Duke Of Edinburgh Expedition Season Is Upon Us Again

Bronze Group B have their first taste of self-sufficient walking this weekend. Always a key part of the Award, the expeditions provide an unforgettable experience that develops team and leadership skills and builds independence and confidence.

From Tuesday 28 to Friday 31 March, 18 Gold students braved wet conditions in the Lake District spending three days of walking and camping. In teams they walked circular routes from Braithwaite to finish in Keswick camping at Borrowdale and Buttermere. Between them, along the way, they enjoyed the stunning views of fells such as Ard Crags, Knott Rigg, Rannerdale Knotts, Haystacks and Catbells.

Then at the end of the Easter holidays, Friday 14 to Sunday 16 April, 50 Silver pupils travelled to the White Peak, where they completed two days of walking and two nights of camping. They trekked from Mandale Farm near Bakewell following routes through beautiful Dovedale, the Manifold Way and along the Tissington Trail to Ilam Hall near Ashbourne and they all successfully completed their practice expedition.

To cap off this mammoth DofE effort, the same weekend the first of the group of 52 Bronze Award pupils also completed their practice expeditions in the local Princethorpe countryside, undertaking two days of walking and one night of camping, walking down to Long Itchington and back. Let’s hope they enjoyed their first expeditions, carrying all their own food and tents and getting to grips with the challenge of cooking your tea on a trangia!

Will Bower, Head of Outdoor Education, said, “Pupils worked hard showing good navigation and camp-craft skills and despite the sometimes challenging weather we had plenty of happy, tired faces at the end.”

All the pupils now need to start planning for their qualifying expeditions that take place later in the term; Gold in Snowdonia, Silver in the Dark Peak and Bronze in the Cotswolds.