Sparkling beams of sunlight reflected off the waters of the Solent as our coach of 40 people rolled into Calshot Activities Centre. Over the next five days, we would experience a wide range of pursuits, from windsurfing and kayaking to shooting, snowboarding, and, of course, track cycling.

Being one of the main selling points of the trip, almost everyone was looking forward to track cycling. We all enjoyed it immensely, despite many of us having never been in a velodrome before. The thrill of going at high speed on 45 ° banked turns, almost two metres above the ground, was something I will never forget.

Shockingly, on our penultimate day, we were visited by a seal while out on the water kayaking! It was certainly the closest I’ve been to a seal before - coming within a few metres of our kayaks, watersports were paused briefly for an impromptu seal-watching session! We also played a variety of water-based games (mostly involving chasing each other).

Our final day was brought to a close with some team-building activities, and finally Ringos - sliding down a ski slope in a rubber ring! As we drove out of Southampton, we all knew that we had made many amazing memories of our unforgettable stay there.

Writing - Rory (Year 9)

Editing - Kai (Year 12)

Photography - Mr Larkin