Dear Bennett Parents and Students,
As we approach the date of the Iceland trip, I would like to take this opportunity to provide you with further
details of the travel arrangements and itinerary for the trip.
1. Travel Arrangements:
We are flying with WoW airlines. Outbound flight number: WW 811. Return flight number: WW 814
Thursday 2nd April: We will be departing from Gatwick Airport at 12:20. Students are to make their own way to
the South terminal of Gatwick airport and meet by the check in desk at 10:20. Should you be delayed on the
way to meeting the group, please contact me at the earliest opportunity on the school mobile 07748 198825
Students are to provide their own lunch for this day.
Sunday 5th April: We depart at 15:25 and will land at Gatwick airport South Terminal at 19:40. Please track our
flight online in case we should be delayed. Please arrange to meet your son/daughter at the arrival gate. If you
are happy for your son/daughter to make their own way home from the airport please complete the slip below
and return to me.
2. Luggage:
Students are advised to limit their luggage to one suitcase and one piece of hand luggage (a rucksack is
recommended as it is useful for day trips).
Luggage allowance: Hand luggage can weigh up to 5 kg. Checked-in bags can weigh up to 20 kg. Overweight bags
are charged per kg over the standard 20 kg limit. Bags over 32 kg cannot be checked in at all.
Please note that airports continue to operate stringent security codes, the most obvious are:
i) In hand luggage liquids must in containers of a maximum volume of 100ml. All liquid containers meeting the
maximum volume of 100ml should be able to fit comfortably into a transparent, re-sealable 1 litre plastic bag,
measuring 20cm x20cm. The plastic bag will need to be presented separately at security.
iii) No sharp items (including tweezers, nail clippers, etc.) in hand luggage.
3. Accommodation:
We will be staying at Hotel Cabin, Borgartuni 32, 105 Reykjavik. Tel: 00 354 511 6030. Students will be sharing
single sex rooms and communal bathroom facilities. Students will be given an opportunity before we arrive to
select who they would like to room with. The hotel provides all bed linen.
The accommodation is full board with breakfast and dinner served at the centre. A packed lunch is provided
which students will carry on their day trips.
The group will have dinner at the hotel at approximately 7pm. Students will not be permitted to leave the hotel
by themselves during the evenings. Students must be in their own rooms by 22.30pm. Lights out by 23.00pm. It is
important that students adhere to the hotel rules and are considerate of other customers staying in the hotel,
particularly with regard to noise during ‘sleeping hours’.
4. Itinerary (Subject to change)
The trip has been organised by Equity Travel -www.equity.co.uk
Thursday 2nd April
10.20: Arrive at Gatwick airport South Terminal
12.20: Flight departs
14.25: Arrive in Keflavik International airport in Reykjavik
Depart the airport for the Blue Lagoon. Have an approximately hour and a half swimming
time before your transfer to your accommodation.
*Please ensure swim wear and towels are easily accessible*
18.00: Check into Hotel Cabin
19.00: Dinner
22.30: Students in their own rooms
23:00: Lights out
Friday 3rd April
08.00: Breakfast. Collect packed lunches
09.00: Golden Circle Tour
Today you will see some of the wonders of Iceland. You will start the visit in Thingvellir
National Park, a remarkable geological and historical site. Thingvellir is the site where the
oldest democratic Parliament in the world was founded in 930. From here you will drive to
Kerid, which is a volcanic crater thought to be around 3000 years old. Next stop is by the
beautiful Gullfoss, the golden waterfall, where thousands of tons of icy glacial water
thunder majestically down into a deep canyon. After a few minutes drive you will stop at
Geysir, which has given name to all the hot springs in the world. There Strokkur erupts
every few minutes, spouting up to 30 meters. En-route back to Reykjavik, if there is time,
you might stop at Skalholt, the home to the head of the church since 1056 AD.
Your last stop is at Hellisheidarvirkjun, a geothermal area of Hengill, where you will visit
the geothermal power plant. During the visit there is a guided tour in the power plant to
show the students how the Icelanders use the pure energy to produce heating and
electricity.
17.00: Ice skating
19.00: Dinner
22.30: Students in their own rooms
23:00: Lights out
Saturday 4th April
07.30: Breakfast. Collect packed lunches
08.30: South Shore Tour
Drive from Reykjavik over the Hellisheidi mountain pass offering a magnificent view of the
wide plains formed by glacial rivers. Continue past Hveragerdi with its greenhouses before
proceeding east through small villages and farmlands to the majestic mountains towering
over the coast. You will have frequent views of mountains, including snow-shrouded Hekla,
the country's most active volcano and the towering, ice capped stratovolcano
Eyjafjallajokull. We continue through the region where one of the best known of the
Icelandic classical sagas - Njal's Saga - is set. You will stop at the spectacular waterfalls
Seljalandsfoss and Skogarfoss, both tumbling over high rock escarpments.
