Congratulations to the teams of students who recently successfully completed their Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award practice expeditions. Here’s how they got on, in their own words:
“DofE was a mixed bag of emotions, however we always had a smile on our faces and we gracefully enjoyed our trip across Wales, with many laughs and jokes along the way! The stars were bright and covered the sky, empowering our motivation to succeed. Overall, I can happily say we all had a good time, the memories made definitely will not be forgotten, and I am glad I met new friends!”
“We walked 21km in total and every step of the way was as picturesque as the last!”
“As a group of six people who had previously never been out of College together, the prospect of six days in the Welsh wilderness could have been daunting - but after our expedition we all commented on how, going forward, waking up would feel odd without each other by our side. We all varied greatly in experience and skills but all got a chance to lead our team across boggy marsh and tough terrain. We made friends with the locals (and sheep) and had a great love and respect for everything in Wales by the time we left. The expedition was a resounding success, with us all learning things about not only each other, but also about what we have inside of ourselves.”
“Walking across the wet Welsh lands was a challenge, but we successfully navigated the terrain and finished with smiles across each of our faces. We were a great team!”
“The practice expedition was definitely one of the most difficult experiences we have ever had to undertake. Four days of walking up and down the beautiful hills of Wales taught us all how to work as a team and solve problems as they arose. It may have been the most difficult five days of our lives but we got through it and became closer as a group. We look forward to making new memories for the real thing in April.”
“Those were the days! How we laughed, chortling through the nippy wind and desolate landscape. As dawn cracked through the autumnal sky on our first day, we assembled ourselves accordingly and studied our maps (which overflowed with detail) conscientiously, before taking our first steps. The going was tough, but oh boy were we tougher! Over mountains, lakes, swampland and rivers did we travel, us happy few, before settling in at our resting-place. Boil-in-the-bag was our nourishment, easing our aching before falling asleep in our tents! With great endeavour did we raise ourselves each morning. As we set off, nearly blinded by the crepuscular rays shining down from the heavens, we made quick progress across the Welsh mountains; gaining altitude quicker than a falcon chasing its prey. Every day was as challenging as the last but our intrepid group, now comrades till the last, overcame umpteen trials that tested us all.”
