DofE Gold participants from Y12 completed their Practice Expedition, on Dartmoor.
Over the 26-28th April, 47 Year 12 participants of the Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award adventured off to Dartmoor with the outdoor company OceanRock alongside the venerable Mr Sharp in order to get a taste of the sort of hiking expedition they will have to complete later in the year for the Qualifying Expedition in the Brecon Beacons.
In preparation for this, all teams had to undergo a training day in January to receive some basic training which included erecting the tents, building and operating a stove and getting advice on what to bring. The detail on what to wear OceanRock imparted was comparable only to an episode of Trinny and Susannah, which gives an idea of how important it was to bring the right equipment.
The excitement for the expedition gradually built up to a crescendo on Saturday, as, following a prompt 7 am start, we boarded the coach for the 5 hour or so journey to the Dartmoor National Park. The first four teams were dropped off in the picturesque town of Postbridge to commence the Expedition while the last four teams were dropped off in the equally beautiful Princetown, whereby the second group would do the same route only in reverse.
On the first day, the teams took part in a Micro Navigation session led by two OceanRock instructors which, naturally, involved a lot of arguing about the orientation of the map and a lot of humble pie for those who had led their team astray by commandeering the directions. None of those happened to me, I promise…
However, the real test of the day was when we reached the campsite and whether or not we could recall anything from the Training Day. Fortunately, the tents were soon up and we could appreciate the scenic beauty of the moors under the tangerine sunlight of the spring evening.
Sunday brought the longest walk of the trip, a rather daunting 18 km along moors and narrow stone scattered paths. Aside from a few minor accidents involving a deceptively boggy marsh, everyone was in good spirits and enjoying having a couple of days to not have to think about academics. This was also where both groups crossed over and had a few short moments to share the funniest stories that just couldn’t wait until the Monday afternoon.
Mr Sharp had one absolute rule on the trip - no mobile phones. He insisted that these few days were an exercise for us to disconnect from our busy urban lives and reconnect with the countryside which many of us spend very little time in. Leading by example, Mr Sharp camped right alongside our tents and shared stories of his own adventures such as crossing the Pyrenees and also his time spent interrailing around Europe.
By the time Monday came around, most of us were ready to go home and after a (relatively) short walk of 8 km we arrived in Princetown having finished our Practice Expedition and looking like, well, we’d spent a lot of time firmly off grid.
Aching limbs, ruined shoulders and sunburn are symptoms often associated with going on a DofE expedition and this was no exception. Still, all participants had to be in Registration on Tuesday morning in order to go to the Brecon Beacons so no rest for the wicked it turned out.
Two months later, we were packing our rucksacks once more for the finale of the Duke of Edinburgh Expedition section: the Qualifying Expedition. Following a four hour drive from Challoner’s, we arrived in Hay on Wye, a quaint village on the England/Wales border. The first day itself involved very little hiking as the students needed to have their equipment checked by the instructors - the calm before the storm, you might say. Once all the specialist gear was in order and distributed among team members, a pub dinner beckoned - commencing what promised to be an action-packed few days.
Comprising 4 days and nights of hiking and camping, plus the first afternoon of preparations, the Qualifying expedition is the longest and most tiring DofE adventure - this time however, taking place in the truly stunning Black Mountains. Once again, the students were alongside Mr Sharp and the OceanRock staff who were on hand to offer wisdom and help us choose the right path.
Our routes had been carefully planned by OceanRock and included several long climbs, up to around 600m above sea level as well as some much more enjoyable hikes along mountain ridges with views across the Brecon Beacons and beyond.
Without a doubt, the most joyous part of the week was escaping the rain and climbing to the top of a ridge, partly because we could bask amongst the glorious scenery but mostly because we knew there were no more uphill segments!
Upon our return, it was time to reflect on what Expedition had done for us. The lengthy treks and nights spent camping in fields may have seemed unappealing - particularly to less outdoorsy types like myself - but when you look back on DofE, the time you spent with your team is what stays in your mind. Tackling the challenging terrain together is a great opportunity to strengthen friendships or make new ones, and the bonds you make are truly unique as you’re in a totally different environment to school.
We are very grateful to Mr Sharp for organising this trip and lending to us his endless wisdom and experience. Similarly, we would like to thank OceanRock for their continual support and for setting up a truly unforgettable adventure.
Writing: Alex (Y12)
Editing: Max and Ben (Y12)