29 April 2026
Vaishvi, Lower Sixth
At the end of last term, a group of Lower Sixth students embarked on our Gold DofE practice expedition in the Brecon Beacons. We set off on the Friday and stayed the first night in a bunkhouse, eating pizza and playing Uno, which was definitely the easiest part of the trip! The next morning, we set off into the mountains for four days of walking and navigating through fields of sheep and up massive hills, with no shortage of heavy rain and strong winds. We all supported one another throughout and, fortunately, made it safely to our camp at the end of each long day, where we treated ourselves to a hot supper, after which we climbed into our warm sleeping bags!
Whilst the expedition undoubtedly pushed us to our limits, both physically and mentally, it was incredibly rewarding and absolutely worth every step, especially with the breathtaking views across the mountains.
We are all very much looking forward to the qualifier expedition in July, with our fingers crossed for slightly better weather. A huge thank you to Dr Dixon and Miss Dellarosa Ratti for accompanying us to the Brecon Beacons, and to Dr Dixon in particular for organising our Gold DofE programme.