Ten NSB sixth formers and two girls from Westfield School for Girls completed their DofE Gold Award qualifying expedition last Tuesday at Braithwaite near Keswick. The sun shone on three of the four days in contrast to the hurricane force winds of Storm Catherine which had forced the staff to reschedule the expedition last October. Conditions were still damp and cold at times when temperatures at night dropped below zero three nights running.
The dozen participants formed two teams which set off from the same campsite near Keswick in opposite directions, met up again two days later at a wild campsite on the lake shore near Buttermere and then retraced each other’s route back to the start point. Team Bravo had to climb 500 metres with full packs on the first day while on the second day Team Alpha edged their way over Honister Pass and clambered down Warnscale Beck to the wild camp on Crummock Water.
The Mountain Leader Rob Simpson sang their praises and was impressed by their ‘absolute commitment to the venture, their excellent team work throughout and their positive attitude’. He was absolutely right to have cancelled the expedition last October. All twelve said how much they enjoyed the sweat of the challenge and the buzz of achievement at the end. It was worth waiting for and their success perhaps tasted even sweeter as a result.
Many thanks to Rob Simpson, to Vicky Armstrong who assessed them and to the DofE Leaders from both schools who ran both expeditions – Miss Lamb, Mr Drax, Mr Smith and Mr Thompson. Many congratulations to:
Team Alpha – Sophie C, Annya W, Luke A, Dan L, Andrew D, Bayley C
Team Bravo – Alex M, Harry M, Alfie M, Tom Q, Fergus M, Jack H