Excursion: Oxford and London

During the weekend of Week 1 of the Immerse Programme, St. Catharine’s embarked on two very exciting day trips to Oxford on Saturday and London on Sunday! Saturday started bright and early, as everyone arrived at Oxford to begin the walking tour, led by the mentors. We split into groups, starting at the Ashmolean Museum and taking the opportunity to see what this amazing city has to offer. Students were in awe of the beautiful buildings, as we passed places like the Radcliffe Camera and Christ Church College, which is where some scenes of Harry Potter were filmed! After the tour was over, it was time for free time!

Students were given the opportunity to explore the city, grabbing some lunch and looking at what the city had to offer. Students, as well as mentors, noted that Oxford felt much bigger than Cambridge, but both were equally as beautiful. Some students chose to explore the incredible Christ Church gardens, while others went shopping on Cornmarket St. Everyone loved seeing the differences between the two universities and had a lovely day. A long and exciting day called for a relaxed night, so students were given the choice to either watch a movie, study, or play board games. Everyone had a lovely evening relaxing before the trip to London the next day! Sunday rolled around and students and mentors were up bright and early once again to head to central London for another wonderful trip.

Students had an abundance of options for the first part of their London trip, choosing between a walking tour led by mentors, a trip to the British Museum, or shopping on Oxford Street! Students that chose the walking tour saw lots of the iconic monuments of central London, seeing places like Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, the London Eye, and St. James’s Park. The tour was thoroughly enjoyed by all, and everyone made sure to take lots of pictures.

After the activities were over, students once again had the opportunity to explore during their free time. They were able to explore in and around Covent Garden, doing some shopping, having lunch, and doing some more sightseeing. Time really does fly when you’re having fun, as it was soon time to head back to St. Catharine’s. After dinner, students settled into their seats for movie night, where everyone enjoyed a screening of Mamma Mia in the McGrath Centre. A sing-along was had before heading to bed for a well-deserved rest after their jam-packed weekend, ready for the exciting week ahead!

Written by: Rachel Lott, Cambridge Mentor, 2024