The trip began with a pickup from Eirias car park at 2:30 a.m., from where we travelled down to Dover. We caught the ferry around lunchtime and arrived in Calais, France, about an hour and a half later. We then made our way to the hotel for check-in and an evening meal. After dinner, we had time to explore the market square and the area around the hotel before returning for a meeting with the teachers before bed.

The first full day was one to remember. After breakfast and collecting our packed lunches, we met our battlefields guide and visited the In Flanders Fields interactive museum. There, we learned about the famous poem written by John McCrae, a well-known doctor and writer. We then headed to the Talbot House soldiers’ club, where we heard stories about the people who stayed there during the war—including, more recently, Roger Waters of Pink Floyd, who wrote one of the songs for the band’s debut album in 1967.

Next, we visited Langemark German Cemetery, where we learned about the headstones—some of which were touching, indicating that the soldiers died on the same day. We then explored the Sanctuary Wood Hill 62 Museum, where we learned about trench conditions and experienced what it was like—muddy, cramped, and dark! That evening, we attended the Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate, which was amazing. Hundreds of soldiers from several regiments marched in silence to show respect. Afterward, we had free time to walk around the town and visit several chocolate shops, including Leonidas, where we received a special deal for being one of the few Welsh schools to visit each year. FYI—the chocolate was AMAZING!

Our second day was just as brilliant. We started by visiting the Somme, where we met our guide and walked through original trenches from the Great War. We then visited the Newfoundland Memorial, the Thiepval Memorial, and the Visitor Centre. At Thiepval, we saw 72,000 names carved into the structure—soldiers who died during the war but whose bodies were never recovered. It was a beautiful structure with a deeply sad meaning.

Back at the hotel, we had dinner and then gathered for a quiz. We were put into teams of four or five, and each teacher took turns reading questions about the trip or their subject. Points were also awarded for the best team name, judged by audience reaction. The winning name? “Everything on the wall”!

On the third day, we travelled to Dunkirk to visit the Musée Dunkerque 1940 and the evacuation beaches—the very ones used by soldiers escaping to safety. The museum had many original WWII exhibits, including a fighter plane propeller, various guns, and a tank section.

Later, we headed to Bruges for an afternoon of shopping and sightseeing. The city had a clear theme—chocolate shops everywhere—but no one was complaining! As a medieval city, Bruges was full of stunning buildings, churches, and statues around the city square.

That evening, after dinner, we went to a bowling alley for a game before returning to the hotel for the night.

Our last day was filled with travel. After breakfast and lunch, we began our journey home. We departed from Ypres, returned to Calais, and caught the ferry back to Dover. After a stop at the services, we arrived back at Eirias Park around 9:00 p.m.

The purpose of this trip was to be educational, yet still fun and enjoyable for both students and teachers. We learned something new every day and never had a chance to be bored—there was always something to focus on. No matter where we were or what we were doing, there was something for everyone to enjoy. Everyone had a brilliant time—even the bus driver said he loved visiting new places!

Personally, the part I enjoyed most was visiting all the different historical sites and learning things I never would have known if I hadn’t gone on this trip. The most interesting fact? All 72,000 names on the Thiepval Memorial were carved by hand! Even though that was my favourite part, Mr. Hawkins’ singing comes in a very close second—and teaching Mr. Jones and Mr. Hawkins a dance is a respectable third!

Finally, on behalf of all the pupils, we’d like to say a huge thank you to Mr. Hawkins, Mr. Jones, and Mrs. Dinsdale for all your hard work and patience—and a very special thank you to Miss McCann for organising the entire trip and making it memorable for everyone.

The journey home was long and tiring, but also a lot of fun. We had a singalong, and each teacher chose a song to perform on the coach’s microphone. My ears are still hurting! (Just kidding—you were all great! 😁) It was the perfect ending to a fantastic trip.