Students from Ferryhill School have returned home tired but delighted following a highly successful skiing trip to Livigno, Italy, which combined sporting achievement, new experiences and plenty of fun.
The group set off early on the first day, leaving Durham Services at 7.30am before travelling by coach to Manchester Airport. Despite the airport being extremely busy, the flight departed on time and landed safely in Milan. After collecting their luggage, students faced a further three-and-a-half-hour coach transfer to Livigno, arriving just before 10pm. Following a quick evening meal of pizza and chips, students checked into their hotel, unpacked and headed straight to bed, ready for their first day on the slopes.
On the second day, students were quickly fitted with skis and boots before returning for breakfast and then heading out for their first skiing session in overcast and snowy conditions. After a busy day on the slopes, students settled into hotel life, explored the area around the hotel to get their bearings and visited a local supermarket to pick up a few essentials.
Confidence began to grow on the third day, as students showed clear progress during their second day of skiing in cold, overcast weather. After skiing, the group enjoyed a sledging session, which proved to be a highlight of the trip and was filled with laughter, despite the freezing temperatures.
The fourth day brought bright blue skies and excellent skiing conditions. Students continued to grow in confidence, with the advanced group travelling to the top gondola lift to tackle more challenging runs. In the afternoon, the group walked into town for an ice-skating session, which resulted in plenty of falls and laughter, as well as an impressive demonstration of skating skills from Mr Johnson. Students also enjoyed free time to explore the town centre and do some shopping.
Perfect blue-sky conditions continued on the fifth day, providing ideal skiing weather. All students made excellent progress, with the second top group advancing to the top gondola and successfully skiing most of the way down a red run. The evening activity saw the group visit a local bowling alley, where they enjoyed ten-pin bowling and amusements.
The sixth day was another fantastic day on the slopes, with students skiing in perfect conditions. Some groups ventured slightly off-piste, while others tested their skills on a slalom course and jumps. That evening, students enjoyed a disco night at Mickey’s Après Ski bar, followed by souvenir shopping.
The final day of skiing ended on a high, with bright sunshine and all groups tackling challenging runs to showcase the remarkable progress made over the week. Ski instructors praised the students for their behaviour, effort and rapid improvement, commenting on how much they had enjoyed teaching them.
The trip concluded with final souvenir shopping and packing, ahead of an early start for the journey home, bringing an unforgettable and rewarding skiing adventure to a close.
Ferryhill & Chilton's local community newspaper.
