Sport students have adventure of a lifetime on trip to beautiful Finland

An epic 12-day trip to the lakes, forests and mountains of Finland gave New City College Sport students the chance to take part in a huge variety of outdoor pursuits – as well as make friendships for life with other young people from across Europe.

Based at the Vierumäki Institute for Sports in Finland, about an hour and a half drive from Helsinki, the students took part in adventurous activities including orienteering, canoeing, high ropes course, paddle boarding, tent/tarp building, mountain biking, open water swimming, hiking, climbing and abseiling.

The secluded, natural environment was also the perfect spot for the students to enjoy mindfulness sessions, taking in the beauty of their surroundings and experiencing nature at its finest.

The trip was made possible through the organisation MOVES (Mobility of Vocational Education in Sport), and the Seminar involved 45 other students from European schools and colleges. New City College funded over half the cost of the trip for its students.

NCC staff member Perry Morgan said: “The students really enjoyed their trip and have gained memories, skills and friendships that will last a lifetime. The experience has really enriched their studies and has been an adventure they will not forget.”

The skills the students were taught in the first part of the trip prepared them for the second part – planning and leading groups on a 15km hike through the Repovesi National Park, where they camped out, put up hammocks, and worked together to cook all their own meals on camp stoves in the forest.

One of the students said: “We’ve experienced so much on this trip. Staying in the outdoor cabins and jumping in the cold lakes to taking part in the activities like canoeing, orienteering, football and beach volleyball.”

Another student said: “I absolutely loved the trip. As well as all the outdoor activities, we even got to use the Olympic gym and training facilities at Vierumäki. Getting to know the other students and learning about their experiences in their countries and bonding over our similarities has helped us create friends for life and we are planning to meet up in the future.”

Do you want to experience trips like this? Apply for one of our Sport courses today!