A Silver Lining: Grit and Determination for DofE Expedition
During the School’s annual Expedition Weekend, 45 Year Ten and 29 Year Eleven pupils embarked on their Silver Duke of Edinburgh Practice and Assessed Expeditions respectively. As the twelve groups made their way to the Black Mountains in the Brecon Beacon National Park, information about difficult weather conditions to come did not dampen their mood as they looked forward to being out in the fresh air again.
After tents had been pitched and the evening meal cooked in the dark, the expected rain turned the campsite into a mud field. Packing wet and muddy tents in the morning was not an easy task for the groups but teamwork made this a success.
Friday was by far the most challenging day for the groups who found themselves navigating through bogs, which in turn meant that boots and over-trousers fast lost their essential waterproof quality. However, the tricky weather conditions did not deter the pupils; all groups adopted a resilient and determined attitude and completed their first day with success. Cooking despite the rain and managing wet kit in the evening required groups to be resourceful and organised; the toilets were turned into drying rooms and plastic bottles were filled with warm water to create hot water bottles.
On Saturday morning, the pupils woke early to sunshine, slowly drying out the tents and putting a smile on all faces. Though they had slightly longer routes that day, all felt grateful for the dry (and almost sunny!) conditions. Legs and limbs started to hurt and the Year Ten groups were relieved to board the coach at the end of the day, leaving behind Year Eleven who had already set camp, ready for their third and final night in a tent.
Tiredness but satisfaction could be read on all faces and first aid kits came in handy to look after sore feet. The pupils enjoyed the luxury of cooking under a shelter at Newcourt campsite and it was delightful to see them playing cards and laughing, reminiscing with stories from the day’s walk. Overnight, the strong gusts of wind and heavy rain did not disturb the group who were too tired to notice and slept soundly.
The final day of the Assessed Expedition tested the grit and resilience of all involved. Constant rain, strong winds and hail added to the strain from the first two days and meant that team spirit was essential to finish the Expedition successfully.
Over the three days, students worked together and kept a positive attitude to make this expedition a real personal accomplishment. Such opportunities for teamwork, leadership and to build resilience are all part of an RGS education.
We would like to thank all staff involved in the expedition who tirelessly hiked, acted as checkpoints and organised all the logistics to make both Expeditions possible. Thank you to Ms Spencer, Mr Jay, Mr Batchelder, Miss Bennet, Mrs Kelley, Mr Garden, Dr Ehlers, Mr Alexander, Mr Fleming and Mr Ehlers.
Miss Julie Gidon
Head of French, DofE Silver Manager
And well done to Miss Gidon too for masterminding the whole experience!
