To call the first day a kick in the backside would be an understatement: I found myself 300m up the side of a sheer valley slope at 8am
my team felt prepared as we looked ahead to the longest day on the expedition. In the distance to the north, we immediately spotted the peak we would conquer. This, however, was only the first valley of three that we would cross that day; virtually swimming through a flooded field and a trek through an extremely boggy pine forest left us in the valley of Eskdale, when, immediately and inevitably, the rain began. Again, everything was soaked, with the evening being spent primarily in the heated toilets of the wonderful facility at which we stayed. While many required the drying services of the boot cupboard, my trusty Gore-Tex assault boots held fast, proudly keeping my feet dry for the entirety of the expedition. Day Three presented what we hoped to be the most relaxed day of the trip. Finally, we were granted the privilege of walking along a valley, rather than trying to traverse across it. Therefore, as the first group to depart, we made good headway in the very early stage of the day, and reached the end of the valley mid-morning in high spirits. But the fun had only just begun: owing to our possession of an out-of- date 2008 edition OS Map, the path we were motoring along towards the Four Tarns and the route back into Langdale Valley dissolved into the boulders and long grass of the hillside. Our expert navigator, Alfie Curry, picked our bearing and we made a beeline up the side of the hill – off- piste, if you will. It was here that we experienced the wild, untamed aspect of the Lake District, with visibility cut to 10m as we pushed into the clouds, and no way to gain our bearings on the side of the hill. By some stroke of luck we chanced upon the top after a good hour of traipsing. As
we were rained on and blown about at the very top of the Lake District, we reluctantly pulled out a sodden lunch. The victorious descent into Langdale accommodated a glorious kite flying opportunity that was not to be wasted. After a pleasant fourth and final day, consisting of relatively flat and well-paved terrain on an alternate route from Langdale to Coniston, we crossed the finish line. What an excellent expedition it had been. Not only had we completed over 80km in four days across the Lakes, but our team had also developed well together and valuable lessons were learnt for the future. I could not have thought of a more enjoyable and fulfilling experience for the start of the summer holiday and many thanks should go to our DofE organisers and expedition assessors for their support and guidance.
Record numbers sign up to the Duke of Edinburgh Award
More and more boys are embracing the challenge of the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award at the College. Boys are able to sign up at the start of Year 12. They complete their Expedition Training and Assessment during the year and then complete the Award by the End of Year 13.
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