December 1932 - Southgate County School

Southgate County School Magazine 43
THE WELLS EXCURSION.
"We met -with many things worthy of observation."—(Bacon.)
Between 3 and 3.20 p.m. on Friday, 15th May, twenty-four
girls left School to hurry home and collect luggage preparatory
to starting off to spend the long Whit week-end at Wells, Somerset.
This visit had been called a Botanical Excursion, but it did
not seem formidable. At 4.40 p.m. most of us were at Palmers
Green Station complete with luggage, Panama hats, blazers—
and mackintoshes; many, being of an optimistic turn of mind,
carried tennis racquets. Last farewells were said, and then, Miss
Slee having made sure that we were correct in number, we
hurried into the train. After being a little crushed on the Inner
Circle, we arrived at Paddington and began to feel that we were
really oif. The best part of the journey was still to come, but
that may be left to imagination. It was about 10 p.m. when we
reached Wells; each party was then taken to the house at which
it was to stay. Most of us stayed in a road rejoicing in the
curious name of "Portway," and the others were close by.
Although it was nearly dark many people were at doors and
windows watching our arrival.
On Saturday we went to Burnham-on-Sea for the day. We
had previously heard that if we were lucky we might catch a
glimpse of the sea while walking on the sand, so were rather
curious as to the nature of the place. In places, however, it
seemed quite near, so presumably it was high tide. In the morning
we splashed about in a salt marsh looking at its vegetation
and learning of its formation. At dinner time we retired to the
sand dunes to eat, but the grass was rather sharp, being covered
with silica, and it was too uncomfortable. It was a glorious day
and we spent some time lazing about enjoying the sunshine. Then
we explored dunes and their interesting flora; when we returned
to the town for tea most of us looked uncomfortably red, but we
did not mind, for it promised sunburn and brown skins.
At least once on Sunday morning we were mistaken by
people evidently not very well acquainted with the town, for
pupils pf the Wells Blue School. We attended a service in the
Cathedral on Sunday. The building is magnificent both inside
and out, and many fine views of it can be obtained from different
aspects. Eight of us were taken by our host to his farm, where
we spent the afternoon. Here we saw cheese in the making, and
had the process explained to us. Given a piece to taste before
it was salted and ground, we found that the cheese was a little
like rubber only not quite so tough; then again it was rather
like chewing gum. That evening it rained just as we were returning
from a beautiful country walk; many of us were without
coats, but we did not grumble, for the day had been fine, and
after all, it was England.
The weather was not kind the next day, for it was raining
even before breakfast. It was still raining at the time arranged
for the start of our day's journey, so we betook ourselves to the
Blue School, which we found quite a miniature affair after our