Outdoor Enthusiasts Strike Gold

Shiplake’s senior Duke of Edinburgh’s award groups travelled to Scotland in late August to complete their Gold expedition attempt.

After a long journey, the pupils enjoyed a last night of comfort at the Snowgoose Mountain Centre in the West Highlands, near Fort William. The accommodation markets itself as a perfect base for ‘wilderness expeditions’, which tells you everything you need to know about the task our pupils faced.

All pupils had to select a predominant outdoor activity to be assessed on, making this the primary method of transport throughout the excursion. Three groups chose canoeing whilst the other opted for kayaking. After the challenges of loading and trimming their boats, the group set of from Jupiter’s Staircase and began the long paddle up through the Caledonian Canal. Fortunately, the pupils were blessed with dry weather, although the August temperatures were hardly optimal.

The DofE assessor and local expert (John) was accompanied by outdoor pursuits leader Mr MacPherson in trailing the group in their own kayaks, whilst other staff stayed dry in minibuses keeping an eagle eye out from the coast. Overnight accommodation involved basic camping alongside the picturesque loch, with the reward of an awesome morning view.

The pupils continued their journey on the following days, through Loch Lochy, Loch Oich and Loch Ness; all connected by the Caledonian Canal. Wind was a major factor, often coming from several different directions in the space of a few minutes. This wind often whipped up the water making it a much more difficult paddle. Luckily this was a not a constant issue and at times the group were blessed with flat, calm, glassy water.

All pupils successfully completed the expedition and passed the assessment. This is a fantastic achievement which as well as providing a sense of pride will also significantly enhance participants’ CVs and UCAS applications.

Participants: