At the start of the summer holidays, 17 students set off for the Brecon Beacons to complete their Duke of Edinburgh Gold expedition.
Setting off from our outdoor activity site – the Boetius Centre in Coelbren, South Wales – the students walked over 70km in four days to reach the Torpantau reservoir valley. This included crossing the Pen y Fan peak, the tallest mountain in the Brecon Beacons (Bannau Brycheiniog), demonstrating their fitness and resilience in surviving a very tough climb.
Congratulations to the 16 students who successfully completed the challenge. Unfortunately, one student had to drop out after three days due to a persistent injury which was aggravated by the heavy rucksack but should be commended for persevering that far.
Mr Manchester, expedition leader, says, “The weather in Wales treated us well and we only got one downpour across the whole trip, which truly is a miracle. There was a real camaraderie amongst the groups, and it was good to see them support each other through a tough trip, with a fun and upbeat atmosphere in camp each night. I was massively impressed by one team’s creativity in cooking halloumi wraps one night and a homemade vegetable curry on another! Much more inventive than the instant noodles and pasta that I’m used to seeing. Well done everyone.”
Upper Sixth student Beth reports back, “Our Gold Duke of Edinburgh expedition this summer comes with a multitude of memories – eventful, but also by no means easy. Our four days in the Brecon Beacons involved a long route climbing various peaks and dropping down through valleys, exposed to all the elements.
“We started out by the former Neal Helen opencast coal mine, trudging through fields in the persistent drizzle. Thankfully it cleared up by the end of the day, and our expedition was remarkably dry! We explored much of the Brecon landscape, sometimes unintentionally, but we worked our way through the fields and forests to each of the campsites.
“One of the highlights of the week was definitely the views from the top of Pen y Fan, especially once the clouds cleared. We had thick fog for some of the climb, and then glaring sunshine for the descent, with inquisitive sheep and beautiful red kites soaring overhead. Even though we were on a campsite in the middle of South Wales, this didn’t stop us from listening into the semi-final England Euros match on our penultimate night!
“The evenings at the campsites were an excellent time to wind down and reset before the next morning, and at the last farm their Jack Russell “Naughty Jacko” joined us whilst we did our washing up. We followed the Roman roads and the remains of their settlements, former auxiliary forts and barracks for soldiers on patrol, useful pinpoints on our maps, and clambered over the changing geology of this national park.
“The changing terrain has formed part of our presentation to finish our expedition, understanding how the use of the Brecon Beacons has changed over time, from Roman activity to common land to mining, and now to a national park. It was an exhilarating trip – not relaxing, but full of funny anecdotes and chocolate that kept us going! Thank you to all the teachers involved in organising our expedition away this summer.”
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The Duke of Edinburgh Award is open to students at Trinity School, Croydon, in Third Year and above. Students must complete four sections (five for Gold): Volunteering, Physical, Skills, and Expedition, with an additional Residential section for Gold. It is a fantastic opportunity for personal growth, making lifelong memories, and is valued by future employers.
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