DofE in the North Wessex Downs

Over the weekend of 15th-16th October, Year 11 students undertaking their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award, completed a self-sufficient journey in the North Wessex Downs, starting and finishing near Hungerford.

In expedition teams of seven, students navigated their way to Linkenholt Countryside Adventure Centre where they were glad to eventually take off their rucksacks, erect their tents and prepare meals on Trangias for the evening.

Leading up to the expedition, Year 11 received full training in and out of the classroom, consisting of map reading and route planning, meal preparations and Trangia cooking, and a practise expedition!

Reflecting on her experience, Diana said, “The DofE expedition was a great yet challenging experience. Having to walk steep terrain with a large heavy rucksack, proved to be exhausting, yet the beautiful views seen from the hill summit were worth its work. I have learned to appreciate using physical maps to navigate the countryside rather than GPS or phones, as it enables you to absorb more of nature from the world around you.”

“I had a great time on the trip as a whole although the six hours of hiking a day meant that I was very tired at the end of every day and that my shoulders were quite painful once I got home.” commented Marcus.

Marcus continued, “My favourite part of the trip was when we got to our camping location and after having set up our tents and making our food, the various groups came together and played games or chatted before going to sleep. I also enjoyed the sense of pride I felt when I got to the end point. Through this process I have learnt the importance of working as a team and taking time for myself by enjoying being out in nature.”