MOUNTAINS, MAPS AND MILESTONES

As part of our Silver Duke of Edinburgh practice expedition in the Bannau Brycheiniog, our group spent time walking along the Brecon Ridge. The views from the summit were striking, and reaching the top made the long climbs and extended breaks feel worthwhile. The clear skies and warm sunshine added to the enjoyment of being out in nature.

Midway through the hike, one teammate started to feel unwell after skipping breakfast, and the group began to tire. We paused on the side of the road, shared the last of our water, and reminded ourselves that we're only as fast as our slowest member. That helped us to travel the few hundred meters to camp, where laughter over calling every stray stone a ‘cairn’ lit the mood - especially after we nearly overshot our plotted waypoint by blind confidence. A hot travel meal at the end of the day felt like a real treat!

That first outing leaves me more excited than ever for our four-day qualifying trek in June. I know we’ll face tougher navigation tests and longer days, but if a seemingly endless mountain can be conquered with patience and determination, so can the challenges ahead, both on the trail and in our upcoming GCSE exams.

Neeam, Fifth Form

Also leaving on the first day of the break, four groups of Lower Sixth pupils headed to Snowdonia to complete their Gold practice expedition. On the first day, they put their map-reading skills to the test on a micro-navigation exercise before heading out on three days of expedition in wild country terrain. One day was spent on rough terrain in the Ogwen Valley which provided an opportunity for pupils to experience some basic scrambling and observe fantastic views over the rest of Snowdonia from some of the highest peaks in the park. The three days of expedition provided a number of new challenges to pupils, whose determination, team work and resilience shone throughout the weekend.