Iceland on the 6th October 2022. Conditions could not have been better for the trip, boasting clear blue skies for most of the visit. Trip leader Head of Geography Kelly Skeffington said "the trip was successful; pupils enjoyed visiting the recent lava flows at Fagradalsfjall and walking through Raufarhólshellirlava tunnel (created by flowing magma). The interactive Lava Centre and visits to the UNESCO Thingvellir National Park developed pupils' depth of understanding of the tectonic forces that have created Iceland's spectacular scenery, this and observing the landforms created by Iceland's rivers and the ocean will benefit pupils when they sit their GCSE and A-Level geography exams."
The trip was enhanced on the first evening by a wonderful appearance from the Northern Lights following dinner at 'The Greenhouse' which is heated and powered by Iceland's renewable energy sources. The second day of the trip included visits to the Hellisheiði Geothermal Power Plant, Strokkur Geysir, the tectonic plate boundary at Thingvellir and the largest waterfall in Iceland at Gulfoss. An hour was spent in the Secret Lagoon, where everyone basked in the geothermally heated pool.
Kelly said: “Once again the trip was extremely successful, the pupils learnt a huge amount from the geographically rich environment that Iceland offers and pupils have made memories that will last them a lifetime.”
Kelly also acknowledged her staff team of: John Roberts, David Durham and Sian Reed without whom the trip would not have been possible.
