Program 3: Scholar 2017 – Day 5

It was an early morning start (7:30!) for Reach Cambridge today as we got ready to go to the beautiful Hampton Court Palace. We were all excited to visit the world-famous palace where Henry VIII resided. After a quick breakfast at Downing and Trinity Hall we set off on the buses towards London. Upon arrival, we split into two groups in which students could choose a guided tour around the main rooms in the palace or an audio-tour guide around the exhibitions. Students could wander the corridors of royal palace and explore its fascinating history as well as view the acres and acres of magnificent gardens. We were all stunned by the amazing architecture from many different periods. Some of the highlights included the magnificent clock in clock court, the beautiful chapel, the grand dining hall with tapestries of Abraham, each one costing the price of a warship in the Tudor period. We had a lovely packed lunch in the gardens followed by some free time to explore some other highlights such as Henry’s crown, the picture galleries with paintings by artists such as Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Van Honthorst and many more.  Hampton Court gave us many truly wonderful photo opportunities so be sure to follow us on Instagram @ReachCambridge. Those students who took the audio tour were able to listen to the details of the reign of Henry VIII while some had a chance to wander through the elaborate hedge maze planted in 1689. The maze was made up of a thousand yews with a gothic tower at its centre. Some students climbed to the top for a panoramic view of the gardens. Luckily, we all found our way out in time for the journey home to Cambridge! We all loved exploring all these Tudor treasures but we were equally excited to be back in our colleges. The evening activities included a Debating Night in Downing for students to flex their persuasive and argumentative muscles and a Board Games Night in Trinity Hall.   We are all looking forward to another exciting day in Oxford tomorrow!