Children at a primary school cycled 14 miles before travelling to Amsterdam to learn about life in The Netherlands.
The year five and six pupils from West Denton Primary, in Newcastle, started their journey with the 14-mile bike ride from their school to the International Passenger Terminal, in North Shields. They then boarded a DFDS ferry for a four-day trip to Amsterdam.
The trip was part of the Government’s Turing scheme, which provides funding for post Brexit opportunities in education, and its aim was to give children a chance to meet Dutch students and learn about life in their country.
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Headteacher Mick Mingstones said this was the first time many of the pupils had been overseas and it would give them a chance to learn about other cultures.
He added: "We wanted to give students the opportunity to compare their own lifestyles with those of Dutch counterparts. The Dutch lifestyle is outdoors-focused and cycling is part of their daily routine.
"So, by showing our children how making healthy choices can impact positively on all aspects of a person’s life, we hope to be able to encourage our students to make even more positive choices when they return to Newcastle."
Before the ferry journey to Amsterdam, the children were able to meet the crew and captain of the ship and enjoy food prepared for them from Holland. DFDS sponsored the first part of the trip.
Robert Bately, commercial head onboard the King Seaways ferry, said: "We were delighted to welcome this school group onboard to experience life at sea before spending time in a school in The Netherlands. Once our customers step onboard, their experience begins and it is a pleasure to contribute to the cultural experiences of the local school children."
