Types of trips: Sight-seeing, Exploring and Adventure, Culture, Attractions, Sports and Active, Relaxation
Best known for: Rally Driving, Santa Claus, Environmentalism, Strange sports like cellphone, beer barrel, boot throwing, Kynsilaukka, Midnight Sun
Why Go?: 'Off the beaten track of traditional European tourist attractions' Finland offers a real different experience to most tradition school trip locations. Its not too far to go but has landscapes and cultures which are completely different from those in the UK. All of this in 'the least corrupted country in the world', what not to like?
Population: 5,500,000
Capital: Helsinki
Language(s): Finnish, Swedish, Sami
Ties to the UK?: Good governmental relationship
Landscape: Thousands of lakes and islands, Glaciers, Mountains, Forests.
Climate/Seasons: Warm summers and freezing winters. Full days of sun within the Arctic Circle
When to Go: If you want to enjoy the beautiful scenery but don't want it to be freezing cold and treturous under-foot go in the summer but for a real adventure go in the autumn or early winter, winter itself is probably not the best idea with a group of students. You can see the northern lights for roughly 200 nights of the year in Lapland as well!
Reasons to Visit: Stunning Scenery from the snow-covered evergreens in Lapland to the beautiful lakes in the south you're guaranteed a trip like no other with lots of opportunities and things to see in an idyllic setting.
How to Get There: Flights are a more than reasonable option but you could take a coach, this options should be considered carefully, the home of some of the worlds greatest rally drivers doesn't always offer easy driving conditions.
Places to Go: Helsinki, Suomenlinna, Turku (full of history), Rauma
Famous People: Jean Sibelius, Frans Eemil Sillanpaa, Kimi Raikkonen, Jari Kurri, Jari Litmanen
Natural Wonders/Wildlife: Lapland, Pyha-Luosto National Park, Kilipsjarvi (as pictured above)
History: Russian Empire, Civil War, WWII, Cold War
Architecture: Wood constructed buildings, Helsinki Senate Square, Taidehalli Art Gallery
Culture: Santa Claus, Music, Weird Events (see below)
Sport: Rally Driving, Winter Sports, Swamp Football
Events: Mobile phone throwing, Wife carrying, Rubber boot throwing, Table drumming
Watch Out For: Extreme cold, Sunburn in cold conditions, heavy snow fall, very short days with long periods of darkness
Medical Issues: No vaccinations required
Watch this video about visiting Finland
The Bushcraft Company offer residential school trips with a difference, taking students into the wild and giving them real back-to-nature experiences they will never forget.
A 15-year-old boy fell 60ft over the edge of a cliff whilst on a geography school trip, miraculously only suffering minor injuries.