ENGLISH – Literature Tour: In the Footsteps of Literary Greats!
On 25 September, 22 Year 10 and 11 students and three teachers set off for an unforgettable tour around England. The purpose of the tour was to have an authentic and immersive experience in the wonderful world of literature (which we certainly did) but it ended up being so much more than that. Between walking in the footsteps of literary greats, uncovering centuries of English history and bonding over (probably too much) Oxford Street shopping, the trip gave us memories and friendships we would have never had otherwise.
Our journey started in Lancaster, where we visited William Wordsworth’s cottage, explored the Lakes District that inspired his poetry, and saw the home of Beatrix Potter. Once in York, we had plenty of free time to explore the winding medieval streets and even had a tour of the city that taught us some old Viking language! English history truly stretches back far beyond the authors we were there to see.
In Stratford-upon-Avon, we visited Shakespeare’s birthplace and Anne Hathaway’s cottage, getting a glimpse of the everyday life behind the world’s most famous playwright. In between Bath, and its stunning ancient Roman Baths, and the Jane Austen Centre was Oxford with its several scattered universities, particularly prompting for some of us who are considering studying overseas!
Our final and busiest stop was London: the British Museum, the London Eye, a performance of Much Ado About Nothing, a night of watching Wicked, and of course, Oxford Street shopping. Watching Shakespeare’s words come to life at the Globe Theatre, just as they would have 400 years ago, was one of the standout moments of the whole trip.
We are all so grateful to have been a part of this once-in-a-lifetime experience. More than just a tour of famous places, these two weeks reminded us of the importance of literature; books and authors from over 400 years ago to the present day. Standing in the very rooms where writers lived and worked brings their stories to life in a way we just cannot describe. We came home inspired (and very tired), as once you’ve walked through the pages, you can never quite read them the same way again.
Yvonne P
Year 11
