By Mrs McPhail (Geography Teacher)

A stunning summer day this week saw Year 7 complete their Geography fieldwork tour around Mid-Bedfordshire. Linking the geology of the area to the topography and land use was the overriding theme with the first stop being in Stewartby.

There we discussed the history behind the development of this now expanding village and the now derelict brickworks which once produced the most bricks in the world.

The Forest Centre at Marston Moretaine was our second stop where the beautiful sensory garden and nature reserve were explored. Onward to Ampthill where the students sat in the park on the Greensand Ridge overlooking the clay vale below. Here they could pick out the ever-changing Bedfordshire landscape with the relatively new incinerator at Rookery South and in the distance the glow of distribution centres outside Bedford.

Once back in the classroom, the students will embark on an assignment centered around the fieldwork accomplished in Ampthill. Armed with their fieldwork booklets, they carried out environmental surveys and recorded traffic counts.

Our penultimate stop was to Sharpenhoe Clappers where the shade of the ancient beech woodland was very welcome at the top of the escarpment. Some forest bathing proved quite relaxing! The characteristic landforms of this chalk landscape were sketched and then we finally ended up in Barton-le-Clay. Here the spring provided a refreshing environment to end a full jam-packed field trip.

Olivia Deverill (Year 7): said: “ I really enjoyed Wednesday as it was a chance to talk with your friends, have an adventure and discover more about the world around us. I liked how we went to different destinations throughout the day but stayed hydrated and energised.”

Ella Morgan-Jones (Year 7): added: “Overall, I think that the scenery was very beautiful and I found it interesting how different towns turned out the way they are today. I think that is very fascinating.”

View photos here.