Day Two - "Wow" (Apologies for the delay!)

When you go on a Geography field trip and you can make the pupils go “Wow” at a view, then it has all be worth it. Today was such a day. The view from the top of the Berneuse mountain over Lake Geneva, with Mont Blanc in the distance, was truly breath-taking. The Geography Department have found their ideal location for teaching about so many aspects of the curriculum; if only school could be transported here or the view transported to Chester! Despite taking a cable-car to over 2000m the weather necessitated shorts and vest tops, and the pupils took every opportunity to top up their tan!

So many aspects of physical and human geography were covered in the 45 minutes spent at the top of the mountain, so do not let them convince you that they have learnt nothing while they have been away….every day is a learning day.

Tourism in Leysin was next on the agenda and as well as shopping for expensive souvenirs and Pringles, the pupils spent the rest of the morning considering whether the village is truly a year-round tourist destination. Lunch at the hotel was followed by a scenic ramble along the Grand Eau river in Les Diablerets where river processes and floodplain management were the main points for discussion. If nothing else this afternoon will be memorable for the large beetle which set about making a nest in a pupil’s hair – truly experiencing nature close up!

Swimming, jacuzzi and sauna before dinner and ice skating after will round off another very busy day, with our favourite comments today being “Perhaps the views are better than Wales after all” and “Does the Thames flow through Chester”!