The dust kicked up by the start of term had barely settled before ninety odd intrepid members of the LVth set off on their first Duke of Edinburgh’s Expedition. We were blessed with beautiful walking weather, clear blue skies and mild temperatures: Spring had finally sprung.
Being the practice expedition, each group was allocated a member of Common Room or a pair of more experienced Gold Candidates, who were on hand to correct the more outrageous navigational mish
aps and keep their charges on approximately the right route. However, in the majority of cases they needed to provide little more than moral support and encouragement as the groups spread out across the Surrey Hills and then re-converged on the various campsites they had been directed to.
The clear weather made for a cold night, but everyone survived, though one or two candidates might have wished for better sleeping bags! In the morning the heavy frost soon burnt off in the sun and after a hot breakfast the adventure continued on the return journey to school. Lessons from the previous day had been learned, so map reading was generally more efficient and everyone was back in good time to get their kit cleaned, dried and handed back.
A few stiff backs and sore feet aside, this was a most enjoyable expedition on which all the participants should be congratulated for their ability to open themselves to a new experience. Watch this space for news of the assessed expedition at the end of term.
SAHY
Head of Outdoor Education
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