Our journey to Shetland began on Sunday 9 May at 10 am, when we set off from Knox by minibus bound for Aberdeen.  It took us about three to four hours to get to the ferry in Aberdeen.  The journey from Aberdeen to Lerwick, via Kirkwall in Orkney,  took us fourteen hours, but the ferry provided enough entertainment to satisfy everyone.  This included a cinema, a bar area, restaurants, an arcade and a deck that gets very windy!

Once in Lerwick we had a short wander in the fresh air.  Strangely enough the weather was constantly shifting but we still got to see some seals.  Before we headed to our hostel, we went to the Shetland Museum that contained exhibits about the history of Shetland and its inhabitants.  After spending some time in the museum, we headed to our hostel.  The accommodation was moderately comfortable with plenty of space to muck about in.  For the rest of the day, we tried to play rounders on the beach but the tide was too high so we skipped stones on the water for a while.

On Tuesday we went to the shopping area of Lerwick to purchase souvenirs.  The shops there were decent and had a colourful variety of products to buy.  In the afternoon we went to see Puffins at Sumburgh Head followed by a visit to a 18th Century Croft House and Watermill.  The lichens growing on the walls around Sumburgh Head were not yellow and powdery as in Haddington, but light green and bushy.  Before heading back to the hostel, we had a quick game of rounders and cricket on the beach.  If I hadn’t known where I was, I would have said that the beach was in a tropical region.

On Wednesday we headed for Unst, the most northerly inhabited island in the United Kingdom.  This involved two short ferry crossings from the mainland of Shetland.  Once there, we walked through the Hermaness nature reserve to see Muckle Flugga and its stack.  This really is as far North as the United Kingdom goes.  Whilst on the nature reserve we saw Bonxies – or Great Skuas – huge brown birds that swoop and shriek at visitors.

On the final day we went to another museum in Lerwick and to do some last minute shopping before setting off home.  The journey on the ferry was only twelve hours as it went straight from Lerwick to Aberdeen.  Arriving in Aberdeen at 7 am we set off for Haddington.

An enjoyable trip had by all.

William MacIntosh-Smith and Mr Jappy

51 pupils and 6 members of staff arrived safely back in Haddington at 5.15 pm on Saturday 15 May 2010 after a superb Activities Week excursion to Italy.

A few words from Lucy-Jade Tait and Maura Drew:

Italy has been one of the best experiences in our life, it will be a trip we will never forget.  It is a great place to go with plenty sightseeing (especially the San Siro in Milan) and the many great views. 

The journey may be long but it’s great with your friends, the hotels are brilliant and the staff were so helpful.  You get to know, and make new friends, whom you would have never talked to at school.  The weather was good, a few days saw some rain, but it never made us stop having fun!  Even with the short spells of rain the sun still shone brightly.

There was beach near the second hotel (Hotel Cavana) - it was great to paddle in, and was warm (much warmer than British seas). 

This year we had “Knox Has Got Talent - Italy 2010”, it was great fun!  We took a boat trip twice on the holiday one around the lagoon (on our trip to Venice, Murano and Burano) and the other when we went to Lake Garda, which was beautiful.  Near Lake Garda we explored a waterfall close up – this was amazing to watch. 

We went to the 3rd most popular theme park (Gardaland) in Europe and the largest in Italy.  We had a game of Rounders on the beach, the teachers joined in, it was brilliant!  When we took a trip to Verona, we went to the balcony where Romeo and Juliet kissed.

It is an experience of a lifetime.  We think it is a great trip to go on and we would recommend it to everyone.  We had booklets to fill in which were very good for information during our journey and while sightseeing during the stay.  Italy is the best Activities Week holiday ever!  We enjoyed Italy so much!

If we had to sum up the trip in five words we would say: “Absolutely the best trip ever!”

Lucy-Jade Tait and Maura Drew 2T1

Tomorrow is the last day in school for the S6 before they commence their study leave on Monday 10 May.  To celebrate their time at Knox Academy there will be a picnic held out on the Sports Field in the morning.

S5 also start their study leave on Monday 10 May.

We wish both the S5 and S6 well in their final exam preparations.