Students from Rossett School trekked through the mountainous countryside of the Lake District and battled the heat of the Nidderdale summer as they undertook their final expeditions for the Duke of Edinburgh Gold and Bronze Awards.
The Gold Award students warmed up for their expedition with an ‘acclimatisation day’ at Lake Windermere. They took part in activities including kayaking, and stayed in a youth hostel in the picturesque village of Grasmere.
The expedition itself began on the second day at Grizedale Forest. The students headed north via Tarn Howes and Elterwater before setting up camp at Chapel Stile.
The second day of the expedition took them via Grasmere, Easedale Tarn and Stickle Tarn to the Great Langdale National Trust Campsite. It was then into wild country on the third day as they made the strenuous walk to the west of the Old Man of Coniston. Here, they wild-camped for the night by Seathwaite Tarn, experiencing the magic of waking up the next morning to stunning scenery. The final day saw the students head east and in to Coniston via Goat’s Water.
Meanwhile, 103 Bronze Award students walked from Wath near Pateley Bridge before setting up camp for the evening at Breaks Fold Farm near West End. They finished in Hampsthwaite the following afternoon.
Among the highlights of the expedition were the fun and games at the campsite, toasting marshmallows, and seeing a variety of wildlife along their route.
Rossett School teacher and Duke of Edinburgh co-ordinator Caroline Jackson said:
The students had a fantastic time on their final Gold and Bronze expeditions and were a credit to the school with their teamwork, excellent behaviour and initiative. It was a delight to see their happy faces at the end of the weekend.
The students were well-equipped for the expedition after attending a training day about the key skills needed to take part in the DofE Award scheme. During the event, they learned about map work and route planning, camp fire cooking, putting up tents, packing kit correctly, and how to administer first aid.
Ms Jackson added:
The students really put the skills that they learned on the training day to good use, and got stuck in to all aspects of the expeditions.
Although the DofE Award scheme can be challenging, it is always very popular at Rossett School, and everyone who takes part finds it extremely worthwhile and rewarding.
