Adventure and Service in Slovenia

After flying into the capital, Ljubljana, the group made their way to Lake Bled. Bled is famous for its lake that has an island in the middle, complete with a church – and ice-cream shop! The first day saw everyone exploring the beautiful shores by paddleboards and soaking up the beauty of their surroundings.

The following day, everyone was treated to an adventurous and scenic bike tour. Through forest roads and single tracks pathways, pupils explored the local area and discovered wild hidden spots.

Adventure and action were not in short supply, as the rest of the week was spent at Triglav National park, carrying out vital maintenance work. Staying in mountain huts above the picturesque Lake Bohinj, pupils spent days in the park restoring, recovering and preserving the wild landscape. In addition to making great connections with the locals, everyone appreciated what a beautiful, fragile, natural environment they were in. Those who had the energy, continued to explore the beautiful waters of Lake Bohinj by canoe.

After making significant progress with forest maintenance work, the group embarked on a four-day trek through the Julian alps, which straddle the boarder of Slovenia and Italy. Pupils hiked through pastures above Lake Bohinj and learnt about flora and fauna they encountered, each night returning to cosy mountain huts to rest.

At the end of the hike, it was time to make their way towards home, and the group returned to Ljubljana where they had a final day of absorbing Slovenian culture.

Daniel, S6 pupil, attended the trip and summarised his experience: “I really enjoyed the trip to Slovenia because we got to experience such a wonderful country to its fullest. The people we met were lovely; the hike, while tough, was so rewarding, and the food was amazing. This was all made better by experiencing it with a group of people I didn’t really know in the beginning. My favourite part of the trip was paddleboarding on Lake Bled. I think I can speak for everyone on the trip when I say we all loved our time there.”

Ruby, S6 pupil, added, “I have never enjoyed visiting somewhere as I did when I was in Slovenia. The teachers bestowed so much trust in us and this made an extremely exciting and welcoming atmosphere. Although I didn’t know many of the people beforehand, we swiftly created a strong bond and friendships that will last. I got to experience so many activities that I never would have without this trip. We learnt valuable lessons about the importance of volunteering and budgeting, and everyday there was something interesting for us to do. Whether it was a crazy activity like white water rafting or just chilling out and playing cards and listening to good music – I loved every minute of it.”

Zara, S6 pupil, reflected: “I absolutely adored my time in Slovenia with the school. The trip was very active and every day we got to experience new and exciting things I might have never done otherwise. We were given freedom and trust and it was a great opportunity to show our level of maturity and responsibility.”

“The volunteering was insightful, as we got to learn and understand the problems specific to Slovenia’s national park, and we also got to meet some amazing Slovenians who were friendly and passionate about their country and their job. Personally, it furthered my appreciation for our natural world and the genuine beauty in nature. Slovenia is a beautiful country; I would recommend anyone to go.” Zara continued.

Zara concluded, “I think what I enjoyed most about the trip was the atmosphere of the group and the constant activity. I came back from the trip stronger, fitter and absolutely inspired. The teachers that went on the trip were great – I know a few of my peers would agree when I say it was the best school trip we have been on.” 

Principal Johanna Urquhart said:

“Academic success is of course of great importance but trips and opportunities such as this one provide experiences that develop other skills and attributes which are equally, if not more, important. Times are changing and to be successful in the future, the young people of today will need more than ever to be able to be open to other cultures and ways of life, to understand the importance of community and giving back and to challenge their own perceived limitations. We’re very proud of how our pupils always work to reflect these principles in their school and personal lives”.