M.G.S. Magazine - December 1962
A party of forty-one boys from the Third and Fourth Forms will be making a visit to the Belgian coastal resort of Blankenberge from 5th-12th April, 1963. In charge of the party will be Mr. L. SALTON, Mr. D. BOOTH and Mr. G. J. JONES.
The original idea was for the School Under 15 Football XI only to take part, but such was the interest that it was decided to extend the scope of the visit.
It is still hoped that the football team will be able to play at least two games against Belgian schools. At the time of writing, these games have not been definitely arranged, but negotiations are in progress.
In addition to the football, visits to France, Holland, Brussels, Ghent and Bruges, have been arranged.
On Monday, August the thirteenth at about half-past nine in the morning, we arrived at the "Hotel du Parc," Goldswil, Interlaken, Switzerland, having travelled from Mirfield via London, Folkestone, Calais, Basle and Berne. The first day was spent exploring Goldswil and Interlaken. The next day, we went up the Jungfraujoch by an electric rack railway that actually winds its way inside the mountain. The terminus at Jungfraujoch is the highest in the world, being eleven thousand, three hundred and thirty-three feet high and is also inside the mountain. As it was extremely hot at Interlaken, even though we had risen some nine thousand feet it was not too cold out in the open. There, more adventurous members of the party tried their hand at skiing, others visited the "Ice Palace" and others admired the view over Interlaken. On the return, we passed under the notorious north face of the Eiger, where some claimed to see bodies, and others, climbers ascending the face-incidentally, on that day there were twelve climbers on the mountain.
Another excursion was made to Kandersteg. En route, we visited the trout hatcheries at the Blue Lake. At Kandersteg, we went up a mountain by a cable-car which swung precariously a thousand feet above the valley bottom. At the top, we crossed summer pastures on a chair-lift where we saw a herd of Swiss cattle with their cow-bells.
Other visits were made on Lake Thun and around Thun and on Lake Brienz to Brienz where we went up the Brienzer Rothorn on the only steam operated rack railway left in Switzerland. From the top, there was supposed to be a view over Italy-unfortunately, all we saw was a thick, cold mist.
The rest of our time was spent looking round Interlaken, or swimming at a pool which was near the hotel. We had no trouble with languages as most of the people could speak German, French and English. During our stay however, we did not sample much genuine Swiss food as the main food at the hotel seemed to be chips! On Wednesday, the twenty-second, we reluctantly packed and prepared to leave. The journey back was made via Lucerne, Basle-where we had dinner on the station platform-and Boulogne. We had a slightly "choppy" Channel crossing and one or two less nautical types felt the effects somewhat! Having safely cleared the Customs at Folkestone, we proceeded to London and then to Mirfield which we reached at about midnight on Thursday.
Many thanks must go to Mr. Saywell for arranging a most enjoyable and memorable holiday.
By 9-30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 8th eight drenched geologists were finally installed in Ward's Mini-Bus, about three-quarter of an hour late, bound for the Yorkshire coast and in particular for Cayton Bay, from where we were to trek northwards to Whitby.
Our destination was reached by midday after a short delay in West Ayton to see a Kame terrace. At one o'clock we set out to walk the six miles to Scalby Youth Hostel, noting on the way any points of particular interest, chipping off any useful specimens and generally keeping a lookout for fossils and fossil markings and footprints. By five o'clock we had rounded Scarborough Castle Hill and were on the last few miles to the Hostel at Scalby, where a welcome meal, followed by chores, awaited us.
On Wednesday we set off along the cliff to Ravenscar, on the way making several climbs down the almost precipitous cliffs at places like Cromer Point, where a reptile footprint was found on a rock and duly photographed, and after the climb down came the long, hard climb back up when the tide was too near the shore for us to walk on the beach in safety. Ravenscar was reached at last, though, and from there a train took us quickly to Whitby, by which time we had just enough energy left to carry us up the one hundred and ninety-nine steps to the Hostel there. Thursday was spent hiking to Blea Wyke Point from where it was said few people have ever returned safely, and climbing over the huge, slippery green boulders that was not hard to understand. The rest of the day was spent in Robin Hood's Bay from where a train was caught back to Whitby.
Friday, our last day, was spent first looking at fossils in Whitby museum and then chipping fossils out of the rocks at Saltwick Nab, where one of the more agile and adventurous among us rounded the point to where the rocks were extremely wet and slippery and was unable to get back until eventually rescued by Mr. Jessop. Without more delay, however, we made our way to the station where the Mini-bus awaited us for the return journey.
For this excursion we owe our thanks to Mr. Jessop for a very interesting and enjoyable week.
