St Mary's Calne
As most students headed home for the summer holiday, an intrepid group of 16 LVI students set off for their Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award Assessed Expedition. The Brecon Beacons served as the venue, with the team camping near Glasbury on Monday evening after a pub meal - their last taste of civilisation for a few days.
This year, three teams participated, each carrying everything they needed for four days of walking and three nights of camping. The heavy rucksacks and the challenging terrain of the Brecon Beacons made it tough, but it was wonderful to see all the teams performing so well. Despite a few minor navigation errors, all groups arrived at their campsites each night in good time and in high spirits, having walked nearly 10 miles each day. It was heartening to see how well the students worked together, with everyone contributing to the team's success.
Sadly, campsites increasingly refuse to host some DofE groups, so it was especially rewarding to hear that SMC earned a gold star at each site. The assessors from Wildcountry Consultants, Choire and Dawn, were excellent and had high praise for the teamwork, navigation, and good manners of all the students. Despite typical British summer weather, with both warm sunshine and heavy rain, all students successfully completed this element of their Gold Award. Special thanks go to Mr Lopez and Mrs Riley for giving up the first week of their holiday to help make this expedition a smooth and successful venture. Bea and Evie share their thoughts here:
Bea:
'The build-up to our final Gold DofE Expedition was highly anticipated as, for many of us, it would be the last of our six expeditions from Bronze to Gold. We planned our route cards, hit the gym to boost our stamina, and made several trips to Sainsbury’s to stock up on essentials (and plenty of sweets!) to last us four days. After waterproofing our boots with dubbin, we were ready to hit the trail!
Following a hot and eventful Founders’ Day, we went home to pack. Luckily, Mother Nature was kind, and the weather forecast looked favourable. On the 1st of July, Mr Rose, Mr Lopez, and Mrs Riley drove us to our first campsite. As a special treat, we enjoyed our last supper and glimpse of civilisation at a pub, feasting on pizza, chips, and garlic bread before an early night’s rest in preparation for an even earlier morning.
Giddy with nerves, we set off at dawn. The first day was relatively flat, allowing us to warm up our legs and practise our navigation skills. The sun was shining, and we were in good spirits when we reached our next campsite.
The second day proved to be a success; with our bellies full from last night’s supper, we tackled many steep hills. Although the incline was more challenging than during our practice in Dartmoor, the spectacular views made the 800m trek worthwhile!
By the third day, our feet were sore, and a few of us had blisters, but we soldiered on. Our assessor’s dog, Ralph, was a comforting sight at our final campsite - a shower was much needed!
After a good night’s sleep, all teams woke up early, eager to get home. Despite the rain and clouds obscuring the tall mountains, we hiked up with a spring in our step, motivated by the thought of our warm beds. Our ride back was joyful; the sun returned, and we were spoiled with strawberries and doughnuts!
Nothing would’ve been possible without the encouragement and kindness of our assessors, Choire and Dawn (and Ralph the dog!). They never stopped believing in us and offered excellent advice and positivity, even through tough terrain. We’d also like to thank Mr Rose, Mr Lopez, and Mrs Riley for being so empathetic and caring, and for taking a week out of their summer holidays to accompany us on our final Gold Expedition.'
Evie:
'On the 1st of July, we travelled to the Brecon Beacons for our Gold DofE Expedition. After a meeting with the head of Wildcountry and a planning day where we mapped routes and finalised aims, we felt well prepared for the challenge. Although we were slightly nervous about the long days and daunting inclines, all three groups set off in good spirits. The next four days of walking were not easy but were a lot of fun. With Mr Rose, Mr Lopez, and our assessors, Dawn and Choire, and his dog cheering us on (and the thought of delicious, slightly squished sandwiches), we kept going through the rain and wind. Evenings filled with pesto pasta and 5pm bedtimes were perfect, giving teams a chance to chat, relax, and review routes for the next day.
Overall, the experience was incredible. I loved the breath taking views and spending every day with lovely people, immersed in nature. All three groups did so well, and we’re all very proud to have completed such a tough expedition.'