St Ives | Cornwall | Educational Trip Accommodation
At the moment you’re seeing all our itinerary suggestions for a school trip to St Ives; to refine what you see please click the relevant filters. To save your search download a pdf and keep it on your desktop as a reference.
Please note that all prices are for guidance only and are subject to change. If you’d like more detail on anything do get in touch with the relevant supplier or email us on hello@stayatcohort.co.uk.
The Lizard (unique suite of oceanic rocks not normally seen on the land surface). The rocks at the Lizard are part of an ophiolite – a piece of oceanic crust that has been uplifted onto continental crust. When the rocks of the Lizard were formed around 400 million years ago, the area was completely submerged by water. The area of what is now Cornwall was at that time a divergent plate margin and new igneous rocks were being created as two oceanic plates moved apart at a spreading ridge. As the plates moved apart, molten rock rising up from the mantle filled the space created and cooled to form new oceanic floor.
Kennack Sands; cross cutting relationships; peridotite, serpentinite, gabbro, basalt and Kennack gneiss.
BOTH ‘A’ Level and GCSE.
The Lizard / Kennack Sands are a 50 minute drive from St Ives by coach.
Free
The granite here forms the headlands either side of Rinsey Cove and Mylor Slate formation dips down into the top of the granite forming a roof pendant. The softer slate has been eroded away to form the cove and the contacts with the granite are exposed on either side of the sandy beach.
The dykes and sills emanating from the granite into the slate show how granite is emplaced into the country rock by the process of stoping. The different angles of contact exposed on the wave-cut platforms provide a great introduction to the principles of geological mapping.
An ideal site for mapping a granite contact at sides and roof; contact metamorphism with indicator mineralisation and dyke intrusions.
BOTH ‘A’ Level and GCSE.
Free
An ideal site to compare sedimentary environments; raised beach / present beach / sand dune / Red river.
Here you can see geological exposures from the Devonian to the Quaternary.
BOTH ‘A’ Level and GCSE.
Godrevy is 20 minutes from St Ives by coach.
Free
The small mass of granite known as Cligga Head, forming a bold promontory between St. Agnes and Perranporth on the northern coast of Western Cornwall, has long been known, not only to the geologists of that county, but also to others from farther afield.
At Cligga Head, near Perranporth, greisens are only a few centimetres thick, bordering narrow cassiterite veins. The greisen minerals are associated with chlorite and tourmaline.
It’s an ideal site to study greisened (late stage alteration) granite; tourmaline dyke; contact metamorphism.
‘A’ Level.
Cligga Head is a 25 minute drive from St Ives by coach.
Free
St Ives local Tony is a retired English teacher and has also worked as a Nautical Archaeologist at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, publishing research papers in leading Archaeological and Historical Journals.
His walk through St Ives covers the development of the town and its heritage, the importance of fishing, seafaring and mining as well as the growth of tourism and the significance of St.Ives as a centre for Modern Art. Discover St.Ives’ unique history through buildings and artifacts located in obscure places.
A great introduction to St Ives for students about to embark on a Human Geography study of the town.
Suitable for ages 12+. Maximum group size: 20.
£5/person. Teachers go free.
Email Tony at tony.farrell@stiveswalks.co.uk or call on 07881 674878
The UDDGP project is the first geothermal power plant in the UK. The aim of the project is to produce power and heat from the hot granite rocks beneath Cornwall at the United Downs Industrial Site near Redruth. Two deep, directional wells have successfully been drilled; the production well to a depth of 5275m and the injection well to 2393m. Both wells have intersected the target Porthtowan Fault Zone located approximately 800m to the west of the site.
From Spring / Summer 2022 United Downs offer educational trips the opportunity to see the site first hand with tours lasting from 1 – 2 hours, depending on the age of the students.
Free
contact@geothermalengineering.co.uk or call 01326 331920
David’s knowledge of the local area will help to bring Geography alive for visiting students.
Under his expert guidance, students will explore Cornwall’s stunning land and seascapes as well as understand some of the challenges that the County faces. David will combine his passion for the outdoors with his knowledge of Cornwall’s unique human and physical Geography, enabling students to return to the classroom and exam hall with a renewed sense of perspective and enthusiasm.
Standard day is 9am – 3pm (6 hours). Max group size: 25 students + staff.
£180/day per group
West Cornwall is a fascinating area of British geology on account of its granite batholith; part of the Cornubian Batholith which forms much of the peninsula of SW England.
Granite intrustions at Land’s End and Carn Brea provide unique opportunities for geologists to study horizontal and vertical jointing.
Identify the different types of rocks and formations and practice fieldwork skills in a unique envrionment.
Free
Join Cornishman Clint Hosking and friends to gain a colourful overview of Cornish mining culture and history and why it is important enough to have received World Heritage status.
Clint will bring rock samples, photographs, tools, mining equipment, clothing, etc which form part of Geevor’s handling collection. Pupils can explore the artefacts for themselves so it is a very hands on interactive session.
This engaging talk can be conducted on site at Geevor Tin Mine or at Cohort and can be adapted for any age group or curriculum focus. It can take place during the day or evening and is highly recommended for all groups looking to understand a little more about Cornish culture.
