Gold DofE students trek the Brecon Beacons to prepare for summer assessed expedition

Two teams of intrepid Gold Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Award students set off for the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park on Friday 8 May to complete their three-day Practice Expedition. During the expedition they carry all their own kit and food and are trained to read maps to navigate between checkpoints. They are also trained in safe camp craft, how to deal with any accidents and build a team spirit to help them through the tough times. Starting near Glasbury in Wales they walked to the beautiful Llanthony Priory, then returned the next day via a different route and then on to Talgarth to finish.

With heavy packs, routes of 15 to 20 km each day and steep terrain it’s a real challenge but H5 (who lead the training) were very impressed with the students’ performance and progress, deeming them all competent to start the Assessed Expedition at the start of the Summer Holiday. I would like to thank Mr Curran for accompanying me and ably assisting with all the driving, logistics, decision making and for his excellent cooking skills.

Here, two of our students report on their expedition experience:

‘Last week, ten members of the Lower Sixth completed our Gold DofE practice expedition in the Brecon Beacons. Over four days, we navigated challenging terrain while carrying full kit, testing both our physical endurance and teamwork. We worked together in groups of five to plan routes, manage time, and adapt to changing conditions such as the strong wind we experienced on the Sunday, helping to build our confidence and resilience in anticipation of the qualifying expedition in June. H5 directed us throughout the expedition, with support from Alex and Dave, ensuring that we stayed safe while still working independently as a team. Overall, it was a rewarding and hugely enjoyable experience that pushed us out of our comfort zones and gave us a strong sense of achievement.’ Emily I

‘Over the weekend of our Gold DofE expedition, our group faced some challenges but also had some great moments together. At the start of the expedition, we all had some worries about the amount of walking we had to do each day and how heavy our bags were. But over the course of the three-day expedition, we started to work better together and really get a hang of the walking. The highlights of the expedition for me were reaching the campsite after a day of walking and being able to relax. But a low point was definitely how much the temperature dropped at night. Overall, my group made good progress with their teamwork, navigation and independence, and it was a very rewarding experience.’ Belle R

The final Assessed Expedition will run from 29 June to 3 July and takes place in the heart Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons). Students will be walking for four days and camping for three nights in some more challenging terrain and, if what usually happens in Wales happens again, some wet weather. Locations include the famous National Showcaves Centre for Wales area of Dan-yr-Ogof and the challenging Pen y Fan, the highest peak in southern Britain, should students choose to take it on.

Mr Matthew Rose, Gold DofE Manager