Duke of Edinburgh Expeditions - June 2022

Eighty-six of our students, who are completing their DofE through the school, completed the Expedition Section after the May half term. Split into two groups of forty-three, they were required to arrive for their designated training and expedition days at the Queen Elizabeth Country Park, near Petersfield. It did not take long to unite the groups with their trainers and assessors.

Their first day was spent learning about first aid for hiking, what to do in an emergency, as well as learning the essentials of navigation. After a gentle walk through the Country Park, they returned to camp to put up their tents and prepare their dinner. Some of the meals cooked on the trangias certainly made you realise what you could cook with an adventurous mind. Their evening was spent planning and then plotting their routes. They had to meet their assessors at designated points and to reach them within quite a tight timeframe.

The second day was all about map reading and navigation – something that most of the students sailed through, although there were one or two who just could not help themselves and insisted on “getting lost”. Using their skills, they were able to navigate back to where they should have been. By this stage, most of the students had already walked about 20 km. After tending to their sore feet, putting up their tents again and cooking dinner they had some free time where they were able to play ball games and cards. Some students used the time to check their map reading skills and to ensure they knew the route they would follow the next day.

After a flurry of activity in the morning, the groups set off on their final day of their expedition. For some, the physical exertion was taking its toll, and for others, it seemed as if they would be able to go on for miles.

I am extremely proud of our young men and women who braved a range of weather patterns, woke up when the first glint of sunlight peaked through their tents (4:30am) and endured life without a shower for three days.  Well done to all eighty-six of you for completing this stage of DofE.

I would like to express my thanks to Miss Perkis, Miss Charlton and Miss Kiernan for their help on the trip.

Mr Moore