Duration: 1 hour. Maximum group size: 60.
£65/session
learning@geevor.com (Clint Hosking)
Was Cornwall the centre of a technological revolution that transformed human history?
West Cornwall has a greater density of prehistoric sites than anywhere in Britain except the Stonehenge area. Join experienced guide, Anthony Power (30 years in museum and outdoor education) for a tour of some of the most important monuments, as we look for clues to the question of why an apparent backwater was actually a key player in the human story.
2 – 3 hours. Suitable for 14 years+
£5/student (minimum £150)
poweranthony@hotmail.co.uk
Carn Brea, near Redruth is perfect for studying tor formation; granite and microgranite; dyke intrusions; extent of granite outcrop as part of the S.W. Cornubian batholith. BOTH ‘A’ Level and GCSE geography (weathering) AND geology.
This site offers the opportunity for an investigation based on a research question or issue defined and developed by the student and approved by the school to address aims, questions and/or hypotheses relating to the specification.
A study at Carn Brea will incorporate the observation and recording of field data and/or evidence from field investigations that is of good quality and relevant to the topic under investigation as required by the various exam boards.
Carn Brea is 20 minutes from St Ives by coach.
Free
Nick taught geology and geography at a senior (11-18) independent school in Cornwall where he was Director of Public Examinations and responsible for the yearly organisation of the field studies programme in both subject areas.
He has a first degree (B.Sc.) in both subjects and a PGCE. He also holds an M.A. in geology education and has carried out PhD research in Earth Science Education. He is a published author of two books and is currently working on the publication of a third.
Nick would be delighted to lead any group fieldwork day in the area, assisting you in choosing the best sites, giving practical advice and working with you to ensure that learning outcomes are achieved.
£300/day
nbaker311@aol.com
Cornwall: A Geologist’s Perspective will send you on a virtual journey through Cornwall’s geological past. Venture through Cornwall’s story of plate tectonics, and how the rocks beneath our feet can tell us about a time when Cornwall was at the bottom of an ocean and then centre of a giant mountain range.
Understand how the geological evolution over the last 400 million years has shaped the landscape around us today, influencing modern industries that define the county’s history, present day, and future.
Dr. Sam Hughes is a lecturer at Camborne School of Mines (University of Exeter) and a St Ives local; his fascinating and engaging talk will last 1 – 2 hours including a Q&A session and takes place at Cohort.
A must-do evening activity for all geographers and budding geologists.
£120/talk
samhughes09@gmail.com
Visit the Eden Project on the way to / from us or have a superb day out from St Ives. From over 35 workshops on a variety of subjects through to outdoor learning and free, downloadable trails the Eden Project has something for every school group and is a truly amazing site in the heart of Cornwall.
Discover the perfect workshop on their School Trips page: scroll to School Workshops at Eden and filter for age group and subject area.
Allow 1 hour by coach / minibus to get there from St Ives and 3 – 4 hours on site (6 hours if you’re doing 2 workshops).
£6.90/student for a self-led visit. £7.95/student for visit which includes a workshop.
llewin@edenproject.com or call Lucy on 01726 811913
St Ives local Tony is a retired English teacher and has also worked as a Nautical Archaeologist at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, publishing research papers in leading Archaeological and Historical Journals.
The Penwith moors contain fine examples of Megalithic chamber tombs (locally known as Quoits), stone circles, entrance graves, cliff castles and prehistoric villages. Many sites are in remote locations. Walks and talks can be organized to meet the curriculum needs and interests of individual groups.
Suitable for ages 12+. Maximum group size: 20. Transport required.
£20/student. Teachers go free.
Email Tony at tony.farrell@stiveswalks.co.uk or call on 07881 674878
Delimiting the CBD of the county town. (town centre development and urban form). ‘A’ Level.
Mapping the sphere of influence of the county town/shopping survey (impact of an urban area on its surrounds). ‘A’ Level. N.B. Truro is an atypical town in having a sphere of influence greater than would be expected for its population size, enabling a fuller evaluation discussion.
This site offers the opportunity for an investigation based on a research question or issue defined and developed by the student and approved by the school to address aims, questions and/or hypotheses relating to the specification.
A study in Truro will incorporate the observation and recording of field data and/or evidence from field investigations that is of good quality and relevant to the topic under investigation as required by the various exam boards.
Truro is 35 minutes from St Ives by coach.
Free
Investigate how house prices change with distance from the coast. (impact of the physical environment on urban areas). ‘A’ Level.
Clone survey. (comparing local urban characteristics with others). ). BOTH ‘A’ Level and GCSE.
N.B. Historically there is a huge range and diversity of arts and culture for the size of the town so atypical in many ways enabling a fuller evaluation discussion.
St Ives offers the opportunity for an investigation based on a research question or issue defined and developed by the student and approved by the school to address aims, questions and/or hypotheses relating to the specification.
A study in St Ives will incorporate the observation and recording of field data and/or evidence from field investigations that is of good quality and relevant to the topic under investigation as required by the various exam boards.
