River Severn Journey by Canoe

Concord’s Form 5 students took to the nearby River Severn over a September weekend as they paddled open canoes from historic Montford Bridge down stream to Shrewsbury.

The river Severn is Britain’s longest river, its source being in the Cambrian Mountains of Mid-Wales, it flows into the Severn Estuary, the Bristol Channel and eventually the Atlantic Ocean. The stretch canoed by Form 5 was shorter than that but still had the feel of an adventure and included the most northerly point on the river.

All eight tutor groups undertook the 11 mile river journey, some on Saturday and others on Sunday. The students and their teachers set off from College by coach to be met at Montford Bridge by Canoe instructors with a fleet of open canoes.

In their tutor groups, and with their tutors joining in, Form 5 canoed through the beautiful Shropshire countryside and were lucky enough to encounter wildlife including kingfishers.

The groups had a picnic lunch on the banks of the river before continuing down river into Shrewsbury past the house where Charles Darwin was born and on to the Quarry Park in central Shrewsbury.

Tutor, Mrs Suzanne Truss, was pleased with how the trip allowed the students and tutors time to get to know each other “It was a lovely day and as well as enjoying the countryside I felt a real sense of team spirit as the students swapped boats, helped each other to steer and encouraged each other to keep going” she said.

A student report on the trip is included in the Lower School blog article about September’s activities which can be read here.