24 intrepid students from both Beal and The Forest Academy (TFA) and from both Year 12 and Year 10 took part in a Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) expedition staying at Deben House Campsite. Leaving TFA before 9:30am on the Thursday morning students did not reach the campsite until many hours later and not before they had undertaken well over 30,000 steps in punishing conditions. Thankfully the last hour or so of walking before reaching the campsite was taken under the cover of Epping Forest.
During the expedition the students undertook a significant amount of walking often over hilly terrain with full rucksacks on their backs. The students also had to map read in their groups in order to meet up at a set meeting point several hours later. Students also had to put up and put down a tent without any adult help and also cook (using methylated spirit as a fuel) an evening meal and also a breakfast meal. The main choices of the evening meal appeared to be either pasta or noodles though one group even tried their hand at cooking steak. Eggs were a popular choice for breakfast with one group even adding mushrooms, turkey rashers and beans to the eggs to produce what appeared to be quite the culinary delight.
Worries about foxes potentially stealing students’ possessions proved to be unfounded and instead the campsite cat appeared to take a shine to several of the students (and indeed the staff).
The students even found energy in the evening to produce some singing with background dancing that suggests we may have some future X factor contestants in our midst.
All 24 students passed the DofE expedition part of the award with flying colours and although some of the hills may have seemed a little steep at the time, although the food may not have quite matched that at home, and although the rolling mat may not have been quite as comfortable as a bed at home, all returned safely and all seemed to thoroughly enjoy the expedition.
A big thank you to Ms. Ibrahim for organising the trip, Ms. Elliott for her wise words and Ms. Klein for her camping expertise and her undiminishable energy.
‘We learned how to navigate maps using a compass without using our phones, and we also learned how to set up a tent. It was a one of a kind experience, and we made lots of new friends. Everything on the trip was really memorable, and if we could, we’d go back and experience it all over again.’ HS and SB
‘I really enjoyed the DofE. One of the main things I learned was to keep pushing until you make it, even when it gets tough. What I especially enjoyed was relaxing in the tent after the long walk, it was a great feeling to rest after being out in the sun walking for hours.’ RH
Mr. Matheson
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