Throughout my time studying abroad in London, I’ve traveled to many different countries, passing through much of Europe and even making it to Africa. While I haven’t had as much time to explore my home country of England as much as I probably would’ve wanted to, I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to explore some of England’s beautiful coastal towns and scenic hikes. A couple of weeks ago I traveled to England’s Jurassic Coast with IES London and got to explore various different coastal towns in this general area of Dorset, such as Swanage and Lulworth. Additionally, I took a day trip just a week and a half ago to the Seven Sisters Cliffs in Dover, England as a part of my 21st birthday celebration, which allowed me to experience one of the most beautiful natural views in England and also get to go through the joys (not) of London’s complicated transit system.
My trip to the Jurassic Coast with IES London was an absolute dream, and came at a time that I really needed some peace, relaxation, and reconnection with nature. We took a coach bus to the town of Swanage, England, a quaint but idyllic community in Dorset with beautiful ocean views despite the chilly weather. For the entirety of the semester, I’ve been traveling to big cities that have endless opportunities for sightseeing, exploring, shopping, and nightlife; this was certainly not the case in Swanage. However, I found a lot of appreciation for this, particularly since I went on this trip with my best friend. We spent the weekend hiking, exploring, and taking in some of the most incredible views I’ve seen in my life, making this a trip that I’ll certainly cherish for a very long time. My favorite part of this weekend, by far, was traveling into Lulworth to hike along the coast to see some of the most popular parts of the Jurassic Coast, Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door. Being able to see such a historic and beautiful landmark was such a cool experience, and is definitely one of my favorite places that I’ve visited during my time abroad.
About a week and a half after traveling along the Jurassic Coast, I took a short but crazy day trip to Dover to see the Seven Sisters Cliffs, which have some of the most iconic and sought-after views in the U.K. While a bit of poor planning led to a much longer journey there and back, it was completely worth it. It was a beautiful, sunny day, although a bit windy and chilly, but that didn’t stop my friends and I from hiking along the cliffside coast and seeing the glimmering sea and the stunning white cliffs. Sitting at the top of the cliffs and looking out over the edge into the wide ocean was a truly surreal moment, and is definitely one that I’ll be able to pinpoint for many years as a true moment of peace and reflection. It’s so incredibly tempting to want to travel as far and wide as you can when you study abroad, and while I’ve certainly done this and enjoyed every moment of it, it’s just as important and worth it to explore different parts of the country that you’re studying in and everything that it has to offer.
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