Romanian Adventures

A group of Year 8 pupils ended the academic year with an adventurous expedition exploring the Transylvanian Alps.

At the start of the summer holidays, seventeen pupils embarked on a nine-day trip to discover the beautiful landscapes of Romania, accompanied by teachers and a guide from Adventure Lifesigns. In the run up to the trip, the girls undertook training days on Hampstead Heath to help them prepare for the adventures ahead.  One of our students, Miranda, reports back on the highlights of their trip.

We met at school to set off at 3am! Two flights later, we were in Bucharest and piled into a coach and minivan to get to the beautiful town of Brašov, fringed by the Carpathian mountains.  We went on a tour of Brašov, exploring the local culture, history and architecture, before hiking up Mount Tâmpa to reach the Hollywood-style sign. The next day we began our expedition, trekking amid towering peaks and wooded meadows; by the evening, we reached our accommodation – a remote mountain hut –  and got some well-deserved sleep. The following days were spent on more scenic hikes, mostly in good weather, sampling traditional Romanian food, and visiting Bran Castle; perched atop a 200-foot cliff, Transylvania’s best-known castle, with its imposing turrets, dates from 1377 and owes its fame to the myth created around Bram Stoker’s Dracula.  After exploring the market, followed by dinner at a restaurant, we went back to our accommodation, ready for another early start for Bucharest airport. This trip was so much fun. I definitely recommend going on one of our school expeditions – you can learn so much and have a great time!

At South Hampstead, we offer a range of international expeditions to encourage our pupils to develop new skills, gain independence and expand their horizons. Recent trips have included adventures to the Azores and Tanzania, whilst a group of Sixth Formers will travel to Eswatini next summer.