St Mary's Calne
On the weekend of 11 to 12 May, the entire LV took part in their practice expedition for the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Here, two students reflect on their experience:
Isobel explained:
'We walked from school through the Cherhill Downs and surrounding countryside before setting up camp at Blackland Lakes, ready to walk back the following day. On the first day, each group was guided by a fantastic instructor from H5, who taught us everything we needed to know about camping, navigation, and safety. That said, we still managed to walk 2km in the wrong direction once we were on our own! Every group successfully reached each checkpoint, and the whole experience was thoroughly enjoyed by all. We can’t wait to do it again for our assessed expedition in June!'
Nikol shared:
'Duke of Edinburgh was a completely new experience for me, but honestly, I wish I’d done it sooner. These days, we often take our privileges for granted and forget to appreciate the simple things - like nature. It wasn’t the easiest walk, I’ll admit, but the beauty around us and the laughter of my friends made me forget my blisters! We walked for about six hours, and cooking pasta at the end wasn’t exactly smooth sailing. It was plain, over-salted, and undercooked... but I loved it. It tasted good because we made it ourselves, and that effort made it meaningful.
As soon as we walked back through the school gates, we couldn’t stop smiling. We were so happy to be back—something we didn’t expect! The joy of spending time together, enjoying the sunny weather and each other’s company, made me realise how lucky I am to share days like that with such wonderful people.'