‘I am now seriously considering whether to take part in Gold DofE having gone into the walk set against it!’
This year, we / Year 11 travelled to Shropshire to take part in a three-day Silver DofE expedition, carrying all of our equipment, food and clothing. We had to choose a goal which we would attempt to complete during the expedition; so we decided to learn more about the history of the local area, including visiting local towns and churches.
The walk didn’t start very well, with us arriving in pouring rain, which certainly dampened our spirits! However, once we got going the walk became much more enjoyable, and we were able to appreciate the fabulous scenery around us. We nearly got lost as we approached the Stipperstones Nature Reserve, but we were able to stay calm, and eventually got back on track. We spent our first night camping out in the garden of the Youth Hostel at Bridges, and we were able to enjoy our food which we cooked over our Trangia stoves.
The next day began with cooking coffee and porridge, before setting off about 9 o’clock. We walked at a good pace for the remainder of the day, and were able to arrive at Bishops Castle (about three kilometres from our campsite for that night) right on time. Here we spent some time finding more about the history of the town, visiting the local town hall, and reading leaflets from a variety of museums. After this break, we struggled through the rain up a steep hill to our campsite at Middle Woodbatch. We all greatly appreciated the quality of the showers at the campsite, and we were then able to enjoy an evening spent round the campfire together.
The next day began with full sun, and we set off with high spirits. We walked well until we reached the town of Clun, where we investigated the local castle and had lunch. After one last climb over Clun Hill we reached the village of Chapel Lawn, where we at last finished our walk!
Our whole class agreed that the Expedition was one of our most enjoyable times at Heritage, and we were all sad when it was over! In fact, the walk was so much fun that I am now seriously considering whether to take part in the Gold Award having gone into the walk set against it! Without doubt, it is challenging, but we were all able to push through, and I would sincerely recommend it to anyone considering Silver DofE. It provides a great chance to see more of our beautiful countryside, and also a wonderful opportunity to form deeper friendships with all of your classmates.
Jed Beynon, Y11, Head Boy
