DofE Silver Qualifying Expedition
With our GCSE exams finally behind us, myself, Trish O, Charlie M, Lochlan P, Jai E and Xander A embarked on our silver Duke of Edinburgh qualifying expedition in the New Forest. Faced with the prospect of three days spent hiking, orienteering, and camping, we packed our enormous rucksacks to the brim and crossed our fingers, hoping it wouldn’t rain.
Writes Yuvraj B (L6th)
Day 1
After a long coach journey, we arrived at the New Forest. According to the BBC, clear skies and sunny spells awaited us, giving us hope! We set off in high spirits, navigating our route through open fields and lush woodlands. Lunchtime found us sitting beneath a tree overlooking a scenic expanse of the countryside, whilst nibbling on the precious rations we had. As we continued our trip, it was evident that our weather apps had fooled us; dark grey clouds loomed atop of us, with raindrops bombarding our ruck sacks. Thankfully, we were not too far from our first campsite, where I took charge of dinner, making the group an Indian-style grated paneer dish in the pouring rain! Despite being drenched we were still somewhat hopeful, eagerly awaiting the moment we can finally go back home!
Day 2
The next morning we woke to discover that the rain had finally ceased. After drying off our tents and re-assembling our ginormous bags, we set off once again, continuing our journey through the New Forest. It felt like we had been walking for hours, passing through fields full of wild horses and occasionally cows. Amongst the stunning landscape, we grabbed a bite to eat in a strangely barren, almost desert-like area. This sandy terrain was definitely a contrast to the lush greenery from earlier on.
Although the day remained relatively dry, fatigue was starting to set in for the team. Still, we pushed through, knowing that each step brought us closer to completing our challenge. Dinner that evening was a reliable and satisfying portion of pesto pasta, which we devoured in an instant.
Day 3
Our final day began with a singular mission to reach the coach park. It was also Xander's birthday, so the atmosphere was buoyant! So after speedily singing him “Happy Birthday” in a field, we got to the task at hand - making it to the finish line. Tired and sore, yet motivated by our goal, we pushed through the last few kilometres. Each of us was determined not to let our exhaustion get the better of us.
After spotting the coach from the edge of the field, a sense of relief and accomplishment washed over us. We had made it! Three days of hiking through the New Forest, in sunshine and downpours, barren landscapes and horse-filled fields; it had all led up to this moment. We had completed our Silver DofE expedition.
Surprisingly, during the entire duration of the trip, we did not get lost once, thanks to our excellent orienteering and navigation skills! The New Forest had been a beautiful yet demanding backdrop for our journey, but with the support of the team, we succeeded. Now, with this achievement under our belts, we're ready for the next adventure.
As part of our expedition, I created a video documenting our journey which you can watch here: https://youtu.be/IgyHo7sa7K4?si=4zgAyZBycrVKWPm_#.
Please do enjoy!
