A Geography Adventure in the Azores

At the beginning of the Easter break, a group of 39 pupils and 5 staff explored the volcanoes and wonders of São Miguel on their Geography adventure in the Azores.

Written by Daniel Greenfield, Teacher of Geography

Located about 1,000 miles from the Portuguese mainland, the island of São Miguel sits on the boundary of three tectonic plates. Its position has created a unique and everchanging landscape which everyone enjoyed exploring over five days.

Pupils walked around sections of the enormous Furnas, Fogo and Sete Cidades calderas and were rewarded with amazing views of volcanic cones and lakes. They bathed in the naturally heated thermal pools at Caldeira Velha, got sprayed by waterfalls at Ribeira dos Caldeiroes and walked through lava tunnels at Gruta do Carvao. They also got the chance to taste naturally heated and carbonated spring water, as well as cooking and eating eggs in fumaroles.

The geographers learned about local agriculture with visits to tea and pineapple plantations, in addition to witnessing coastal features like arches and stacks and learning about the island’s volcanic history at the Vulcanological and Geothermal Observatory.

The island is a truly special place to visit and everyone on the trip came away with amazing memories and a enhanced understanding of geographical processes.