The tour then takes you past Dyrholaey, a magnificent rocky headland with sheer cliffs, to
the beautifully-located village of Vik, where you will stop for lunch.
After the break, head for the sea-shore before turning back to Reykjavik. The beach is
flanked by steep bird cliffs rising above the black, wave pounded sands. In the sea just
outside the village of Vik are Reynisdrangar rocks – 66 metres above sea level at their
highest. According to legend the Reynisdrangar were formed when two trolls were trying
to drag a three-masted ship to land. When daylight broke they turned into stone.
En-route back to Reykjavik there may be the opportunity to visit Myrdalsjokull glacier,
strictly subject to weather and road conditions and under the discretion of your guide.
*You will have the opportunity to visit a local pool. Please ensure that all students have
towels and swim wear*
22.30: Students in their own rooms
23:00: Lights out
Sunday 5th April
08.30: Breakfast. Collect packed lunches
09.00: Souvenir shopping in Reykjavik
12.00: Depart for airport
15.25: Flight departs
19.40: Arrive at Gatwick Airport South Terminal. Collected by parents or make own way
home.
5. Medical and dietary requirements:
Medical and dietary requirements provided for all students participating on this trip have been forwarded to the
hotel and travel company; however should there have been any alterations since the trip form was completed
please can you inform me of this in writing. Students are responsible for bringing and administering their own
medication. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you wish to discuss any medical or dietary requirements
further.
6. Emergency Contact:
Accompanying the students on the trip will be Miss Parry (trip leader) and Mr Osugo. In order to prevent
unnecessary worry and to promote the educational aims of the trip it is our expectation that students will not
phone home during the trip. Should there be a genuine emergency members of staff on the trip will notify the
appropriate authorities and contact the school, who will then inform parents directly of the situation.
In the event of an emergency at home we ask parents not to contact staff directly, but in the first instance to
contact Mrs Mills whose details are listed below.
Bennett Memorial School: 01892 521595
Mrs Mills: 07941 412186 (mobile), 01825 767354 (evening), [email protected] (email)
7. Expectations of students:
I consider all students participating in this trip to be responsible and sensible young adults. Consequently, my aim
for everyone participating in the trip is for them to have an enjoyable and educationally beneficial time. To help
ensure this happens students must adhere to the following:
i)
ii)
iii)
iv)
There will be no alcohol or smoking. Any association with drugs or other illegal substances is
strictly forbidden.
For their own safety students should not leave the hotel at any time unless accompanied by a
member of the teaching staff from Bennett.
Sleeping areas are out of bounds to members of the opposite sex at all times; this includes during
the day as well as evenings. There will be a communal area for the students to socialise in.
Students must ensure they follow all safety precautions when travelling e.g. wearing seatbelts.
Underpinning each of these points are the high standards Bennett Memorial Diocesan School expects of all its
students when participating in any school trip. That is responsible, considerate and sensible behaviour at all
times. Deviance from this will not be tolerated and will be dealt with accordingly by staff during the trip and if
necessary upon the students’ return to school.
Should there be any further queries or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me at school by email. My email address is: [email protected]
I have attached a copy of the kit list below.
Yours sincerely,
Miss E. Parry
Teacher of Geography and International Links Co-ordinator
ICELAND TRIP: PERMISSION TO TRAVEL HOME INDEPENDENTLY
Please return to Miss Parry W18
Name of student ………………………………..……………………
Form…………………………..
I give permission for my son/daughter to make their own way home from Gatwick airport upon returning from
Iceland on Sunday 5th April.
Signature of parent/guardian…………………………………………….
Iceland Trip Kit Guide
Please use the checklist below to help you with your packing.
 Passport
 European Health Insurance Card
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Nightwear
Underwear and socks
Waterproof clothing
Warm base layers
Hat, scarf and gloves
Walking shoes with grip
Swim wear
Towel
Toiletries
 Day rucksack
 Drinks bottle/Flask
 Personal medications
 Spending money: Icelandic Krona. The only money the students will need is for souvenirs, extra
snacks and drinks
 Adapter for electrical equipment
 Camera
 Phone and charger: Ensure will work abroad. Turn off roaming. The international dialling code
for Iceland is 00354 and for the UK 0044.
Please note: Bennett Memorial School takes no responsibility for any lost, stolen or damaged items that students
bring on the trip. This includes electrical items such as mobile phones, iPods or laptops.