During the month of August, a small group of pupils, accompanied by six members of staff, travelled to Scotland to conduct a Gold Duke of Edinburgh expedition. Groups were looking forward to tackling a range of different activities, including cycling, canoeing and kayaking. The group embarking on cycling were looking forward to cycling sections of the West Highland and Great Glen Way, whilst the water-based activities were exploring the Caledonian Canal, from Fort William to Inverness.
The journey to Scotland, although very long, was uneventful, and the group enjoyed the calm ride north to physically prepare themselves for the arduous tasks to come. Armed with junk food, the group arrived in Scotland, ready for the start of the expedition the following day.
The weather for the start of the expedition was typical of the west coast of Scotland; the drizzle bringing out the dreaded midges! However, all groups were keen to get the tasks underway. The cyclists travelled to a section of the West Highland Way, and, after setting up their bikes, headed off. The first two days were incredibly challenging; cycling across wild moorland with imposing mountains as a backdrop. The first day of any expedition can have its teething problems, and this time proved no exception. The cyclists had several technical issues, and the trail itself proved much more of a challenge than initially expected!
The kayakers and canoers started their journey paddling north along an easy section of the canal, with no less impressive scenery for them to admire en route. However, they were not exempt from challenges themselves, and the water conditions created something of an obstacle for them to get through. When out of relative shelter, paddling into the first Loch, the wind whipped up and created waves in the water; a calm paddle in a canoe became a practise white-water rafting event! Despite these challenges, all groups reached their campsites in good time and in good spirits.
The next three days of the expedition improved dramatically: the weather cheered up considerably and the cyclists trail became easier as they became more efficient at fixing punctures! The water-based groups had also earned an easier time, enjoying a relatively easy paddle through the beautiful Loch Oich, and camping the night on the shores of Loch Ness. However, the wind then picked up, resulting in the pupils being stuck in tents for a frustrating day. The wind howled the length of Loch Ness, making it too dangerous to continue the journey. Luckily, the following day, the wind had dropped enough for the groups to continue their journey, making up time lost and finishing close to their final destination.
All groups were picked upon the shores of Loch Ness and returned to Fort William for a well earned visit to McDonalds, before beginning the long drive south. Head of Outdoor Education, Mr Steve Macpherson, commented that ‘although the expedition had its difficulties, the groups all learnt a lot, both about participating in an event like this, and hopefully about themselves. The assessors have said that they performed very well in challenging environments, and are a credit to the College.’
