Year 11 GCSE Geography students have enjoyed a field trip to Keswick as part of their studies. The town, which was devastated by floods in both 2005 and 2009, now has a £6 million flood protection scheme, which makes it the perfect location to study flood defences.

The trip involved 40 students who were able to look closely at the defence strategies put in place by the Environment Agency, including flood walls, embankments and flood gates, which significantly reduce the risk of flooding from the River Greta.

Whilst in Keswick, the group also conducted studies into tourism and the effect that this has upon the town in terms of traffic, footfall and generating income for local businesses. They assessed that the target market for many of the small businesses is tourists who visit the Lake District all year round, and therefore they rely on their custom to make profit. It was clear that tourism is hugely beneficial to the local economy, but students also considered the potential negative impact for local residents.