Bronze DofE 2023: Assessed Expedition

The Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award assessed expedition at the weekend took place in the beautiful Berkshire countryside.

On a sunny Saturday morning, 24^th June, fifty-nine eager explorers were dropped off at the start point of their 2-day hike. The drop-off point was in the unusually named village of Hampstead Norreys, which nestles in an area of outstanding beauty in the stunning Berkshire Downs. Despite being 9 am, the temperature was already creeping up, an early indication that the day ahead was likely to be a scorcher. Thanks to their training weekend in April and their practice expedition in May, the Bronzes had a wealth of knowledge and experience to draw upon to overcome potential expedition difficulties. They had all come prepared for the hot weather with hats, sunscreen and plenty of water to ensure they stayed comfortable and safe throughout their journey. After sharing out the group kit, the participants crammed their share of the equipment into already bulging rucksacks in preparation for the weekend ahead. They familiarised themselves with the route map for day one. Each team had an expedition instructor to talk to them and make sure they were confident and ready to set off on their journey.

Despite the hot weather, all teams had a successful first day of hiking, with only a few navigational errors along the way. One by one, the hot, sweaty, slightly sunburnt teams arrived at camp and were grateful and relieved to find a shady spot, take off their heavy rucksacks and boots and sit down on the grass.

After a short rest, the Bronzes began their campcraft tasks: erecting their tents and organising their equipment.  Once camp was set up, the teams began to cook and eat their evening meals.

The expedition company lead instructor gathered the students in the early evening to deliver a debrief of the day and make sure they were prepared for the next day’s adventure. Afterwards, the students had some free time to enjoy together before crawling into their tents for a very well-deserved sleep.

Sunday morning was an early start, and it did not take long for the campers to have breakfast and pack away their tents and equipment.

The DofE Award have a strict ‘leave no trace’ policy and the instructors made sure that the Bronzes were leaving their camping spot litter-free.

After checking their maps, the teams were ready to embark on the last leg of DofE expedition experience. The second day was more eventful for some participants, as rising temperatures throughout the day led to three teams being picked up in the school minibus to escape the heat of the hot sun. All of the students were relieved and exhausted when they finally arrived at their final destination at Bucklebury Common.

Throughout the assessed expedition, the Bronzes’ team spirit, resilience and commitment were commented on by the expedition leaders. Despite the hayfever, sunburn and ‘navigational challenges’, all Bronze expedition participants completed their final assessment with flying colours. These students persevered through the physical and mental demands of a two-day walking expedition. GMS are very proud of their achievements and hopes to see them progress to the Silver level of the DofE Award next year.

Miss Helen Murray

DofE Award Manager