Undeterred by the arrival of Storm Amy, L6 Geography students embarked on a two day field trip last week to explore the pioneering ‘Transition Town’ of Totnes and the dramatic Start Bay coastline.
The trip began with a visit to Riverford Organic Farm, where students learned about sustainable agriculture and the importance of building resilient local economies. They received an insightful talk from Linda, the farm’s deputy head gardener, who addressed the impacts of Brexit on migrant labour and discussed wider social and economic tensions within the South Hams region.
In Totnes, students conducted fieldwork designed to determine whether the town is a ‘clone town’ dominated by chain retailers or a ‘home town’ defined by its independent businesses. The group then travelled to Slapton Ley Field Studies Centre to crunch the data and prepare for the next stage of the trip.
Friday was spent enjoying a stretch of the South West Coast Path along Start Bay. Despite thick fog, spirits remained high and were lifted further when a dolphin made a brief appearance. The 6th formers worked extremely hard discovering the story of how Hallsands was lost to the sea over 100 years ago and collecting data which will help them explore how this coastline is being managed.
