A cool Duke of Edinburgh expedition for year 10

Six intrepid teams of year 10s completed their practice Duke of Edinburgh’s expedition over the weekend of 28-29 April. By 10.30 on Saturday the teams were deep in the heart of the South Downs National Park, making progress over the whaleback humps of the downs to the Cuckmere Valley beyond.
On Saturday each team had a teacher accompanying them, to help them learn the gentle arts of navigation. Or to allow the group to get lost, depending on the attitude of the leader! Arrival at the campsite at Wick Street Farm was quickly followed by making camp and cooking dinner. A brisk and very fresh wind made the evening and night a cold one.
An early reveille from Mr Langford on Sunday morning ensured that the teams had departed by shortly after 8am, this time making their ways unaccompanied back towards the coast. Despite navigational difficulties where footpath signs seemed to have been removed, the groups completed day two in around the six hours specified. Some tired students gladly jumped into the minivans for the journey home, glad to relax but very pleased in the knowledge that they had risen to the challenge of the weekend magnificently.
Special thanks to Mrs Rawsthorne and Mr Langford for piloting D of E this year, and to Mr Langford for running the weekend so effectively.