The journey to Coniston on Saturday in a Longstaff coach was good. It was a fine day, and everyone had hopes of good weather to come. On arrival at Monk Coniston Hall, the party took the afternoon to settle down. The accommodation and meals were of exceptional quality-apart from the rather unsavoury sandwiches.
Either church or a ramble was the option for Sunday morning; a few suddenly turned holy, while others toiled up Holme Fell beneath cloudless skies and a very hot sun. In these regions sunburn soon sets in! Sunbathing and pebble-skimming on Coniston Water were the chief occupations of the afternoon.
On Monday, an assault on Coniston Old Man was intended for all and achieved by nearly all. The hot sun beat down and perspiration streamed from faces as budding climbers stumbled up the steep hillsides by Goats Water, only to don sweaters and anoraks in the face of the cold north-east wind at the summit. The afternoon was spent meandering along the tops of the peaks adjacent to the Old Man-Brimfell, Swirl How and Carrs.
Tuesday presented three alternatives. Ten climbed Pike o'Blisco with Mr. Barker, while others, who preferred a half-run, chased behind Mr. Evans up Bow Fell. The idlers rested by the wayside, a few miles from home.
"Easy day" was Wednesday, when most of us covered our greatest mileage. All left for the pinewoods between Monk Coniston and Esthwaite Lake. Near dinner time, a party of "juniors" in a hurry took a wrong turning and ended up at Ambleside. The main contingent wandered along forest paths, getting not lost but frequently puzzled in the forbidden regions of Moss Eccles Tarn and Wise Een Tarn.
Mr. Evans led a party up Helvellyn from Grasmere on Thursday and introduced six of them to the delights of Striding and Swirral Edges, while Mr. Barker directed the remainder round the Langdale Pikes, returning to Grasmere in the evening with one dejected-looking girl all but defeated by the final savage inclines.
Friday, being the last day, four foolhardy lads opted to go for a "cross-country run," as someone aptly put it, and climbed Great Gable, Scafell Pike and Bowfell. The more civilised conquered Wetherlam, accompanied by both leaders, and enjoyed a not too strenuous last day, looking at plenty of good scenery.
On Saturday a good return journey was made, although happy memories of Coniston were in the minds of all.
The holiday was very enjoyable and all returned from a glorious week with capes packed away and T.C.P. (Mr. Evans' unbeaten remedy for sunburn) near at hand. Indeed, it became a common occurrence in the course of the week to see one member of staff applying "Sunstream" sun-lotion to certain shiny windswept regions of his anatomy!
Thanks must be given to Mr. Evans and Mr. Barker, who once again led a very successful rambling holiday, and we hope that there may be many more such in the years to come.
Twelve noon on Friday, May 11th, saw the start of the coach excursion to Scotland, headed as on previous occasions by Mr. Salton, Mr. Jones and Mr. Booth. We proceeded via Boroughbridge, Darlington, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Morpeth to Alnwick. The bus entered Alnwick at 5-10 p.m. and here we had tea at the Louvre Cafe. At six o'clock we continued our journey, and after two more hours we reached Edinburgh. Here we "checked in" at the Lochewe Hotel, then went for a brief walk; on our return we went straight to bed.
After rising and enjoying a good breakfast we went on a trip to Edinburgh castle, passing on the route some statues of famous Scotsmen. In the castle we saw the very place where James I of England or James VI of Scotland was born. After a very interesting morning we returned to the hotel for luncheon. Immediately after lunch we set off by coach to Ibrox Park Stadium, Glasgow. One and a half hours were spent enjoying the beautiful scenery. We arrived inside the stadium at 2-30 p.m. Down on the pitch Scots playing bagpipes could be seen as well as heard. Right from the kick-off the game was packed with thrills and excitement, but after a very hard effort England lost by four goals to three. When the match had ended and we were out of the Stadium we sat back for the ride to Edinburgh. Six-thirty saw us having tea in the hotel. An hour after starting tea we set off by coach on a trip to the Forth Bridge. Here we were able to see the new Bridge under construction. After an hour by ourselves we returned to the bus, and then back to the hotel and bed.
After a very comfortable night and a splendid breakfast we commenced the return journey, via Devil's Beef Tubs, where we stopped for ten minutes to admire the view, then on to Moffat and Gretna. At Gretna we had a good luncheon in the Solway Lodge Hotel. When that was over we resumed our journey at 1 p.m. through Penrith to Keswick and then through the English Lakes, stopping at Grasmere for tea. We arrived in Mirfield at 8 o'clock.
Many thanks have to go to Mr. Salton, Mr. Jones and Mr. Booth for organising an extremely interesting trip to Scotland.