By Ms Sparke:
“On 24th and 25th September, 79 students embarked on their bronze DofE training weekend in the Chiltern Hills. They started out at the Ashridge estate, and after a kit check started to walk to Town farm campsite about 10km away. The weather was incredibly kind staying warm and sunny for most of the day. Students arrived in high spirits, keen to off load their heavy rucksacks and soon had mastered putting up their tents. Some found it difficult to cook for themselves after their day’s exertions, but many were looking forward to a hot meal and being independent. For many it was the first time they had ever cooked a meal. The following morning the students woke having had little sleep as it had been rather fresh overnight and they found their muscles aching, but
they preserved and cooked themselves breakfast. Once the fog lifted, they were blessed with another beautiful day to enjoy in the Chiltern Hills. Their routes took them around 10-12Kkm up to their finish point of Dunstable Downs. They all did incredibly well and showed a great deal of resilience. They should all have no problem in passing their qualifying expedition in a few weeks’ time. We now just hope the weather is kind once again for them. Very well done to them all.”
