It was the Silver DofE Expedition during the first week of Easter break for 19 of our students in the Brecon Beacons! They were required to walk for three days and camp for two nights, alongside engaging with seven hours of planned activities each day. Helping oversee them was Assistant Head of Sixth Form Richard Duckett, and Maths teachers Duncan and Kirsten.
On Thursday 26th and Friday 27th March, students trained with staff and Mountain Leaders at the Llangorse Activity Centre, focusing on skills development with attention to fatigue. Then on Saturday 28th March, the self-sufficient expedition began, setting off from Pencelli Activity Centre with Crickhowell as the ending point (covering over 75 kilometres across the five days). Many a mountain was climbed, as well as a diverse range of weather from sunny skies to wind with some light hail.
Our students were certainly tested on this expedition but came back with feelings of joy and accomplishment. William (Year 10) enthused: “The expedition was incredible, filled with spontaneously stunning views and a real sense of joy throughout. The greatest highlight for me was undoubtedly the views! Although the effort required to reach these viewpoints sometimes felt overwhelming, the scenery we experienced made it entirely worthwhile. Especially on day three at the summit of Fan y Bîg with the famous ‘diving board’, which offered breathtaking views across the landscape below. This expedition was an incredibly valuable experience and one that will stay with me for a long time. These moments are not only beneficial for future expeditions, such as Gold, but also for general life skills. One key lesson I took away is that most tasks tend to take at least twice as long as expected, making time management essential.”
You can see more photos from the expedition here!
Take the next step by selecting an option below, or if you want to drop us a quick message, you can do so with the form.
Δ