It’s said that our school days are the best days of our lives, but it’s fair to say that many of us don’t have fond memories of school.
However, school trips were often a rare break from the monotony of the classroom as teachers and pupils alike escaped their regular surroundings.
The novelty of being on a coach and then in a new environment alongside our friends was all too much for some, with school trips occasionally descending into chaos.
Schools in a particular area usually all went to the same types of places on day trips: museums, zoos and aquariums were go-tos for many children.
If you went to school in Peterborough then it’s likely you went on a school trip to the same places as previous generations of your family.
Earlier this month we asked readers on our Facebook page to share their memories of school trips from Peterborough.
Having received nearly 200 suggestions, it’s fair to say that readers enjoyed recalling their school memories.
Below are eight of the most popular suggestions:
1. Castle Rising
Castle Rising was by far and away the most popular reader suggestion. The 12th century castle is just an hour's drive from Peterborough, making it an ideal distance for a school trip. Do you remember visiting Castle Rising while at school? Photo: DeFacto
2. Grimes Graves
Another Norfolk attraction up next, this time Grimes Graves near Thetford. The prehistoric flint mine was dug around 2650 BC. Reader Sue Harris said: "Grimes Graves - spent all day on the bus and don't seem to remember going down into the cave at all!" Photo: Christine Johnstone
3. Flag Fen
Flag Fen remains an absolute staple for Peterborough school trips. You might remember visiting the site in your early years, before trips to Norfolk and the like became a thing. What are your memories of Flag Fen? Photo: PT
4. Stibbington Centre
Stibbington Centre near Peterborough was a former Victorian village school that hosted historic and environmental school trips for generations of children before closing in 2023. Students dressed in 19th-century clothes, used ink wells and quill pens, experienced strict Victorian discipline, and played with traditional period toys like stilts and hoops. Photo: PT