Voyage en Ecosse 2014

On April 5th, 49 students got on a coach to Edinburgh as part of a two-year project in both Physics and English. Our liner, Princess of the Seas was awaiting us, safely docked at Amsterdam, for a 16-hour crossing on a glassy North sea. Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed we sailed in to Newcastle harbour the next morning, well shot of sea-sickness.

The Wallace Monument in Stirling had lofty tales of Scottish bravery to tell and a gung- ho bearded volunteer at its feet, who regaled us immensely with stories of swordsmanship. Fair Edinburgh was, at long last, seen in all her sunset splendour. It was time for the little Bairn to be welcomed by their host families.

On Monday our young ‘uns stormed Edinburgh Castle to be humbly defeated by drizzle and cold. After a few soggy packed lunches, down the Royal Mile we went, to learn about Mary King’s Close, its terrifying secrets, ghoulish apparitions and fascinating stories. The guides were really top-class and nobody screamed…. Or did they !

The next day was more a festival of traipsing around Edinburgh in search of challenging exhibitions than a real fest of sciences. Summerhall has it that Science is at the heart of things but what to make of this stuffed automaton-squirrel tethered to a clock-like mechanism ?! (*Art meets Science at Summerhall -YouTube). Feeling a ‘wee peelie-wally’ ,we rested our leaden feet (after an adventurous climb up Arthur’s Seat in Holyrood Park) listening to a late afternoon lecture on Forensics and Fiction. Question is, did we catch it all ?

A bit of countryside next, and a refreshing boating trip at the Falkirk Wheel. More cruising and tripping at Loch Lomond where the little bairns were kept out of the rain thanks to the wonderful staff at Tarbet Bay Hotel. The cruise on the loch lasted long enough for a few to indulge in selfies on the upper deck and to gulp in lungfuls of bracing air.

Last day in Edinburgh, with a visit to the National Museum. Eye-popping exhibits on display. A must-see.
Great fun on the liner. Little Travoltas shuffled their feet to the sound of Tsunami and a gentleman turned sixteen !
There were praise and compliments on the way back home, for gyrating lads, giggling ladies and haggis-gluttons

Thank you everyone
Students, parents and staff alike,
For making this trip
A complete success.

M^me Fillonneau M. D’Arbaumont
M^me O’Brien M. Vegliante