Geography Fieldwork

Lower Sixth Geography students set off for Devon to conduct some urban, rural and coastal fieldwork.

Lydia reports back on their adventures:

“The village of Slapton was bombarded with nine South Hampstead students, all clutching rather large suitcases, ready for a week of Geography fun! First stop was the village shop, only open 4 hours a day, but thankfully well-stocked with all the essentials.  Next up, Totnes Transition Town – one of our case studies – a beautiful town, renowned for independent shops and its hip culture, where we conducted some clone town surveys, discovering that its high street is not a carbon copy of every other UK high street.  A mandatory fudge shopping trip also featured. 

On day two, we set off to Plymouth to investigate the success of four different regeneration projects, carrying out sampling techniques, assessing factors such as the environmental quality of the area, and the proportion of independent to chain shops. After being caught in a spectacular downpour, we returned to the centre to analyse our findings. 

The following day involved a scenic 10km coastal hike from Start Point to Slapton Ley to investigate different types of coastal management; we conducted some cost benefit analysis readings, before some fish and chips and ice cream.

The final full day was spent working in pairs to carry out our own investigations and fieldwork in Slapton and the neighbouring settlement of Chillington, examining differences in community engagement, perception of place, provision of services, and levels of deprivation. We were able to put into practise sampling techniques we had explored throughout the week, as well as developing our own versions. At the end of a long day, we drove to Dartmouth for dinner and spent a lovely evening watching the sun set over the harbour. The next morning, we brainstormed ideas for our upcoming coursework, before boarding the return train to London, ready to relax after a busy, fun-filled week.”