Free
Situated on the stunning Cornish coastline around Pendeen, Geevor Tin Mine has an LOTC quality badge and an award winning learning team. Ideal for KS3 and KS4 students Geevor Tin Mine offers a wealth of opportunities for Geography & Geology students.
The dedicated and experienced Learning Team can adapt a visit to accommodate visits to meet the specific curriculum needs of your group running workshops and guided site visits from the geology of mining through to the social history surrounding mining communities.
You will get the opportunity to meet miners who worked at Geevor in the 70s and 80s and be able to ask your questions directly to those who were hands on with these minerals and processes.
Geevor can accommodate groups of up to 60 students and workshop days run from 10am – 2pm. There will then be time afterward to explore the site independently.
£5.85/student. Staff go free.
learning@geevor.com
Experienced geography / geology tutor and published author Nick Baker offers a number of different talks and seminars which can be conducted on site at Cohort. Each talk is 40 – 60 minutes and is followed by a Q&A, discussion & guided seminar.
A Rural Legacy Lost (1 hour)
The story of a largely forgotten culture, lifestyle and dialect associated with net fishing for salmon at the village of Stoke Gabriel on the River Dart in Devon. When all fishing licences were eventually bought out with climate change threatening sustainability, this impacted the ingrained social, economic and cultural history of the settlement illustrating how global changes can be felt at a local level.
The story of the Providence mines of Carbis Bay, St. Ives (45 – 60 minutes)
Surface evidence of these mines is now virtually non-existent, smothered under a carpet of modern development. Dealt with chronologically, with an underpinning geological rationale for its existence, it harnesses the rapidly fluctuating financial and human fortunes of this enterprise through optimism, trial, tragedy and ultimate abandonment.
Carbis Bay: Then and Now (30 – 40 minutes)
This talk looks at the rapidly expanding impact of tourism on Carbis Bay and how it has changed in response.
£100 / talk
nbaker311@aol.com
Beach Guardian, an award winning social enterprise, aims to engage, educate and empower against plastic pollution. They can organise an engaging session on the beach where the group will not only clean but learn what plastics to look for, why they are so dangerous, where they have come from and what they can do when they leave St Ives.
Suitable for all ages.
Free
seal@beachguardian.co.uk
Much of the Lizard Peninsula represents a slice of ancient ocean floor, pushed to the surface when two continents collided. At Coverack you can actually see the Moho – the boundary between the Earth’s crust and the Earth’s mantle – laid flat across the beach. Here you will be able to investigate and identify rocks which, 30 million years ago, were about 5km below the ocean floor. Visit Lizard Point and Kynance Cove for more examples of this unique environment.
At Cohort we can put you in touch with local geography and geology teachers who will be able to assist you in fieldwork studies and point you in the direction of the best locations to meet your learning outcomes.
PLEASE NOTE: Walking involved as coaches cannot access parts of the coast.
Free
Photo depicts Quadrat Sampling at Hayle.
Red River, Godrevy near Hayle – investigate downstream changes in river characteristics (rivers/hydrological cycle). BOTH ‘A’ Level and GCSE.
Trevaunance Cove, St. Agnes and/or Kenneggy beach, near Penzance – changing beach characteristics both down and across (coastal systems). BOTH ‘A’ Level and GCSE.
Hayle Towans – successional changes inland across an established sand dune ecosystem/ psammosere. (ecosystems under threat/stress). ‘A’ Level.
All these areas are within a 30 minute coach drive of St Ives.
Free
A Professional Geologist with 26 years of teaching experience, Ben Church will meet you at Cohort and take you on a memorable field trip investigating the geology of Cornwall. Students will consider geological events that happened hundreds of millions of years ago and events that happened on the day of the field trip.
Students will also look at geology on a global scale and an atomic scale. By the end of the day students will have a broad understanding of the geological history of Cornwall and how geology influences the Cornish landscape. Students will also have an understanding of the geological resources that are such an important part of Cornish heritage: if you can’t grow it – you have to dig it up!
Standard day is 9am – 3pm (6 hours). Max group size: 25 students + staff.
£250/day per group
hstcornwall@gmail.com
Cornwall Energy Recovery bring an innovative solution to the management of Cornwall’s waste and recycling. They boost recycling, composting and re-use and reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill. Visitor centres at St Austell and Bodmin (both an hour’s drive from St Ives) offer students a unique insight into waste management strategies, offering opportunities to investigate sustainability, energy and resource management topics.
Great for students of all ages as visits can be customised to meet learning outcomes and linked to KS3 and GCSE topics.
Free
www.suezcornwall.co.uk/contact/book-a-visit/
St Ives local Tony is a retired English teacher and has also worked as a Nautical Archaeologist at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, publishing research papers in leading Archaeological and Historical Journals.
This walk explores the countryside on the outskirts of St.Ives, visiting Knill’s Monument and examining evidence of opencast tin mining from the Medieval period and taking the Pilgrims’ trail, now known as St.Michael’s Way. Halsetown village will be visited and its interesting origins explained. Includes part of the coastal footpath back to St.Ives.
Suitable for ages 12+. Maximum group size: 20.
£8/person. Teachers go free.
Email Tony at tony.farrell@stiveswalks.co.uk or call on 07881 674878
